American Climber Alex Honnold Scales Taipei 101 Without Ropes

Renowned American rock climber Alex Honnold on Sunday successfully climbed Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, without the use of ropes or safety equipment.

Cheers rang out from spectators gathered at street level as Honnold reached the spire of the 508-metre (1,667-foot) tower about 90 minutes after beginning the ascent. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, he celebrated at the summit by raising his arms in triumph.

Honnold, famous for his ropeless ascent of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite National Park, climbed one corner of the 101-storey building, relying on small L-shaped protrusions for footing. At several points, he navigated around large ornamental structures extending from the tower, hauling himself upward using only his hands.

The most challenging section of the climb was the central portion of the building, known as the “bamboo boxes,” which span 64 floors and define Taipei 101’s distinctive design. Divided into eight segments, each section features eight floors of steep, overhanging surfaces followed by balconies where Honnold briefly rested before continuing.

The free solo ascent was broadcast live on Netflix with a 10-second delay. Originally planned for Saturday, the climb was postponed by a day due to rainfall.

While the feat drew widespread admiration, it also reignited debate about the risks and ethical concerns of broadcasting such dangerous challenges live. Although Honnold is not the first climber to scale Taipei 101, he is the first to do so without ropes. French climber Alain Robert previously climbed the tower in 2004 during its grand opening, using safety equipment.