American rock climber Alex Honnold successfully climbed the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without the use of ropes or safety gear. Spectators cheered as he ascended the 508-meter tower, utilizing horizontal metal beams to pull himself up manually.
During the climb, Honnold paused at one point to face the crowd, clad in a distinctive red short-sleeved shirt. The entire ascent was broadcast live on Netflix with a slight delay of 10 seconds, after being postponed for 24 hours due to rainy conditions.
The daring feat sparked a mix of excitement and ethical concerns regarding the risks associated with live broadcasting such a high-stakes endeavor. Honnold, renowned for his ropeless climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, navigated the corners of Taipei 101 using small L-shaped outcroppings as footholds.
The skyscraper boasts 101 floors, with the most challenging segment being the 64 floors in the middle section known as the “bamboo boxes.” These sections feature steep, overhanging climbs interspersed with balconies where Honnold took brief breaks as he progressed upwards.
While Honnold was not the first climber to conquer Taipei 101, he holds the distinction of being the first to achieve this feat without the use of ropes. French rock climber Alain Robert previously scaled the building on Christmas Day in 2004 to mark the grand opening of what was then the world’s tallest structure.