Alex Honnold
World-Renowned Rock Climber & Star of Academy Award-Winning Free Solo
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Alex Honnold
Biography
Alex Honnold is a professional rock climber whose audacious free-solo ascents of America’s biggest cliffs have made him one of the most recognized and followed climbers in the world. A gifted but hard-working athlete, Honnold is distinguished for his uncanny ability to control his fear while scaling cliffs of dizzying heights without a rope to protect him if he falls. His humble, self-effacing attitude toward such extreme risk has earned him the nickname Alex “No Big Deal” Honnold.
This Sacramento, California-native’s most celebrated achievements include the first and only free-solos of the Moonlight Buttress (5.12d, 1,200 feet) in Zion National Park, Utah, and the Northwest Face (5.12a) of Half Dome (2,200 feet), Yosemite, California. In 2012 he achieved Yosemite’s first “Triple Solo”: climbing, in succession, the National Park’s three largest faces—Mt. Watkins, Half Dome, and El Capitan—alone, and in under 24 hours. In 2017 Alex completed the first and only free-solo of El Capitan’s “Freerider” route (5.13a, 3,000 feet), a historic accomplishment that has been hailed by many as one of the greatest sporting achievements of our time. Whether climbing with a rope or without, Honnold believes climbing is a fantastic vehicle for adventure, an opportunity to seek out those high-test moments with uncertain outcomes which you’re forced to push through to survive.
Though Honnold often downplays his achievements, his rope-less climbs have attracted the attention of broad and stunned audience. He has been profiled by 60 Minutes and the New York Times, featured on the cover of National Geographic, appeared in international television commercials, and starred in numerous adventure films including the Emmy-nominated “Alone on the Wall.” Honnold is sponsored by The North Face, Black Diamond, La Sportiva, and Goal Zero. Honnold is the founder of the Honnold Foundation, an environmental solar energy-focused non-profit, the host of the Climbing Gold podcast, and the author of Alone on the Wall.
Alex Honnold
Featured Keynote Programs
Mastering Your Craft
Alex shares his insights on how he mastered his craft and what it takes to achieve excellence in any field. He will talk about his passion, his training, his mindset, and his philosophy of life. He will also address the risks, the rewards, and the ethical implications of his daring feats. Gain inspiration and earn valuable lessons on how to overcome your fears, challenge your limits, and pursue your dreams.
Preparation
Alex reveals how he prepares for his extraordinary climbs and what goes into planning, scouting, rehearsing, and executing his missions. He will explain how he studies the routes, memorizes the moves, trains his body, and calms his mind. He will also share some of the tools, techniques, and strategies that he uses to cope with uncertainty, adversity, and failure. Whether you are a climber or not, you will be fascinated by his process and learn practical tips on how to prepare for any challenge in life.
Risk Management
Alex discusses how he manages the risk involved in his extreme sport and what he does to minimize the chances of injury. He will describe how he assesses the difficulty, the conditions, and his own readiness before attempting a climb, and reveal how he deals with fear, doubt, and pressure during a climb. Learning from Alex's unique perspective you'll find valuable lessons on how to manage risk in any situation in life.
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