Alexander Honnold is an American rock climber who achieved international fame for his free solo, big wall climbing skills.
Honnold holds the record for being the first person to free solo the iconic El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He achieved that feat in June 2017.
The talented rock climber has smashed and set many other athletic records, including a record for the fastest ascent of the Yosemite triple crown. The Yosemite triple crown encompasses Mount Watkins, The Nose (El Capitan), and the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome.
Alex Honnold Quick Facts
| Full Name: | Alexander Honnold |
| Popular Name: | Alex Honnold |
| Nicknames: | No Big Deal |
| Birth Date: | August 17, 1985 |
| Age: | 37 years |
| Parents: | Charles Honnold and Dierdre Wolownick |
| Siblings: | Stasia Honnold |
| Birth Place: | Sacramento, California, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | Mixed (German and Polish) |
| Religion: | Atheist |
| Education: | Berkeley |
| Marital Status: | Married to Sanni McCandless (since 2020) |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Children: | Unknown |
| Net Worth: | USD 2 million |
| Source of Wealth: | Rock Climbing and Other Ventures |
| Height: | 5′ 11″ (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | In kilograms: 73 kg; In pounds: 160 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Early Life
Alexander Honnold was born on August 17, 1985, in Sacramento, California, United States, to Charles Honnold and Dierdre Wolownick. His parents were community college professors.
Honnold attended Mira Loma High School, where he graduated with a 4.7 GPA. He was matriculated to the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied civil engineering. However, he dropped out of Berkeley and threw his full weight behind his rock climbing passion.
Career Information
Alex Honnold started climbing at the tender age of five years. He began his career in a climbing gym before venturing outdoors in his early teens.
As a teenager, Honnold participated in numerous national and international youth climbing championships. The competition was relatively stiff then, but he kept going.
After dropping out of the University of California, Berkeley, Alex Honnold spent some time living in his mother’s old minivan. His rock-climbing exploits around California quickly took a toll on the minivan, rendering it dysfunctional. Honnold had to live on his bicycle and in a tent for several months while struggling to find his footing.
Honnold gained initial attention in 2007 when he took a single day to free solo Yosemite’s Astroman and the Rostrum, matching a similar record set in 1987 by Peter Croft. The following year, he achieved another impressive feat by free soloing the 1,200-foot, 5.12d finger crack separating Zion’s Moonlight Buttress.
Honnold set yet another record five months later by conquering the 2,000-foot Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. He eventually shot to the international limelight in 2008 after free soloing the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. This historic achievement became the feature of the film ‘Alone on the Wall.’ It was also a major talking point for the film’s subsequent 60 Minutes interview.
In November 2011, Alex Honnold and Hans Florine fell short of smashing the record of climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan by a paltry 45 seconds. During this period, the record for ascending that route stood at 2:36:45, as had been set by Sean Leary and Dean Potter. On June 17, 2012, Honnold and Florine eventually set a new record of 2:23:46.
Honnold first attempted a free solo ascent of El Capitan on June 3, 2017. He completed the 2,900-foot Freerider route in 3 hours and 56 minutes. The feat was documented by documentary filmmaker E. Chai Vasarhelyi as well as climber and photographer Jimmy Chin. It became the focal point for the documentary ‘Free Solo.’
Other Ventures
Alex Honnold has involved himself in many endeavors besides rock climbing. In 2021, Honnold began hosting a podcast that chronicles his climbing adventures. He had previously co-authored a book with David Roberts in 2017 titled ‘Alone on the Wall: Alex Honnold and the Ultimate Limits of Adventure.’
Honnold has also made numerous film appearances, many of which are documentary movies. He made his film debut in the 2007 movie ‘The Sharp End.’ He subsequently appeared in the films Alone on the Wall (2008), Progression (2009), Honnold 3.0 (2012), and Valley Uprising (2014).
Other noteworthy films that Honnold has appeared in over the years include;
• A Line Across the Sky (2015)
• Showdown at Horseshoe Hell (2015)
• Africa Fusion (2016)
• Queen Maud Land (2018)
• Free Solo (2018)
• The Nose Speed Record (reel rock 14) (2019)
• Fine Lines (2019)
• Duncanville (2020; television film)
• The Alpinist (2021)
• Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022)
• Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin (2022)
Alex Honnold’s Net Worth
Alex Honnold has a net worth of $2 million, as at November 1, 2022. Honnold is a prolific athlete with a passion for multiple outdoor sports. However, his wealth comes primarily from the many rock-climbing records he has set over the years.
Besides rock climbing, Honnold also earns from film appearances. The free soloist has starred in at least ten movies in addition to inspiring the creation of many documentaries.
Lessons from Alex Honnold
1. Respect humble beginnings
Alex Honnold is widely regarded as one of the world’s most skilled rock climbers. But he didn’t achieve that feat overnight. At some point, the free soloist had to live in his mother’s minivan while working on his rock-climbing ambitions.
2. Follow your passion
Honnold knew he wanted to be a rock climber right from his childhood. He skipped many of his college classes and eventually dropped out of Berkeley to work on his rock climbing ambitions.
3. Confront your fears
Alex Honnold attributes his success in rock climbing primarily to his ability to face his fears. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests have revealed that Honnold’s brain is mainly unaffected by anxiety triggers.
Famous Quotes by Alex Honnold
• Seven years ago, when I started free soloing long, hard routes in Yosemite – climbing without a rope, gear or a partner – I did it because it seemed like the purest, most elegant way to scale big walls. Climbing, especially soloing, felt like a grand adventure, but I never dreamed it could be a profession.
• 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.
• There’s only a handful of chicks in the world who can climb big walls on my level.
• You might get run over; you might get hit by lightning. I mean, who knows? Each day, there is a chance you might die. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Every living being on Earth is facing that same existential rift.
• You will always feel fear, but over time you will realize the only way to truly manage your fear is to broaden your comfort zone.
Wrap Up
Alex Honnold is a skilled rock climber who has broken and set many free solo records. Honnold has earned a net worth of $2 million from his rock climbing success.
