Professional rock climber Alex Honnold has made history by becoming the first person to free solo the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper, and he is now sharing the most daunting aspects of his extraordinary ascent. The 40-year-old American athlete completed the 1,667-foot climb in Taiwan's capital on Saturday, with Netflix's live broadcast, Skyscraper Live, captivating millions of viewers around the world.
The Terrifying Dragon Ornaments
In an interview with Variety following his death-defying feat, Honnold disclosed that the "scariest thing" about his journey was navigating the building's distinctive metal dragon-like ornaments positioned at the corners. "I mean, they're really fun, they're really cool. It's an incredible sequence, cool position," he remarked. "But every time I set up on the dragon, I'd be like, 'This is kind of crazy.' You're like, out over the abyss. It's cool."
When questioned about the possibility of avoiding the dragons, Honnold explained that alternative routes were not as straightforward as they might appear. "You can wedge yourself in behind the dragon and squirm up the back of it. But that's actually not as easy as it seems like it would be," he noted. "Because the inside of the dragon is actually like a smooth sheet of metal. So, yeah, you can climb it, but it looks very undignified. It's full-body strenuous, and it's not that much easier."
Why the Dragons Were the Better Choice
Honnold emphasised that, despite the exposure, the dragon ornaments offered a more enjoyable path. "And so, actually, the dragon is kind of the better way. If you're climbing with a rope, you for sure always do the dragon, because it's more fun, it's joyous. It's just slightly scarier because the position is so exposed," he added.
Architectural and Weather Challenges
Constructed in 2004, Taipei 101 features primarily glass curtain walls and balconies near its tapered peak. Once the world's tallest skyscraper before being surpassed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa in 2010, it now ranks as the 11th-tallest building globally. Honnold's climb was initially planned for Friday evening but was postponed by 24 hours due to rain. Although conditions improved enough for the attempt on Saturday, he encountered significant wind during the final stages.
"The top of the building rips wind and then, just by coincidence, the wind direction happened to be hammering the corner that I was climbing. Other aspects of the building would have been more sheltered," Honnold detailed. "But then, when I climbed the corner itself, I would just be getting hammered. I was like, 'Ah!' And then the same when stepping onto the dragons. When I was on the left face of the dragon, I would be sheltered from the wind. But if I reached my hand around the dragon, it would basically be like, 'Wow, it's so windy!' I definitely noticed the wind."
A Triumphant Finish
Honnold completed his ascent in an impressive 91 minutes. Upon reaching the summit, he exclaimed, "Sick. I'm so psyched!" before capturing a celebratory selfie. This historic event not only showcases his unparalleled skill and courage but also highlights the growing global interest in extreme sports through platforms like Netflix.
