The “Free Solo” star will climb a skyscraper in Taiwan without any ropes or gear live on Netflix.

When does Alex Honnold’s *Skyscraper Live *free solo begin? How to watch the nail-biting climb

The "Free Solo" star will climb a skyscraper in Taiwan without any ropes or gear live on Netflix.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on *The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer*, and many other publications.

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January 22, 2026 11:28 a.m. ET

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Alex Honnold in Taipei with Taipei 101 in the background. Credit:

Corey Rich for Netflix

- *Skyscraper Live* is a live Netflix event in which professional climber Alex Honnold will ascend the Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

- Honnold will free solo the skyscraper, meaning he'll climb with no ropes, harnesses, or gear.

- The event airs live on Netflix on Friday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

This Friday, Alex Honnold will climb a skyscraper in Taiwan live on Netflix for the world to see.

In the streamer's most daring and innovative crack at live programming yet, the special will follow Honnold, the professional climber featured in 2018's Oscar-winning documentary *Free Solo*, as he climbs Taipei 101, the 11th tallest building in the world. He'll do so without any ropes, harnesses, or safety nets, meaning... well, you know what it means.

"No matter how much you prepare, occasionally things just happen," Honnold says in a trailer for the event. "If you fall, you're gonna die."

Is your curiosity piqued? Read on for everything we know about *Skyscraper Live*.

Who is Alex Honnold?

Alex Honnold in 'Free Solo'.

Alex Honnold is a professional rock climber known for his death-defying free solo climbs. For the uninitiated, free solo climbs are performed alone and without the safety provided by harnesses, ropes, and other protective gear.

Honnold helped bring the sport to the mainstream as the subject of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's *Free Solo*, an acclaimed (and nail-biting) documentary in which he became the first person to free solo the Freerider route of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The film went on to win the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

How does he do it? Talent, athleticism, and rigorous training are obviously factors, but a fascinating 2016 study of his brain also showed that Honnold doesn't experience fear in the ways most humans do.

He's since executed a number of other incredible climbs, including Ingmikortilaq in Greenland and Nevada's Red Rock Canyon. But he's settled somewhat in recent years, having launched a podcast, *Climbing Gold*, while parenting two children with his wife, Sanni McCandless.

As Honnold put it in a chat with Tudum, though, he's still climbing all the time, but just being more "thoughtful" about how he approaches each one. "I’m preparing more. Part of that is also just being a 40-year-old man now versus being a 23-year-old living alone in my van," he said. "Because when you’re 23, you just go for it — you don’t really care. As a 40-year-old, you’re like, 'I’ll just spend the extra day, I’ll do some prep work, I’ll be careful, and it’s fine.'"**

What is Taipei 101?

Taipai 101 in 2024.

Jorge Fernández/Getty

Located in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, Taipei 101 is currently the 11th tallest building in the world. Its 101 stories ascend well over 1,600 feet, and it houses a shopping mall, a gym, offices, observatories, and the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Its unique design was specifically constructed to be able to withstand earthquakes and tropical storms. In 2015, *Popular Mechanics* named it one of the world's 10 toughest buildings.

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Speaking with CNN, Honnold acknowledged that the building's repetitive design is more forgiving than an unpredictable mountain face. “If something happens, I would die, though actually, on this particular building, that’s not even totally true because there are balconies every few floors," he said. "The geometry of the building, the shape of the building is such that you actually could fall in tons of places and not actually die, which makes it in some ways safer than a lot of rock-climbing objectives.”

That said, Taipei 101 still offers several challenges. "I think the hardest part of the climb will be what we’re calling the bamboo boxes, which are eight segments in the middle of the building that are overhanging," he explained to Tudum. "Each one is eight floors, so it represents 64 floors in the middle of the building, and they’re all the same. They overhang, I don’t know, 10 or 15 degrees — it’s kind of steep — and then there’s a balcony every eight floors... The boxes are definitely the most physically demanding part."

Is there a *Skyscraper Live *trailer?

The trailer for the climb offers a look at Taipei 101 and a glimpse at Honnold's family life.

"People question soloing now that he's a dad, but this is who Alex is," says McCandless, his wife.**

Honnold, meanwhile, promises that he'll climb with "no ropes, no gear — just me and the building." He adds that this will be the "biggest urban free solo climb ever."**

What has Alex Honnold said about climbing Taipei 101?

Alex Honnold looking up at Taipei 101.

Corey Rich for Netflix

As in *Free Solo*, Honnold is approaching his daunting task with excitement, optimism, and acknowledgements of fear that feel more like lip service than anything. Really, he just sounds giddy to climb Taipei 101.

"Now, because it’s really hard to get permission to climb a building and I have permission, I have to take advantage of it and climb the building," he told Tudum. "Basically, it’s just rare to get this kind of opportunity, so you gotta jump when you can."

He acknowledges, however, that there's some trepidation since he's never climbed a skyscraper before. "I’m sure I’ll feel a little nervous at the bottom, just because it’s something totally new and I don’t know how it’s going to feel," he said. "I’ve spent 30 years climbing rock faces; this is going to be my first big handmade structure, so I’m sure it’ll feel a little different."

What will he have with him? Not much. As he revealed to Climbing.com, he'll wear shorts, a t-shirt, and custom La Sportiva climbing shoes that were designed specifically for this climb. Otherwise, he'll carry a chalk bag and wear a pair of headphones blasting, of all bands, Tool.**

Where can I watch Skyscraper Live?

Alex Honnold training with Taipei 101 in the distance.

Corey Rich for Netflix

*Skyscraper Live* airs Friday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Netflix.

The broadcast will leave room for a rain delay in case of inclement weather, and will include a 10-second delay just in case... well, you know. Champion climber Emily Harrington will serve as a live announcer.**

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