Naveed
Alex Honnold free-soloed El Capitan without a rope — a feat many describe in almost spiritual terms. Honnold himself rejects that framing entirely. He’s an outspoken atheist, and he says that disbelief, not faith, is what actually shapes how he thinks about risk.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Alexander Honnold |
| Religion | Atheist (raised loosely Catholic) |
| Known for | Free solo rock climbing (Free Solo, 2018) |
| Key sources | National Geographic; Freedom From Religion Foundation |
His Catholic Childhood and Early Doubts
Honnold has said he was taken to church for five or six years as a child and never felt, in his words, like there was “anything going on” there — an early skepticism that stuck with him into adulthood.
“No Evidence of a God”
In interviews with National Geographic, Honnold has been direct: “No, there is no evidence of a God,” and “I’m very anti-religion. I think it’s all just medieval superstition.” The Freedom From Religion Foundation has featured him in its “Freethought of the Day” series as a prominent atheist public figure.
How Atheism Shapes His Approach to Risk
Honnold has described not believing in an afterlife as a reason to maximize this one life — a stated link, per National Geographic, between his atheism and his climbing philosophy. He also distinguishes the sense of awe or “oneness” he feels on a climb from anything supernatural, attributing it to nature and love of the outdoors rather than spirituality: “not spiritual at all,” as he’s put it, “over-rational, probably.”
FAQ
Was Alex Honnold raised religious?
He attended church as a young child but says he never connected with it, and identifies as an atheist as an adult.
