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Telegraph
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Free Solo climber Alex Honnold: ‘If you gave me $50m I wouldn't be any happier'
Alex Honnold, 39, is an American professional rock climber, widely regarded as the best in the world. He found fame in 2017 when he became the only person to climb the 2,900ft (883 metres) El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California without a rope, as captured in the Oscar-winning film Free Solo. In 2012, he founded the non-profit Honnold Foundation, which provides grants for solar energy projects worldwide. Today he lives in Las Vegas with his wife and two daughters. How did your childhood influence your attitude to money? I've never been stressed about money. The way we grew up was solid, keeping things simple. My parents were teachers so we had enough but not a ton of it, and having just enough money for things you need is still my attitude. I grew up in suburban Sacramento, California. I never wanted much and I got the things I needed, like Lego. Now my attitude is 'if you need a thing, buy it. If you don't need it, don't.' What was your first job? Besides doing jobs for the family like yard work and pruning my grandparents' trees, I worked at a climbing gym from the age of 14. I'd do things like sweeping floors and helping out at birthday parties where blind kids would take turns climbing the wall – 'Lift your feet, you're safe. Don't worry!' I'd say. Are you a saver or a spender? Saver, because the things I'm interested in – climbing, outdoor adventures and higher performance – you can't buy. I love sweets and chocolates but that's no luxury, it's 10pc of my diet! Did you climb as a kid? Actually Sacramento is only an hour and a half away from the Sierra Nevada... and I did occasionally go and climb in those places, but as a suburban kid I didn't have access to a car. I climbed tons of trees and buildings as a kid. That was a big part of why my parents took me to the climbing gym because I was already climbing all these other things. Have you had to resist suggestions that you get a 'proper job'? Definitely. While living in the van for 10 years and climbing a lot, people would often say, 'Should you finish your education and make something of your life? ' Less so when they think you're famous. Now nobody asks if I'm going to get a real job. There's a 'winner takes all' nature of some sports and entertainment where if you get to the top it's super-easy, but if you don't it's really hard. All my climbing friends are as good as me at climbing, or better. Yet because I've had a movie made about me, and get corporate speaking opportunities, it's much easier for me to make a living. Have you ever had trouble paying your bills? No. My overheads were incredibly low for a decade. I lived in a van because I was climbing all the time, and you could really only spend money on food and gas. My mobile phone bill was really low, and I've never had any debt, so I've lived very cheaply for a long time. I wasn't trying to. Does money make you happy? What you can do with money makes me happy, like being able to climb wherever I want. If you added $50m to my account, it wouldn't make me happier or change my life. I'd probably give it all to my foundation, which would make me satisfied. Do you own property? Yes, in Las Vegas. It also has another unit we rent to my in-laws. We held on to the first small, cheap house I bought down the road, which we rent to one of my father's co-workers. Our home is surrounded by amazing open land where you see desert tortoises, roadrunners, coyotes and horses walking around. How does money affect the climbing industry? I think the more money that comes into climbing the happier everybody is. More people can make a living from it if there's a surrounding industry. Just like cycling, where there must be tens of thousands of people earning as a result of the sport. Then good climbers who are never going to be the most well-known professional climbers can make a business as coaches, nutritionists or helping others. What's the most you're paid for corporate talks? Embarrassingly large amounts, five to six-figure sums. I've always been glad I can make a living doing the thing I love. Have you done lucrative TV commercials? Yes, a totally crazy one. I was a stunt double for a Citibank commercial in 2012. A lead climber friend was the focus of it with just one shot of my face while she climbed a spire. They used it extensively for two years and we wound up making six figures in residual cheques. For two days' shooting I made more than my teacher sister made in two years. That's a big part of why I started my foundation. Commercials are fun and easy money but what do you need it for? It won't change the quality of my life. It's a good way to give it away. What's the hardest lesson you've learnt about money or business? I've invested money in friends' businesses, some of which I'm pretty sure I'll never get back. You could take that as a lesson about being responsible with investments. But I think it's worth supporting friends sometimes, even if you're only investing money you can afford to lose. I was once sponsored by Beyond Meat with a bunch of stocks without me really putting money into it. For two months their stock was valued at $1m and after it dropped a lot I gave some to the Honnold Foundation. Now it's down to $5,000-$10,000. It's easy to say, 'I lost $990,000!' but it's not like I did anything to earn the stock. Have you gambled? No but living in