Alex Honnold’s live free solo climb of Taipei 101 has captured worldwide attention, and fans across the United States are asking the same question: when does Alex Honnold climb Taipei 101? The answer is now officially confirmed. The legendary American climber is set to scale one of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers without ropes or protective gear in a globally broadcast, real-time event.
The climb is scheduled for January 23, 2026, with a live broadcast timed for U.S. audiences in prime evening hours. This will be the first time in history that a free solo ascent of a supertall skyscraper is aired live to a global audience, marking a major milestone in both extreme sports and live event broadcasting.
Confirmed Date and U.S. Start Time
The free solo ascent of Taipei 101 will take place on Friday, January 23, 2026.
For viewers in the United States, the live broadcast is scheduled to begin at:
- 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time
In Taipei, the climb will begin in the morning under stable weather and light conditions. The time difference places the U.S. broadcast in the evening, allowing American audiences to watch the full ascent in real time from the ground to the summit.
Why Taipei 101 Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Challenge
Taipei 101 stands 1,667 feet tall and rises 101 stories above the heart of Taiwan’s capital. Once the tallest building on Earth, it remains one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Its exterior design features stacked architectural segments inspired by bamboo, creating repeating ledges, corners, and overhangs.
Unlike natural rock faces, the building’s surface is made of glass, steel, and concrete, offering minimal friction and no natural cracks. Every movement requires precision foot placement, finger strength, and perfect balance. A single mistake would have fatal consequences, which is why free soloing a skyscraper of this height has never before been attempted on live television.
What Makes This Climb Different From El Capitan
Honnold became a household name after free soloing El Capitan’s 3,000-foot granite wall in Yosemite National Park. While that climb was taller, Taipei 101 presents a different kind of difficulty.
The skyscraper offers no chalk-friendly stone, no natural texture, and no variation in rock type. Instead, Honnold must repeatedly navigate identical vertical sections, relying on endurance and mental focus for hours at a time. The challenge is less about a single crux move and more about sustaining flawless execution across hundreds of meters of exposed urban terrain.
Training and Specialized Preparation
In preparation for the Taipei 101 ascent, Honnold undertook months of targeted training. His program focused on:
- Long-duration endurance climbing
- Repetitive vertical sequences to mimic the building’s stacked design
- Core strength for sustained body tension
- Precision footwork on smooth, low-friction surfaces
Specialized climbing shoes were selected to maximize grip on glass and metal panels. Indoor training walls were modified to replicate the building’s angles, edges, and spacing between structural features.
Mental preparation was equally critical. Free solo climbing depends on absolute confidence, emotional control, and the ability to remain calm under extreme exposure for extended periods.
Live Global Broadcast
The entire ascent will be streamed live, with no delay and no editing. Viewers will watch every movement in real time as Honnold climbs from street level to the observation deck near the top of the tower.
The broadcast will include:
- Ground-based and aerial camera angles
- On-site commentators providing real-time context
- Performance data such as altitude, speed, and weather conditions
- Visual overlays showing Honnold’s position on the building
This format allows audiences to experience the physical and psychological intensity of the climb as it unfolds, making it one of the most ambitious live sports broadcasts ever produced.
Safety Oversight and Building Coordination
Although the climb itself will be completed without ropes, the event has been coordinated with structural engineers, safety teams, and building officials. Wind speed, temperature, and surface conditions will be monitored continuously. Emergency response teams will remain on standby throughout the ascent.
The building will be closed to the public during the climb, and airspace restrictions will be in place to allow drone and helicopter camera coverage.
Why This Event Matters in Sports History
Free solo climbing has traditionally existed far from mainstream audiences, confined to remote cliffs and mountains. Bringing such a high-risk, elite discipline into a live global broadcast environment marks a turning point.
This ascent represents:
- The first live free solo of a supertall skyscraper
- One of the highest-risk live sports events ever aired
- A fusion of elite athletic performance and modern media technology
- A new chapter in how extreme sports are presented to mass audiences
For climbers, it expands the definition of what constitutes a “route.” For viewers, it offers an unprecedented look into the mental discipline required to perform at the absolute edge of human capability.
What to Expect on Climb Day
On January 23, the ascent is expected to last several hours. The pace will be controlled and methodical, with brief pauses at architectural transitions where Honnold can shake out his arms and reset his focus.
Key phases of the climb include:
- The lower façade, where the building’s curvature increases exposure
- Mid-tower sections featuring repetitive vertical modules
- Upper levels where wind conditions intensify and temperatures drop
- The final approach to the observation deck near the summit
Each section demands sustained accuracy and zero margin for error.
Global Interest and Public Reaction
The announcement of the climb has generated massive attention across sports, architecture, and entertainment communities. In Taiwan, the event is being viewed as a moment of international visibility for one of the nation’s most famous landmarks. In the United States, it is seen as the next chapter in the career of the most accomplished free solo climber in history.
The question “when does Alex Honnold climb Taipei 101” has surged in online searches as the date approaches, reflecting the scale of anticipation surrounding this rare live spectacle.
A Defining Moment for Alex Honnold
At this stage of his career, Honnold has already secured his place among the greatest climbers of all time. This ascent is not about breaking height records alone; it is about redefining what is possible in controlled, urban, vertical environments.
By choosing to perform this climb live, he is placing total trust in his preparation, his judgment, and his ability to perform under the psychological weight of a global audience.
Will you be watching history unfold when Alex Honnold steps onto the glass and steel of Taipei 101? Share your thoughts and stay tuned for this unforgettable moment in climbing history.