Alex Honnold is an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. He has been described as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, climbers of all time.
Born in 1985 in Sacramento, California, Honnold began climbing at the age of 11. He quickly developed a passion for the sport and set his sights on achieving great feats. In 2008, at the age of 22, he achieved his first major accomplishment – a free solo ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This climb was a testament to his skill and mental strength, as it was the first time a big wall had been free-soloed.
Honnold is also renowned for his big wall free solo ascents. In 2012, he achieved the first free solo ascent of the 3,000-foot (900 m) El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. This climb was documented in the feature-length documentary Free Solo, which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019.
Honnold has also achieved numerous other climbing feats, including the first free solo of the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, the first free solo of the Fitz Traverse in Patagonia, and the first free solo of the North America Wall in Yosemite. In addition to his climbing feats, Honnold is also an advocate for environmentalism and is a supporter of the Access Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting America’s climbing areas.
In 2017, Honnold was featured in the National Geographic cover story, “The Man Who Climbs Without Ropes.” He has also been featured in many other publications, including Outside, Men’s Journal, and National Geographic Adventure. He has also appeared on numerous television shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and 60 Minutes.
Honnold continues to push the boundaries of human achievement with his climbing feats and he is an inspiration to many. His impressive career is a testament to the power of perseverance and hard work, and it serves as a reminder that anything is possible.
