One man turned a global skyscraper into his most dangerous destination of all: 'Pretty surreal'

Daredevil climber Alex Honnold took utmost question to caller heights connected Saturday, Jan. 24, arsenic helium scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper successful Taiwan with nary ropes oregon protective instrumentality — conquering the building's astir challenging element, the bamboo boxes. 

The American's ascent was broadcast unrecorded connected Netflix with a 10-second hold connected "Skyscraper Live."

The two-hour lawsuit took spot astatine 8 p.m. EST successful the United States. Before the climb, Honnold appeared calm — astatine slightest connected the aboveground — erstwhile helium arrived with his wife, Sanni McCandless. As helium prepared, helium was shown donning customized shoes to navigate the solid and steel.

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"I deliberation radical presume I’m conscionable terrified, but I’ve seen the work," his woman Sanni McCandless told Netflix's Tudum. "My occupation is to beryllium the idiosyncratic helium sees astatine the apical who reminds him he’s a dada and a husband, not conscionable a climber."

Honnold, a nonrecreational stone climber, started astatine the southeast country of the building. During the broadcast, helium could beryllium seen looking down astatine times and smiling astatine spectators connected the street. Fans wrong the gathering were observed taking pictures of him connected their phones.

Daredevil climber Alex Honnold of the U.S. said helium ever dreamed of climbing the Taipei 101 skyscraper successful Taiwan.   (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

"The presumption is amazing," Honnold told Netflix announcers. "Honestly, it's beauteous surreal."

When Honnold yet neared the extremity of his climb, helium sat connected a ledge. 

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"I'm good," helium said. "I'm tired, for sure. ... I americium trying to gait myself."

"This is truthful cool."

He inactive had to ascend the rings and spire. 

As helium yet reached the top, helium waved.

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"You've done it. You've made history," the announcer said. "This is thing you've imagined your full life."

Honnold declared, "This is truthful cool. I americium truthful psyched and beauteous tired, actually."

Rock climber Alex Honnold of the U.S. performs a escaped solo ascent of the Taipei 101 skyscraper successful Taipei, Taiwan, connected Jan. 24, 2026.  (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

For much than a decade, Honnold, a 40-year-old begetter of 2 based successful Las Vegas, dreamed of climbing the 101-story building. 

The solid and alloy skyscraper, which opened successful Dec. 2004, was the world's tallest gathering until 2010. At 1,667 feet tall, the gathering tin beryllium spotted from astir anyplace successful the city.

"I deliberation I’ve ever had curiosity astir what it would consciousness similar to ascent a gathering this big," Honnold told Tudum recently. "I’ve climbed tons of immense walls successful the world, but ne'er thing man-made similar that."

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Honnold roseate to fame successful June 2017 arsenic the archetypal idiosyncratic to escaped solo a afloat way connected El Capitan successful Yosemite National Park. 

Climbing Taipei 101 was different, though, helium said.

Honnold is shown connected the borderline of the Taipei 101 skyscraper successful Taiwan.  (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

"The hardest portion of the ascent volition beryllium what we’re calling the 'bamboo boxes," Honnold told the aforesaid root up of time. 

"The boxes are decidedly the astir physically demanding part."

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A intelligence constituent factored successful arsenic well. 

California-based scientist Michael Gervais, Ph.D., said he's known Honnold for astir a decade. Gervais said Honnold is ever profoundly focused connected what he's aiming to accomplish.

A antheral records U.S. stone climber Honnold arsenic helium climbs the Taipei 101 gathering without ropes oregon information gear.  (I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images)

"He's committed to training. He's committed to a plan. He's committed to a process," the scientist told Fox News Digital earlier the ascent occurred. "He's committed to making definite helium tin go wholly absorbed with the task astatine hand."

Gervais, who interviewed Honnold connected his "Finding Mastery" podcast, said helium believes Honnold "is 1 of the astir important athletes of our time. He has afloat bid of his method skills, afloat bid of his carnal skills and afloat bid of his intelligence skills."

Sports scientist Matthew Mikesell, Ph.D., of Minnesota said elite athletes think, "Where bash I request to beryllium astatine my peak? What routines and habits tin I enactment successful spot to get there?"

Honnold raises his fist atop the Taipei 101 skyscraper successful Taipei, Taiwan.  (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Cheers erupted from the street-level assemblage erstwhile Honnold reached the apical of the spire of the 1,667-foot operation astir 90 minutes aft helium started.

Honnold could beryllium seen waving his arms backmost and distant implicit his head.

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"It was like, What a view, it’s incredible, what a beauteous day," helium said afterward, The Associated Press reported. "It was precise windy, truthful I was like, Don’t autumn disconnected the spire. I was trying to equilibrium nicely. But it was, What an unthinkable presumption — what a beauteous mode to spot Taipei."

Honnold was paid for the event, though helium has not shared his circumstantial compensation successful media interviews.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.