Alex Honnold successfully completed a historic free solo climb of Taiwan’s 1,667-foot Taipei 101 on January 25, 2026, becoming the first person to scale the world’s 11th-tallest building without ropes or safety equipment. The death-defying feat was broadcast live on Netflix in “Skyscraper Live,” but Honnold revealed his compensation was surprisingly low—mid-six figures (approximately $500,000), far below what one might expect for such a dangerous and globally-watched achievement. The acclaimed climber called the payment “embarrassingly small” when compared to mainstream sports salaries, highlighting the disparity between what he received and what professional athletes earn for far less risky endeavors.
The Payment Details and Honnold’s Reaction
According to The New York Times, two people with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed that Honnold was being paid in the mid-six figures—approximately $500,000. When asked if the figure reached $10 million, Honnold quickly responded “No!” and clarified, “So in that case, yeah, an embarrassingly small amount.”
Speaking ahead of the climb, Honnold said: “It’s less than my agent aspired to. Actually, if you put it in the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly small amount. You know, Major League Baseball players get like $170 million contracts. Like, someone you haven’t even heard of and that nobody cares about.”
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | Skyscraper Live – Taipei 101 Free Solo Climb |
| Building Height | 1,667 feet (101 stories) |
| Climb Duration | 1 hour, 31 minutes, 43 seconds |
| Date | January 25, 2026 (broadcast on Netflix) |
| Payment Amount | Mid-six figures (~$500,000) |
| Payment Status | Less than agent aspired to |
| Honnold’s Assessment | “Embarrassingly small amount” |
| Original Delay | January 23 postponed due to weather |
Why the Payment Seems Disproportionate
Honnold’s payment is notably lower than minimum salaries across major North American professional sports leagues. An MLB rookie makes more than what Honnold earned for arguably the most dangerous televised athletic feat in recent memory. Even the minimum salary for NHL and NFL rookies ($750,000) exceeds his compensation.
The disparity highlights a significant gap in how extreme sports and traditional athletics are valued economically. While Honnold risked his life on a globally-broadcast live event, his compensation fell short of what professional athletes earn without comparable danger.
| Professional Sport | Comparison |
|---|---|
| MLB Average Salary | $4.9 million |
| NHL Minimum | ~$750,000 (rookies) |
| NBA Minimum | ~$1.6 million |
| NFL Minimum | ~$750,000 (rookies) |
| Honnold’s Taipei 101 Payment | ~$500,000 |
The Money Wasn’t the Point
Despite the disappointing financial aspect, Honnold emphasized that compensation played a minimal role in his decision to attempt the climb. He stated emphatically: “I mean, I would do it for free. If there was no TV program and the building gave me permission to go do the thing, I would do the thing because I know I can, and it’d be amazing.”
Honnold explained his perspective on what he was actually being compensated for: “I’m climbing the building for free. I’m getting paid for the spectacle.” He elaborated that the essence of the climb—the personal achievement and the experience itself—was what truly motivated him, not the financial reward.
He continued: “Just sitting by yourself on the very top of the spire is insane. And so, if there wasn’t the whole spectacle around it, and I just had the opportunity to go do it by myself, I’d be fine with that.”
The Climb Details and Historic Achievement
Honnold’s climb of Taipei 101 set a record as the highest free solo climb of an urban structure in history. The climb took place on Saturday, January 25, 2026 (originally scheduled for Friday, January 23 but postponed 24 hours due to wet weather conditions).
Using only climbing shoes and a bucket of chalk to manage hand sweat, Honnold scaled the 101-story building in 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 43 seconds. The building’s architecture, particularly the “bamboo boxes” comprising the middle 64 floors with their steep, overhanging sections followed by rest balconies, presented significant technical challenges.
Career Context and Legacy
This climb, while not his largest payday, may rank among Honnold’s biggest career achievements. The 40-year-old father of two rose to global prominence in 2017 when he became the first person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park—a feat chronicled in the 2018 Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo.
Honnold has wanted to climb Taipei 101 for approximately a decade, having initially scouted the building for a project in 2013 that ultimately fell through. The successful live broadcast on Netflix represents the culmination of a long-held dream.
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