Vegas I joke that I prefer only to gamble with my life. How quickly did your fame lead to fortune? My 17-year professional climbing career has been a slow, gradual build. I also joke that I'm an overpaid day-labourer because I still get paid by the day for appearances. My very first paying sponsor paid me $100 a month. I thought, 'They're paying me to rock-climb. That's great!' The North Face has been my biggest and most important sponsor for my entire career: starting with a $3,000 travel budget, my first three years I got paid $10,000, $12,000, $15,000. Now it's six figures a year. I haven't really had to buy climbing gear for years because I've been sponsored by companies since 2007-08. How does the Honnold Foundation work? It started from wanting to do something useful to help people and the environment. First it was just me giving my money away to non-profits I thought were doing meaningful work, mostly solar projects. Now I do it through the foundation. In the past two years I've given $650,000 to it, which covers staff salaries. Anything they fundraise from corporate sponsors or small donors – I've contributed maybe a third – goes directly to grants to non-profits. I'm covering everything else. Over the past two years we've given $2m in grants each year. Has your travelling had its funny side? I've spent so many nights in nice hotels because corporate speaking is always held in some fancy resort. I've spent six weeks in a leaky tent in Greenland with a storm raging. I want to do whatever's easiest, whether it's a nice hotel and you're like, 'Ooh!' or sleeping on a bench outside. Podcaster Tim Ferriss had me on a podcast while I was living in the van. He lived in San Francisco; I didn't want to fight traffic so I drove there and the next morning rolled out and was like, 'I'm here for the podcast. Let's do it!' He was like, 'So you're the creepy van parked out the front of my house.' For more information visit TV documentary The Devil's Climb, featuring Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell climbing one of the most dangerous mountains in North America, can be seen on Disney+.
Miami Herald
02-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Where to Rock Climb: The Top Spots Worldwide
Geyikbayiri and the Antalya region are important climbing areas and, with some 1,500 routes, have more than any other part of Turkey. But there are more than 1.25 million climbing routes around the world - even in the Arctic and the Antarctic, though two-thirds are in Europe. Check out these top climbing spots around the world. As a global hub for climbers, Yosemite (below) has to be on the list. It is renowned for towering granite formations such as El Capitan and Half Dome. It caters to all experience levels, offering everything from accessible beginner climbs to demanding multiday routes. It has a rich climbing history and gained additional fame with the documentary movies Free Solo and The Dawn Wall. It can draw heavy crowds of climbers during busy seasons, but that doesn't detract from the beauty. Climbers head to Las Vegas for a different thrill to gamblers-Red Rock Canyon (below), located about 25 miles from the Strip. Its striking Aztec sandstone offers over 2,000 climbing routes, ranging from beginner-friendly 45-foot sport climbs to towering 2,200-foot traditional routes for seasoned adventurers. The area's warm, dry climate provides an extended climbing season, though, like Yosemite, it often draws large crowds during peak times. For climbers, Kalymnos (below) is undoubtedly the most famous of the Greek islands. High quality limestone cliffs at various angles tower close to the blue Aegean, which makes for a breathtaking backdrop for climbing. With well over 4,000 routes, Kalymnos has a wide range of grades, including plenty of opportunities for lower and intermediate-level climbers as well as steep and overhanging routes for experts able to manage the most limited holds. Another possibility here is deep-water soloing-climbing without safety gear but with the sea below in case of falls. Spain is brimming with opportunities for climbing and some of the best are in the semi-autonomous region of Catalonia in the northeast. Siurana and Margalef are at the top of the list for many climbers. Although they lie quite close together in a stunning location, the rocks are quite different. Siurana's limestone often requires sustained technical climbing and fewer prospects for beginners. Margalef's conglomerate offers some easier routes though also plenty of super-hard ones. About 40 miles southeast of Paris is the world-renowned bouldering destination of Fontainebleau-also known for its chateau. Sandstone rocks offer some 30,000 boulder problems of differing levels and make it the most developed such location globally. The climbing here is not on ropes so it's recommended to use crash pads to reduce the risk of injury, even if they may not be required for all climbs. The rocks are at different spots in the forest, so an app or guide is helpful for finding your way around. Railay Beach and Tonsai in southern Thailand have been drawing climbers from around the world for years. The limestone has plenty of pockets and features that make for exciting routes across a range of difficulties, including for beginners. It is all set amid verdant tropical jungle that extends down to white beaches and the blue sea. The Thai food is an added attraction. Krabi is far from being the only great climbing place in Thailand. Crazy Hose Buttress near the northern city of Chiang Mai is well worth a