Alex Honnold climbs Taipei 101 without a rope in permissioned ascent

Alex Honnold, the rock climber featured in the documentary “Free Solo,” climbed Taipei 101 in Taiwan on Sunday without a rope, scaling the 1,667-foot skyscraper in a climb that was broadcast live on Netflix. The Times reported that Mr. Honnold obtained permission for the ascent.

The article said skyscraper climbing is a small, often illegal activity with “a dozen or so known” practitioners worldwide. Alain Robert, the longtime climber who has scaled many buildings, told the paper he has been arrested more than 170 times and described the experience as feeling “literally in a movie.” Dan Goodwin, who climbed Toronto’s CN Tower in 1986, said climbing buildings is more repetitive than rock climbing and can heavily tax muscles and fingers; he recalled finishing the CN Tower with blisters and a burning shoulder.

Mr. Honnold told a podcast recorded before the climb that he had not been willing to get arrested. Some climbers quoted in the article expressed concern that the live broadcast could encourage untrained attempts — “My message to kids: Don’t do it,” Mr. Goodwin said — while others, including Mr. Robert, said the danger is part of the appeal and that he might try another building in the coming weeks.

Key Topics

World, Alex Honnold, Taiwan, Alain Robert, Skyscraper Climbing, Free Solo