American rock climber Alex Honnold successfully scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper, a 508-meter tall building, on Sunday, using only his hands without any ropes or safety gear. Spectators cheered as he ascended the structure by gripping onto horizontal metal beams.
During the climb, Honnold, donning a distinctive red short-sleeve shirt, paused at one point to face the crowd, further igniting the spectators’ enthusiasm. The entire ascent was broadcasted live on Netflix with a 10-second delay, after being postponed for 24 hours due to adverse weather conditions.
Honnold’s daring feat sparked a mix of excitement and ethical concerns regarding the risks associated with live broadcasts of such high-stakes endeavors. Notably, Honnold is renowned for his ropeless climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
Ascending one corner of the Taipei 101, Honnold strategically utilized small L-shaped outcroppings for footholds, navigating around large ornamental structures protruding from the tower. The building, with 101 floors, presented challenges, particularly the 64-floor middle section known as the “bamboo boxes,” characterized by steep overhangs and balconies where Honnold took brief rests.
While Honnold is not the first climber to conquer the skyscraper, having been preceded by French climber Alain Robert in 2004, he notably achieved the unprecedented feat without a safety rope.