visit with excellent routes and benefits from being much less crowded. Among the many climbing options in France is Céüse, which has been described by some as "the best crag in the world." It is known for routes that are long, hard and steep, and its limestone rock is of very high quality. It's also on the top of a 6,500-foot mountain with incredible views over southern France. It's mostly a place for climbing in summer and the altitude means it can be chilly even then. Climbers also need to allow up to an hour for walking to the crag. Rock climbing's popularity has soared in China and possibly the biggest outdoor center is Yangshuo (below) near Guilin in southern China's Guangxi Province. It has more than 1,000 sport climbing routes on its limestone karst formations, including some beginner routes. Its hills jut like rows of green teeth among the rice fields. Climbing in Yangshuo is credited in part to a (non-climbing) visit by former U.S. President Richard Nixon to admire the spectacular landscape-particularly Moon Hill, with its natural arch. The globally renowned bouldering spot of Rocklands (below) in South Africa is celebrated for its excellent sandstone boulders and breathtaking landscapes. Situated in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, it lies roughly two-and-a-half hours by car from Cape Town. The beautiful orange and gray sandstone with featured and varied holds offers some 4,000 boulder problems as well as some sport and trad climbing routes. Be prepared for coarse rock that can be tough on the hands. The primary rock climbing area in Argentina's Patagonia region is El Chaltén, which is known for its towering spires of granite. It is a hub for big mountain multipitch climbing routes that involves climbing several routes in succession to allow the scaling of big walls. Sometimes, that can take days. However, it also has some routes for sport climbers of lower levels or is useful practice for climbers preparing to take on the bigger challenges. Summer is the best time for climbing here. The Grampians National Park (above) in Victoria, Australia, is a globally recognized climbing hotspot with an immense variety of challenges. Famed for its impressive sandstone features and wide variety of routes, it offers something for everyone from novice climbers to seasoned experts. There are both short sport climbs and challenging multipitch routes. The park is also a top destination for bouldering, featuring a vast range of problems from easy to extraordinarily difficult. Related Articles Yosemite National Park's 'Hidden Gem' Only 1 Percent of Visitors Ever SeeYosemite Climbers Make History With Free Climb Summit of El CapitanThe Dawn Wall: The Inside Story 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
The Age
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘A thin line between badass and dumbass': How a mountain athlete stays alive
Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This weeks he speaks to Jimmy Chin. The Oscar-winning filmmaker, athlete, photographer and author, 51, made the first US ski descent from the summit of Mount Everest in 2006. His book is There and Back. His films include Free Solo and Nyad. RELIGION Your parents are Chinese immigrants. Were you raised with religious beliefs or spiritual systems? No, not outside some Chinese traditional superstitions and beliefs. My parents sent me to a Catholic school – what they considered to be the best private school in the small town [Mankato, Minnesota] where I grew up. In college, I did a deep dive into Eastern religion and philosophy – particularly Buddhism and Taoism. I have a loose association with Buddhism, but I'm not a practising Buddhist. Is there a word that feels right for you nowadays? Agnostic? Atheist? Spiritual? Spiritual. I have a lot of spiritual experiences in the wildest places on the planet. You exude confidence. Do you ever doubt yourself? I often feel doubt about something, and I'm scared to do it, then I find I'm on the right path. My life has been fraught with doubt: doubt about the career that I've pursued; doubt about climbing another hundred metres up this giant mountain; doubt that we're going to make it down alive. People think, 'Oh, he's totally self-assured,' but there's a lot of risk in my line of work and you learn to kind of overcome the doubt. That's courage, I think. When people commit to a big dream, that's courage. There's nothing more vulnerable than having a big dream and then pursuing it. BODIES You ski, swim, climb and trek. Were you always this physically capable? I grew up swimming competitively. Swimming is one of those things where you really learn about your physical capacity. Swimming three hours in the morning, and three hours in the evening – that's six hours a day where you're constantly pushing yourself. Even a day off can put you back several days. So you really get to know your body and its limits. I also studied martial arts from about five or six and had my black belt in taekwondo by the time I was 12. You understand the discipline it requires to perform at an elite level from a very young age. So I had a really good physical and mental baseline to pursue any sport. That's not to say that I was talented in anything, but I understood what it took to become good at something. What's the most intense thing that you've physically had to endure? There's been a lot. Everything from skiing in the Tetons [in Wyoming, America] and rock-climbing in Maro [in Spain] to climbing and skiing on Mount Everest and climbing a new route in Antarctica.
