Alex Honnold

USA

I was born and raised in Sacramento, California and started climbing when I was 11 or so. I mostly climbed indoors until I was 18 and then I dropped out of college and started climbing outdoors full time.

I like big tall routes. But I also like sport climbing a lot. Basically I like any kind of climbing, but the more committing it is the better the overall experience. I also really enjoy climbing big routes quickly. I sometimes say that when I get older I'll become an alpinist. Seems like the only way you can continue to climb bigger and bigger routes is to go to the real mountains. But for now Yosemite is big enough.

I find myself almost incapable of writing a Bio for myself. Yet this morning I hiked up to the Salathe headwall and ran a lap before 10:30 am. I guess we all have our strengths. Mine would seem to lie in humping loads around and sport rappelling rather than writing.

Birthday? 17/08/1985

Year you first started climbing? 1998 [??] Don't really know.

Three climbing/skiing achievements you are most proud of? Freeing the Salathé and soloing Half Dome. Nothing else really comes to mind.

Memory/story of the first time you ever went climbing? I don't really remember the first times. But one of my first times climbing outdoors was with a family friend of ours in the French Alps. We climbed this cool 3 pitch spire. A super proud little pinnacle. It was in the middle of a park and I remember tons of people hanging out around the base when we rapped down. I was maybe 12. I don't really know.

Favorite climbing area and why? So far I think I like Yosemite the most, but I haven't been to any of the other granite big wall type areas in the world. I'm psyched to travel a bit more. But I love the Valley for it's amazing walls and perfect weather.

Best climbing experience? Hard to say a best. I've had a ton of good ones. Climbing El Nino in December and being the only people on El Cap was pretty rad. Perfect sunny days on an empty wall. Pretty much every time I go to the Creek I'm struck by how beautiful it is there. Most days outdoors are pretty good days.

Worst climbing experience? I don't think I've really had that many "bad experiences". I've had tons of times when I wasn't having that much fun, but afterward you're normally pretty psyched about it. I don't think I have anything that I'd take back.

What's your dream trip? Where? With who? Right now I fantasize about going sport climbing in Europe... with pretty ladies. But I'm sure once I go there I'll fantasize about going back to the Valley, or checking out walls in some other part of the world. I don't have a set "dream trip". I just like moving around and getting on new routes.

Guilty pleasure? Sweets I guess. Cookies, donuts, etc. I always say I'm a fat man trapped in a skinny body.

Something that annoys you while climbing? Seeing litter I guess. Or something that annoyed me today: watching a parent teach his kid how to cut switchbacks. I wanted to yell at him a little. The whole hillside was falling down. . .

What/who inspires you in climbing? Peter Croft and Tommy Caldwell are both pretty inspiring. But not as inspiring as El Cap, let's say.

Favorite apre-climb meal? When I'm in the Valley, I like making it down in time for the pizza deck. That's when you know you've really done it in a day. Very civilized.

Favorite climbing/skiing flick? I just watched the snowboarding movie That's it That's All and it was pretty much the most impressive stuff I'd ever seen. I like most climbing movies too, but I'd never seen anything like that.

What's in your iPod? Rock!

Strangest place you've ever woken up? I guess on a ledge in Borneo. Looking down into Low's Gully.

Strangest person you've ever woken up with? Don't really want to go there.

Three things you'd never roadtrip without? Wallet, keys, cell phone.

Superstitions? Nope.

What's your dream job? This is my dream job. . . I'm climbing all the time. You can't ask for better.

How are you training when you are not climbing? I basically just climb. But I do pushups and core a bit just so I don't get fat. And I run or hike on my rest days.

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? The fear of getting caught isn't why I don't steal. . .

If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be? I'm not a huge fan of this question. I had dinner by myself tonight, I would like to have had any kind of company. Anyone who's nice will do fine.

Which would you prefer: power of flight or invisibility? Flight, for sure. It'd certainly take some of the risk out of climbing. . .

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? No