Alex Honnold
Alex Honnold
Alex J. Honnoldis an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. He has broken a number of speed records, most notably the only known solo climbof the Yosemite Triple crown, an 18-hour 50 minute link up of Mount Watkins, The Nose, and the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. He and Hans Florine are the current record holders for the Nose with a climb time of 2:23:51. Honnold says that he likes tall, long...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRock Climber
Date of Birth17 August 1985
CountryUnited States of America
artist athlete climber creates follow free freedom giving life lives moves provide rein similar simply sponsors support toward ways whatever wonderful
In climbing, sponsors typically support an athlete but provide very little direction, giving the climber free rein to follow his or her passion toward whatever is inspiring. It's a wonderful freedom, in many ways similar to that of an artist who simply lives his life and creates whatever moves him.
college died disease family father heart led life professor runs
I was 19 when my father died from a heart attack. He was a 55-year-old college professor and had led what was by all appearances a risk-free life. But he was overweight, and heart disease runs in our family.
consider life matter though
No matter the risks we take, we always consider the end to be too soon, even though in life, more than anything else, quality should be more important than quantity.
animals climate compared easy facts less life people perhaps privileged stunned survive takes time
The simple facts of Chadian life - what it takes to survive in that kind of climate with nothing but a hut and some animals - stunned me. And this made me realize, perhaps for the first time, how easy my life was compared to those of people in less privileged societies.
amount aspect carbon except few food guess harm impact lead life manage minimize money output possible spend travel trying
I guess I'm trying to lead a life of as little harm as possible and minimize my impact on the world. The amount I travel is kind of ridiculous, so I'm contributing to the carbon output and all that stuff. But every other aspect of my life I try to manage as well as I can. I own very few things. I don't spend money on anything except food and gas.
absence activity condemn disease entire everybody heart higher life people risk running sit sofa sort takes viewed
So many people condemn me for risk taking, but I find it sort of hypocritical because everybody takes risks. Even the absence of activity could be viewed as a risk. If you sit on the sofa for your entire life, you're running a higher risk of getting heart disease and cancer.
love solos virtually
I love my climbing shoes. Virtually all of my big solos have been in the TC Pros. They are the most important thing when I'm soloing.
alone below furthest looking sponsors standing
I know that when I'm standing alone below a thousand-foot wall, looking up and considering a climb, my sponsors are the furthest thing from my mind. If I'm going to take risks, they are going to be for myself - not for any company.
lame nostalgic
I'm not nostalgic for my glory days in college. It was lame for me. Probably because I had no friends.
bell love peppers
I love red bell peppers. Bell peppers in general, really. I like to eat them like apples. They're so crunchy and delicious.
executing front
I'm not thinking about anything when I'm climbing, which is part of the appeal. I'm focused on executing what's in front of me.
I like the simplicity of soloing. You've got no gear, no partner. You never climb better than when you free-solo.
public
I've gotten over my shyness from many years of doing public events.
call climbed days discretion ground home routes
I've done routes where I've climbed 200 feet off the ground and just been, like, 'What am I doing?' I then just climbed back down and went home. Discretion is the better part of valor. Some days are just not your day. That's the big thing with free soloing: when to call it.