Alex Honnold Soloing Taipei 101

Math Bert wrote:

Gift link to a NYT interview about the climb.  Article claims he is getting "in the mid six figures" for the climb. I also did a quick ctrl-F and he says "I mean" 9 times.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/us/alex-honnold-netflix-taipei.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GVA.3ZD3.WOBB8spMkr_E&smid=url-share

Thanks for sharing! 

I'd expect mid 6 figures actually means around 500k after taxes in Dirtbaganese. I can say for sure that this live event on Netflix is not being well promoted, I wouldn't even know if it wasn't for this thread.

grug g wrote:

I will bet you $100 he won't fall or slip at all. Its barely going to be 5th class for him. 

Something about this unnerves me.  I think 5.11 granite is less risky that low 5th class Taiwanese construction.   I’m sure he’ll be fine and there are plenty of places to bail along the way, but….

• The fact that it’s “easy”, 
• It’s construction not nature
• It’s Taipei (you have to have been there - and then again maybe it’s just my experiences)
• It’s a live “spectacle”

All in all just give me a bad vibe about the whole thing.  Not in a judgy way.  

Math Bert wrote:

Gift link to a NYT interview about the climb. 

Thanks for the link. I plan to watch it with some friends. At first I thought I had mixed feelings, but then realized I had no feelings. I like Alex and wish him well.

grug g wrote:

I will bet you $100 he won't fall or slip at all. Its barely going to be 5th class for him. 

ah crap
You made me realize that there has got to be a "prediction market" AKA bet/line on this climb. I won't give those shitty companies a click of my attention though. 

The hand wringing about the potential of Honnold falling and leaving behind his family reminds me of criticism Tony Hawk got for riding a skateboard with his toddler. He said “it’s more likely that you will fall walking down the sidewalk than I will skating with my daughter”. I believe this also applies to Honnold soloing Teipei 101. What we perceive as risk in this spectacle is not germane. This is dangerously irresponsible for YOU to attempt, for him, it’s Friday. He’s just in a different league.

https://www.instagram.com/p/TWgttgLHu8/?igsh=bzdqZGhsNmo3bnc3

It seems like a "jump the shark" moment.

Mark Hudon wrote:

It seems like a "jump the shark" moment.

I’d disagree just based on the fact that he has vocalized wanting to do this 12 years ago.  I heard about soloing Taipei 101 before he ever mentioned soloing el cap.  So this is a pretty original idea of his.

Alex could solo any 5.10 naked, could solo most .10's with one hand, some with no hands, and probably all with one foot.  He also climbs more in 1 week than most of you climb in a year, and some of you climb in 5.  He is a professional free soloist, this is just a day in the office.  How cool to be able to climb a huge building legally, and make a ton of money doing it.  He donates large sums of his money to charities and has a solar non-profit.  Someone might have electricity in their house for the first time just because he is doing this climb.  

We have lots of outlets for our distain these days and plenty of big targets.  Why target Alex? 

Is it just a 5.5. or 5.6 (YDS)? Okay realized that was a separate building rating system and it's more like 5.11 to 5.13, that makes sense. Didn't look 5.5 lol.

Urban building facades get pretty dirty, especially on sky-facing surfaces (handholds).  I'm curious if a building maintenance crew on a swing stage did a deep clean of the route? 

Kevin Stricker wrote:

Alex could solo any 5.10 naked, could solo most .10's with one hand, some with no hands, and probably all with one foot.  

Is this a projected fantasy of yours?

Here is a bit of commentary from another person that is here in Taipei.

https://adamskolnick.substack.com/p/the-dress-rehearsal

trailridge wrote:

Is this a projected fantasy of yours?

Nope, just reality. Those shoes you cling to so desperately are just another prop. Climbing doesn’t require gear. 

Edit:  Turtle on Taipei? 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/climbing-gold/id1559139153?i=1000744434141

M M wrote:

I'd expect mid 6 figures actually means around 500k after taxes in Dirtbaganese. I can say for sure that this live event on Netflix is not being well promoted, I wouldn't even know if it wasn't for this thread.

IDK man, it's appeared in this thread in both a NYT article and CNN clip.  I'd say they're getting the word out!

Yaaawwwwnnnn.

No hate, just not interesting.

Of course, for attention seekers, disinterest is interpreted as ‘hate’.

Ryan Enright wrote:

I’ve seen this take all over the socials by dads, but mostly ones who think he’s basically about to unalive himself on purpose.

We are talking about a guy who met his wife during the filming of a major motion picture called free solo, where he adamantly expressed he was always going to do this. And he still free solos on a weekly basis in red rock canyon. I’d say getting paid millions to solo a building beneath his ability level is small fries, but so is my opinion.

He’s doing a super public stunt here so he opens himself up to criticism, but also, it’s not your family, and not your kids. I’m not a father yet.. Are you worried about the example it sets? Do you want to be right in the event that he falls? I’m interested in your position.

Do you know what Child Protective Services is?

The well being of children is EVERYONE'S business.

John Tuttle wrote:

Do you know what Child Protective Services is?

The well being of children is EVERYONE'S business.

Probably shouldn't let soldiers, underwater welders, or lobster fisherman have kids either!

John Tuttle wrote:

Do you know what Child Protective Services is?

The well being of children is EVERYONE'S business.

CPS and community involvement in another family’s children is appropriate in situations of real abuse.

Many dad’s love to judge when they’ve let it go and stopped pursuing their dreams.

I’m a commercial fisherman and father.  No one gives me shit and I guarantee you parts of my job are more dangerous than AH climbing a 5.8 gym route with balcony bail options at every floor. He’s also making way more money for his kids than I can provide. It’s all perspective.

I’m willing to bet that the parents that make a big fuss about this actually give zero fucks about AH’s family.

I’m not interested or impressed by climbing buildings but if he’s into it and can get paid, more power to him.  Read the times article… I’d rather H cash dem checks than the vast majority of people in the public eye.