The 35-year-old American climber has broken the speed record for solo climbing of Epinephrine, a perilous route in Nevada. He is part of the very closed circle of this ultimate climbing discipline, where falling is forbidden.
Alex Honnold speaks frankly about his free climbing experience: " Anyone can die at any time. In full solo, it's just more present and more immediate. You accept the fact that if something goes wrong, you will die. That's just the way it is. ". Born in Sacramento, this young man of 35 defies the laws of gravity by climbing vertical walls with his bare hands in full solo, i.e. alone, without rope or protection. Beyond his physical prowess, the mountaineer undoubtedly owes his almost superhuman performance to his incredible emotional control. Determined to constantly push the limits of his sport, Alex Honnold has performed one feat after another, leaving the whole world dumbfounded.
On his list of achievements is the most dangerous climb in the history of free climbing: El Capitan, a dizzying 915-metre granite wall in California's Yosemite National Park, which he reached the top in just three hours and 56 minutes in 2017. No one had ever dared to do it before him. A historic first immortalized in "Free Solo", Oscar for best documentary in 2019. " We are living in a moment that no other human being will ever experience "Alex Honnold, who was fulfilling his lifelong dream, commented.
Speed record in Nevada
His last performance was at the end of October 2020, when he climbed the famous "Epinephrine" in just 34 minutes and 51 seconds. This large 680-meter, 13-pitch route is located in Red Rocks, Nevada. It is known for its extremely narrow chimney sections: these are the passages where the two walls of the rock face each other and where the climber has to take support on each side.
This victory has a special resonance for Alex Honnold, as he smashes the previous record set by his friend Brad Gobright (38 minutes and 15 seconds) a few years ago. In the meantime, the climber died accidentally while rappelling in Mexico, joining the fate of most known solo climbers. There are now a few dozen solo climbers in the world.