Climber Scales Taipei 101 Skyscraper Without Ropes: Live Stream on Netflix

Over the weekend, free solo climber Alex Honnold made history by tackling the Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan. That’s the 11th tallest building in the world, folks! And get this—he did it without any ropes or safety gear, just wearing a T-shirt, track pants, and climbing shoes. Talk about nerves of steel!

The whole hair-raising stunt was broadcast live on Netflix, so you could watch the action unfold from the comfort of your own couch. Honnold started his climb at 9 am local time and took one hour and 35 minutes to conquer the 1,677-ft, 101-story tower. That’s seriously impressive, considering this tower used to be the tallest in the world before the Burj Khalifa came along in 2010.

Before making this epic ascent, Honnold shared with Netflix, “As long as I can remember, I always wanted to climb things. I’ve always wanted to climb the coolest thing that I could find.” And his wife, Sanni McCandless, who watched the climb in Taiwan, was thrilled to see him fulfill his lifelong dream. She said, “Like all relationships, it just comes down to trust. I trust him and I trust his decision-making process.”

The tower has seen some climbers in the past, like Alain Robert, known as the “French Spiderman,” who scaled it back in 2004. But Honnold’s climb was on a whole other level. He faced sloped steel and glass, eight glass boxes stacked on top of each other, and some seriously tricky overhangs and rings before finally reaching the top of the spire. And yes, he even took a selfie up there—now that’s what we call a view!

This climb was originally scheduled for Friday but got postponed due to rainy weather. Safety first, right? And Honnold shared in an interview with the New York Times, “I hope people see the joy in it. Like when you’re a kid and think, It’d be amazing to climb up there.”

Alex Honnold is no stranger to challenging climbs. He famously became the first person to scale El Capitan without a rope, which was featured in the award-winning film Free Solo. His passion for climbing started at a young age, and he’s been pushing the limits ever since.

Despite the risks involved, Honnold finds solace in free soloing, saying, “When I’m doing these hard free solos, I like to think that the risk is low even though the consequence is high. And that’s one of the appeals—to take something difficult and make it feel safe.”

Overall, the climb was a thrilling event that had viewers holding their breath. And the best part? Honnold made it to the top safe and sound, proving once again that he’s one of the greatest climbers of our time.