Alex Honnold: podcast appearances and interviews

Alexander J Honnold, born on August 17, 1985, is an American rock climber renowned for his free solo ascents of large wall climbing routes. His achievements gained worldwide recognition in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo an entire route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. This route, called Freerider, stretches 880 meters and is graded 5.13a; it was the first big-wall free-solo climb at that grade. The feat was described by The New York Times as one of the great athletic achievements of any kind. Honnold's climbing accomplishments also include winning a Piolet d'Or in 2015 alongside Tommy Caldwell for their completion of the Fitz Traverse in Patagonia, an enchainment of the Cerro Chaltén Group completed over five days. Additionally, he set a record on January 25, 2026, by free soloing the Taipei 101 tower in Taipei, Taiwan, which is the tallest building ever climbed in this manner and graded at approximately 5.11. Beyond his climbing pursuits, Honnold is affiliated with the Honnold Foundation. He authored the memoir Alone on the Wall in 2015 with David Roberts and was the subject of the 2018 documentary Free Solo, which received both an Academy Award and a BAFTA.