Alex Honnold

Alex Honnold is an American professional big-wall rock climber recognized for his free solo ascents of tall cliffs, including El Capitan. After making history in 2008 as the first person to free solo Yosemite’s Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, Alex Honnold solidified his status as a leading professional big-wall rock climber. This landmark achievement, documented in the 2010 film Alone on the Wall, built upon his significant recognition gained in 2007 for successfully free soloing Yosemite’s Astroman and the Rostrum North Face in a single day. That same year, Honnold also completed impressive free ascents of both the Freerider and Salathé Wall routes on El Capitan, showcasing his unparalleled skill and dedication to the sport.

In 2017, Honnold achieved a career-defining milestone with the first-ever free solo ascent of the 3,300-foot Freerider route on El Capitan. This monumental feat was extensively chronicled in the critically acclaimed 2018 documentary film Free Solo, which went on to win an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019. Following this historic climb, Honnold reunited with Tommy Caldwell in 2018 to break the speed climbing record for the Nose route on El Capitan, completing the ascent in an astonishing 1 hour, 58 minutes, and 7 seconds, a testament to their exceptional teamwork and speed. More recently, Honnold’s expeditions have included the 2022 first free-climb ascent of Ingmikortilaq in Greenland alongside Hazel Findlay, an ambitious project documented in the 2024 National Geographic series Arctic Ascent with Alex Honnold.

This expedition not only pushed the limits of climbing in extreme environments but also contributed to vital climate data collection. Parallel to his climbing career, Honnold founded the Honnold Foundation in 2012, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting solar energy projects globally, reflecting his commitment to environmental sustainability and community impact.