Renowned climber Alex Honnold completed a practice climb of Taipei 101 with ropes before committing to his historic free solo ascent for Netflix’s Skyscraper Live special, according to a recent interview. The preparation climb took place in September 2025, allowing Honnold to assess whether scaling the 1,667-foot skyscraper without safety equipment was even possible.
Honnold successfully completed the free solo climb of Taipei 101 on Saturday night, taking just over 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the top. The live event marked the first time in his 30-year climbing career that he tackled a skyscraper instead of natural rock formations.
Test Climb Helped Alex Honnold Prepare for Skyscraper Live Challenge
The climber told Variety that he needed to verify the feasibility of the climb before Netflix and his team fully committed to the televised event. During his scouting trip, Honnold climbed the entire structure from bottom to top using ropes as a safety measure.
“Before we all commit to this TV project, I better make sure that it’s possible,” Honnold explained to Variety. He completed another roped practice climb during his most recent trip to Taiwan before attempting the live free solo ascent.
Additionally, the test climbs revealed critical information about weather conditions and their impact on the climb. Honnold discovered that rain made the metal and glass surface of Taipei 101 extremely dangerous, if not impossible, to scale safely.
Weather Conditions Led to Event Postponement
Netflix postponed Skyscraper Live by 24 hours on Friday due to rain in Taipei. The decision came after Honnold had already learned during his practice sessions that wet conditions created unacceptable risks.
“One day it was raining, and I did a couple boxes — but basically determined that I couldn’t climb it at all in the rain,” the climber told Variety. He described the wet metal and glass as “so slippery” and “so slick” that continuing would have been essentially impossible.
The experience during practice climbs informed his decision-making process for the live event. Honnold initially believed that rain might make the ascent harder but still possible, but testing that theory with ropes changed his assessment completely.
However, the preparation paid off when weather conditions improved for Saturday’s successful attempt. The rigorous training regimen, combined with multiple reconnaissance climbs, gave Honnold the confidence needed to attempt the unprecedented feat before a global streaming audience.
Meanwhile, the climber’s meticulous approach to preparation demonstrated the careful planning required for such high-risk endeavors. His willingness to use traditional climbing safety methods during preparation contrasted sharply with the rope-free technique he employed during the actual event.
In contrast to his previous achievements on natural rock faces, the skyscraper climb presented unique challenges including smooth artificial surfaces and urban weather patterns. The Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo had previously captured Honnold’s 3,000-foot free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
An edited version of Skyscraper Live is now available for streaming on Netflix, allowing viewers who missed the live broadcast to watch the historic climb. The streaming platform has not announced whether Honnold plans additional skyscraper climbing events in the future.
