Who is Sanni McCandless? Meet Alex Honnold’s Wife Ahead of His Taipei 101 Climb

Alex Honnold, the world-famous American rock climber, is set to make headlines once again. On January 23, 2026, Honnold will attempt a daring free solo climb of Taipei 101 in Taiwan—without ropes or any safety equipment. The event, titled Skyscraper Live, will be streamed globally on Netflix at 8 p.m. (ET). Fans are eagerly anticipating the feat, which Honnold will celebrate alongside his supportive wife, Sanni McCandless Honnold.

Why the Taipei 101 Climb Is Unique

Alex Honnold is known for free solo climbing, a discipline that involves scaling vertical surfaces without protective gear. Standing at 1,667 feet with 101 floors, Taipei 101 is one of the world’s tallest buildings. Netflix will stream the climb live, giving viewers a front-row seat to Honnold’s thrilling ascent.

Honnold said about the climb: “It’s amazing, and it’s an incredible building. It’s possible, which a lot of skyscrapers aren’t—it’s uniquely suited for climbing.”

How Alex Honnold Met Sanni McCandless

Alex and Sanni first met during his 2015 book tour for Alone on the Wall. Their relationship became public after the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo in 2018, which chronicled Honnold’s famous El Capitan climb. They started dating soon after and married in 2020, supporting each other through every stage of Alex’s climbing career.

After the Taipei climb, Honnold shared his plans: “I’ll take the elevator down, I’ll see my wife, we’ll be psyched. We’ll eat at the buffet that night—it’ll be great, and then I’ll go home and get back to climbing practice.”

Who is Sanni McCandless Honnold?

Sanni is a climber, life coach, and co-founder of Outwild, a community promoting outdoor, value-driven lifestyles. She frequently shares her climbing adventures on social media and actively participates in outdoor pursuits. Her understanding of Alex’s passion has made their partnership stronger over the years.

Alex and Sanni Honnold’s Family

The couple are proud parents of two daughters: June (born 2022) and Alice (born 2024). Despite busy professional lives, Alex and Sanni prioritize family time while balancing climbing careers and parenting.

Alex Honnold on the Taipei 101 Climb

In an interview with Netflix Tudum, Alex shared: “I think the thing that’s most uncertain to me is the psychological state—how it’s going to feel? I’ve spent 30 years climbing rock faces; this will be my first big man-made structure, so I’m sure it’ll feel a little different. It’s not just extreme sports—it’s more.”

This climb marks a new milestone for Honnold and promises to captivate fans worldwide.