The Ninja Warrior Alex Honnold
Alex Honnold is one of the world’s most renowned free soloists, climbing routes on big wall rock climbs such as Half Dome and El Capitan. His success has inspired several films, including last year’s critically acclaimed Free Solo documentary.
He has an unusual perspective of life, which likely stems from his upbringing as a solitary child in a household where love was rarely expressed. To love himself and express that affection, he had to learn how to appreciate himself while simultaneously feeling unworthy in the eyes of many. Additionally, he struggled with feeling unsure of himself in the world.
Honnold was born in Sacramento, California to community college professors Dierdre Wolownick and Charles Honnold. He attended Mira Loma High School where he graduated with a 4.7 GPA before going on to study civil engineering at the University of California Berkeley.
Once he graduated, Honnold turned to climbing, becoming a pro at 15 and competing in numerous national and international youth climbing championships as a teenager. Ultimately, Honnold chose to leave university and focus on what he loved most – climbing, which is now his full-time profession.
As a teenager, Honnold achieved fame on YouTube with his rock climbing videos. These clips were viewed millions of times and in 2018 alone he attracted over 1 million subscribers to the platform.
These videos capture Honnold at his most focused, his face stripped of any illusion of cute goofiness and revealed in a focus so intense it’s almost frightening.
Alex Honnold has perfected the art of juggling like few climbers have. His impressive ability to balance multiple pieces of equipment while climbing is truly remarkable and something other climbers may struggle with.
He is renowned for his incredible speed on difficult routes, enabling him to complete them in much less time than other travelers. This skill and speed make him truly remarkable and fascinating to observe.
Growing up, Honnold always had aspirations to become a professional climber. His mother encouraged him to pursue this sport as an adult.
She hoped it would boost his self-esteem and teach him to appreciate nature more. And she was right – his appreciation of outdoor activities increased dramatically after attending this program.
At five years old, Honnold discovered his passion for climbing. He started going to a gym to work out, then soon after began exploring wooded areas on his own – doing everything from lead routes to bouldering. With such an enthusiastic instructor behind him, Honnold quickly developed into an accomplished climber with many accomplishments to his credit.
Honnold is a highly accomplished climber, having won the Youth Climbing Championships at age 15 and competing at the World Youth Climbing Championships when he was 18. With more than two decades of experience under his belt, Honnold can boast impressive credentials as an accomplished and highly skilled climber.
In 2017, Honnold set a world record for the fastest route up Half Dome, completing it in under three hours. This speed far surpassed that of Kevin Jorgenson’s previous world record of four and half hours.