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘A thin line between badass and dumbass': How a mountain athlete stays alive
Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This weeks he speaks to Jimmy Chin. The Oscar-winning filmmaker, athlete, photographer and author, 51, made the first US ski descent from the summit of Mount Everest in 2006. His book is There and Back. His films include Free Solo and Nyad. RELIGION Your parents are Chinese immigrants. Were you raised with religious beliefs or spiritual systems? No, not outside some Chinese traditional superstitions and beliefs. My parents sent me to a Catholic school – what they considered to be the best private school in the small town [Mankato, Minnesota] where I grew up. In college, I did a deep dive into Eastern religion and philosophy – particularly Buddhism and Taoism. I have a loose association with Buddhism, but I'm not a practising Buddhist. Is there a word that feels right for you nowadays? Agnostic? Atheist? Spiritual? Spiritual. I have a lot of spiritual experiences in the wildest places on the planet. You exude confidence. Do you ever doubt yourself? I often feel doubt about something, and I'm scared to do it, then I find I'm on the right path. My life has been fraught with doubt: doubt about the career that I've pursued; doubt about climbing another hundred metres up this giant mountain; doubt that we're going to make it down alive. People think, 'Oh, he's totally self-assured,' but there's a lot of risk in my line of work and you learn to kind of overcome the doubt. That's courage, I think. When people commit to a big dream, that's courage. There's nothing more vulnerable than having a big dream and then pursuing it. BODIES You ski, swim, climb and trek. Were you always this physically capable? I grew up swimming competitively. Swimming is one of those things where you really learn about your physical capacity. Swimming three hours in the morning, and three hours in the evening – that's six hours a day where you're constantly pushing yourself. Even a day off can put you back several days. So you really get to know your body and its limits. I also studied martial arts from about five or six and had my black belt in taekwondo by the time I was 12. You understand the discipline it requires to perform at an elite level from a very young age. So I had a really good physical and mental baseline to pursue any sport. That's not to say that I was talented in anything, but I understood what it took to become good at something. What's the most intense thing that you've physically had to endure? There's been a lot. Everything from skiing in the Tetons [in Wyoming, America] and rock-climbing in Maro [in Spain] to climbing and skiing on Mount Everest and climbing a new route in Antarctica.
News.com.au
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Charlize Theron spotted sneaking out of Australia after filming Netflix thriller in Sydney
Charlize Theron has exited Australia as discreetly as she arrived. Four months after first touching down on our shores to film the upcoming Netflix blockbuster Apex in NSW, the Hollywood star was seen departing the country via Sydney Airport. It seems during her months-long stay, our laid-back lifestyle has rubbed off on the star, who was seen rocking the quintessential Aussie combo of socks and sandals as she strolled through the terminal. The 49-year-old did appear to wear the same black sunglasses and brown hat as she did when she arrived back in January, adding a touch of Hollywood to her otherwise ordinary outfit. Welsh actor Taron Egerton, who like Theron arrived back in January, was also in town for the Netflix thriller, which was filmed in parts of Sydney and the Blue Mountains, including Glenbrook Gorge and Ginninderra Falls. In Apex, Theron plays a grieving woman who seeks solace in the wilderness. An adrenaline junkie and rock climber, she embarks on a river run only to discover she is being hunted by a serial killer. Per Deadline, Apex has been described as ' Free Solo meets Silence of the Lambs ', and Theron has also signed on as a co-producer. The film is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and also stars Aussie actor Eric Bana. Filming aside, Theron enjoyed her time in Australia, with the star spotted attending Dua Lipa's Sydney concert earlier this month with her daughters, Jackson, 11, and August, 7. The Hollywood A-lister was even invited backstage by the pop star and the pair posed for happy photos together, while one of Theron's daughters showed of her cartwheeling skills backstage. 'Oh what a night! @dualipa, ï¸�' Theron captioned the pics on Instagram, to which the singer replied in a comment, 'You're the coolesï¸�t.' As for her co-star Egerton, he is fast becoming a major star for Netflix. Just recently, he played the lead role in the action thriller Carry On, which was a smashing success for the streamer. The film follows a TSA agent (Egerton) who is being blackmailed by a mysterious passenger (played by Jason Bateman) to allow a bag containing a deadly nerve agent on board a flight. The film topped Netflix's Top 10 List for a full three weeks during the Christmas period. From the 10 days since it premiered on December 13, Carry On had already recorded 97.1 million views worldwide. The film has since become the second-most-watched English-language film ever on Netflix, amassing a whopping 172 million since its release. Netflix's top-performing original movie of all time is the 2021 action comedy Red Notice, starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, with 230.9 million views.
