One man turned a global skyscraper into his most dangerous destination of all: 'Pretty surreal'

The two-hour event took place at 8 p.m. EST in the United States. Before the climb, Honnold appeared calm - at least on the surface - when he arrived with his wife, Sanni McCandless. As he prepared, he was shown donning custom shoes to navigate the glass and steel.

Honnold, a professional rock climber, started at the southeast corner of the building. During the broadcast, he could be seen looking down at times and smiling at spectators on the street. Fans inside the building were observed taking pictures of him on their phones.

"The view is amazing," Honnold told Netflix announcers. "Honestly, it's pretty surreal."

When Honnold finally neared the end of his climb, he sat on a ledge. 

"I'm good," he said. "I'm tired, for sure. ... I am trying to pace myself."

He still had to ascend the rings and spire. 

"You've done it. You've made history," the announcer said. "This is something you've imagined your entire life."

Honnold declared, "This is so cool. I am so psyched and pretty tired, actually."

For more than a decade, Honnold, a 40-year-old father of two based in Las Vegas, dreamed of climbing the 101-story building. 

The glass and steel skyscraper, which opened in Dec. 2004, was the world's tallest building until 2010. At 1,667 feet tall, the building can be spotted from almost anywhere in the city.

Climbing Taipei 101 was different, though, he said.

"The hardest part of the climb will be what we're calling the 'bamboo boxes," Honnold told the same source ahead of time. 

"The boxes are definitely the most physically demanding part."

A psychological component factored in as well. 

California-based psychologist Michael Gervais, Ph.D., said he's known Honnold for about a decade. Gervais said Honnold is always deeply focused on what he's aiming to accomplish.

"He's committed to training. He's committed to a plan. He's committed to a process," the psychologist told Fox News Digital before the climb occurred. "He's committed to making sure he can become completely absorbed with the task at hand."

Cheers erupted from the street-level crowd when Honnold reached the top of the spire of the 1,667-foot tower about 90 minutes after he started.

Honnold could be seen waving his arms back and forth over his head.

Honnold was paid for the event, though he has not shared his specific compensation in media interviews.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.