ALEX HONNOLD TAIPEI 101 UPDATE: The live Netflix free solo of Taipei 101 has been postponed due to rain. Get the new Saturday night airtime, the technical details of the 1,667-foot climb, and why the ‘Skyscraper Live’ event is causing a stir in the climbing world.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – In a rare moment of caution for a man known for defying death, the weather has done what granite walls could not: halted Alex Honnold. The world’s most famous free soloist was set to make history on Friday night, January 23, 2026, by scaling the Taipei 101 skyscraper live on Netflix.

However, persistent rain in the Taiwanese capital has forced a 24-hour postponement of the event, now titled “Skyscraper Live.”

The broadcast is now rescheduled for Saturday, January 24, at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT), or Sunday morning local time in Taipei.

The “Slip” Factor: Why Weather is the Ultimate Opponent

While Honnold is famous for his ropeless ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan, climbing a glass-and-steel skyscraper presents a different set of hazards. Unlike porous granite, the smooth surfaces of Taipei 101 become treacherous when damp.

The Surface: Honnold will be relying on “friction” moves, smearing his rubber climbing shoes against glass and metal. Even a light mist can turn the 1,667-foot tower into a vertical ice rink.
The Decision: Netflix producers and Honnold’s safety team made the call just 30 minutes before the original airtime. “Safety remains our top priority,” Netflix stated in a brief social media update.
The Risk: Honnold, now 40 and a father of two, acknowledged the stakes on his Climbing Gold podcast: “On a building, it’s the same moves over and over. If one is slippery, the whole thing is over.”

The Challenge: The 1,667-Foot “Bamboo Box”

Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building from 2004 to 2009 and remains one of the most complex architectural feats in Asia. Honnold’s route will take him through eight distinct “modules” that resemble stalks of bamboo.

Feature	Detail
Total Height	1,667 feet (508 meters)
Route Design	8 segments of 8 floors each (“Bamboo Box” style)
Estimated Time	75 to 90 minutes
History	Climbed by “French Spiderman” Alain Robert (with ropes) in 2004
Broadcast Delay	10 seconds (for safety/contingency)

A Media Spectacle Under Fire

The decision to air the climb live has sparked a heated debate within the climbing community and mainstream media. Critics have labeled the event “voyeuristic,” pointing to the 10-second broadcast delay as a grim acknowledgement that Netflix is prepared to cut the feed should the unthinkable happen.

“I hope viewers get a little bit of my joy from the experience,” Honnold told Tudum ahead of the attempt. “I assume most people will be uncomfortable watching, but to me, this is about the beauty of the movement and the scenery.”

The event will be hosted by ESPN’s Elle Duncan, featuring a panel that includes elite climbers and a former NASA engineer to explain the physics of the ascent.