Alex Honnold

Professions :

Rock Climber

Born :

August 17, 1985

I was 19 when my father died from a heart attack. He was a 55-year-old college professor and had led what was by all appearances a risk-free life. But he was overweight, and heart disease runs in our family.

family heart life father

I'm not nostalgic for my glory days in college. It was lame for me. Probably because I had no friends.

me no-friends friends college

I generally don't climb something if it makes me feel fear. The beauty of soloing is that there's no pressure - no one's telling me to do it. So if something seems scary, I don't have any obligation to do it. I can prepare further or just walk away entirely.

walk me fear beauty

I live out of my van, which gives me a first-hand appreciation for power and lighting. A few years ago, I rebuilt the interior of my van to include solar panels and a battery that powers LEDs for lighting and allows me to charge my phone and laptop.

phone me power appreciation

Pretty much every gym I go into, I feel very comfortable. I dump my stuff, take my shoes off, do my thing.

feel go gym shoes

The simple facts of Chadian life - what it takes to survive in that kind of climate with nothing but a hut and some animals - stunned me. And this made me realize, perhaps for the first time, how easy my life was compared to those of people in less privileged societies.

me simple time life

Free soloing is almost as old as climbing itself, with roots in the 19th century. Climbers are continuing to push the boundaries. There are certainly better technical climbers than me. But if I have a particular gift, it's a mental one - the ability to keep it together where others might freak out.

gift better me together

I know that when I'm standing alone below a thousand-foot wall, looking up and considering a climb, my sponsors are the furthest thing from my mind. If I'm going to take risks, they are going to be for myself - not for any company.

alone looking myself mind

I love red bell peppers. Bell peppers in general, really. I like to eat them like apples. They're so crunchy and delicious.

eat like red love

Conrad Anker

Chris Sharma

Lynn Hill

Leo Houlding

John Salathe

Ron Kauk

All Authors