There is no other feeling in the world like standing on the top of a mountain, looking out at miles and miles of pristine wilderness. For some, this experience can be achieved by hiking or camping; for others, it’s only possible by climbing. Who is the greatest rock climber of all time?
That’s a hard question to answer, but if you asked most people, they would say Alex Honnold. Moreover, when most people hear the word “free solo,” they think of Alex Honnold. He is a world-famous rock climber who has completed some of the most dangerous and death-defying climbs in history without using ropes or any other safety equipment.
Honnold’s skills and accomplishments are nothing short of astounding. So, how rich is this daredevil adventurer?
In this article, we will take a look at his net worth, his career and his personal life. So, let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Biography of Alex Honnold
On August 17, 1985, in Sacramento, California, Alex Honnold was born. His parents were also lecturers at small colleges. On his father’s side of the family, he is of German descent, and on his mother’s side, he is of Polish ancestry.
He started rock climbing at a gymnasium when he was just five years old, and by the time he was 10, he was regularly visiting the facility. He participated in a number of rock climbing events as a teenager and frequently won. After graduating from Mira Loma High School in 2003, he enrolled at the University of California, Berkley, to pursue a degree in civil engineering.
He faced lots of challenges and difficulties during his first year of college. He borrowed an apartment from a childhood friend instead of residing in the dorms, which prevented him from establishing many friends. In addition to living alone during his first year of college, his grandmother passed away, and his parents were going through a separation.
He routinely missed class and dropped out of college after taking a semester off to prepare for the National Climbing Championships in Scotland. After graduating from high school, he spent time climbing and driving around California in his mother’s minivan.
After the minivan broke down, he travelled by bicycle and encamped in a tent. From 2004 until 2009, he alleged that he lived on less than $1,000 per month.
| Full Name | Alexander Honnold |
| Date of Birth | 17 August 1985 |
| Place of Birth | Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Age | 37 years |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Height | 1.8 m (5 feet 9 inches) |
| Weight | 73 Kg (160 lbs) |
| Father’s Name | Charles Honnold |
| Mother’s Name | Dierdre Wolownick |
| Alma Mater | University of California, Berkeley |
| No. of Siblings | Stasia Honnold |
| Spouse | Sanni McCandless (m. 2020) |
| No of Children | 1 (June J Honnold) |
| Net worth | $2 million dollars |
| Profession | Professional Rock Climber |
What is Alex Honnold’s Net Worth?
It’s no secret that Alex Honnold is one of the best climbers in the world. He’s free soloed routes that most people would never even attempt with a partner. So, what is the net worth of this extreme athlete?
Alex Honnold’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million. This may seem like a lot of money, but it’s actually fairly modest for a professional athlete. The majority of Honnold’s income comes from sponsorships and endorsement deals from world-famous companies.
He also earns money from speaking engagements and climbing clinics. Honnold is certainly not in it for the money.
He has said that he would climb even if he didn’t get paid to do it. For him, it’s all about the challenge and the joy of climbing.
Honnold’s Rock Climbing Career
Even though he had competed in climbing for the majority of his life, he wasn’t well known outside of the climbing world until roughly 2007. He free soloed Astroman and Rostrum in Yosemite Valley that year; a feat only surpassed by climber Peter Croft in 1987. Only after this success did he start to receive greater attention from the climbing community.
He free soloed Zion’s Moonlight Buttress’ 1,200-foot-tall finger crack the following year. When this accomplishment was announced, many people assumed it was a prank because of the climb’s extreme difficulty and also because the date of the announcement was on April 1(April Fool’s Day).
Honnold also free soloed Yosemite’s Half Dome’s 2,000-foot Regular Northwest Face later in 2008, and in 2012 he went on to set a new world record for the fastest ascent with a time of one hour and twenty-two minutes. He had a three-year contract and some level of notoriety in the climbing community by 2009, but the general public had little to no knowledge of him. For endurance rock climbing, he was given a Golden Piton Award in 2010.
He was regarded as one of the world’s best free solo rock climbers in 2011 and was starting to get greater notoriety beyond the climbing community. Moreover, he was the subject of a National Geographic cover story in May of that year, and in the wintertime of that same year, he tried to break the record for the fastest ascent of El Capitan but fell short by only 45 seconds.
He was featured in the climbing documentary “Alone on the Wall” and appeared on “60 Minutes” to discuss his free solo climb of Half Dome’s Regular Northwest Face. In June of that same year, he and his climbing partner Hans Florine once more attempted to conquer the record for the fastest ascent of El Capitan, and they became successful, creating a new record of 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 46 seconds.
“Valley Uprising,” a 2014 documentary documenting the development of rock climbing in Yosemite Park, included Honnold and several other climbers. Cliff Bar was one of the project’s financial sponsors and also had sponsorship agreements with five of the participants, including Honnold.
However, a few months after the movie’s debut, Cliff Bar ended its sponsorship agreements with the featured professional climbers. They claimed that they made this decision because the corporation didn’t like how far the climbers were pushing the limits of the activity and because they thought they were taking unnecessarily high risks. It is well known that Honnold takes extraordinary risks to ensure the safety of his life and well-being while maintaining a seemingly carefree attitude.
Honnold used the 2,900-foot Freerider route to make the very first free solo climb of El Capitan on June 3rd, 2017. His achievement has been hailed as one of the most impressive athletic accomplishments ever.
He finished the ascent only in 3 hours and 56 minutes. Jimmy Chin, a climber and photographer, and his wife Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, a documentary filmmaker, documented this amazing achievement of Honnold. In 2018, they published the documentary film “Free Solo.” That year, it took home the Oscar for Best Documentary Film.
Alex Honnold’s Personal Life
Honnold does not consume alcohol or other intoxicating substances and is a vegetarian. He considers himself an anti-religion atheist and a feminist. He is an ardent reader with an interest in classic novels, environmentalism, and economics.
In order to stay in shape, he runs or hikes in between climbs. Honnold and Sanni McCandless fell in love shortly after meeting during a book event in 2015. In the documentary Free Solo, Sanni and her bond with Honnold are extensively highlighted.
Honnold made a social media announcement about his engagement to McCandless on December 25, 2019. Honnold shared his marriage to McCandless on Instagram on September 13, 2020.
After that, he and McCandless shared the news that they were anticipating a girl on September 12, 2021. Finally, June Honnold, the couple’s daughter, was born on February 17, 2022.
Alex Honnold is also a philanthropist. Honnold started donating a third of his income in 2012 to solar projects that widened access to energy globally.
This concept quickly developed into the Honnold Foundation. Promoting solar energy for a more just world is the Honnold Foundation’s stated goal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some FAQs related to Alex Honnold are given below:
What is Alex Honnold’s wife’s profession?
Ans: Alex Honnold’s wife, Sanni McCandless, is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP).
What is Alex Honnold’s age?
Ans: The age of professional rock climber Alex Honnold is 37 years old.
Conclusion
Summarising everything about Alex Honnold, we can say that he is a legendary free solo climber with an estimated net worth of $2 million. We got to know that he has climbed some of the most difficult routes in the world, and his skills have earned him sponsorships from major brands.
But what drives this extreme athlete to push himself to the limits? We may never know, but we can be sure that Honnold’s passion for climbing will continue to lead him to new heights.
What do you think about his Alex Honnold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
Similar posts: