Alex Honnold has been a household name ever since his daring climb atop El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The legendary climber charted the notorious rock in 2017, and his exploits were turned into a documentary film, Free Solo, the following year in 2018. The climber recently returned from his expedition to Antarctica after ascending its highest peak. His new-found love for climbing higher altitudes has got the rumor mill running with a possible ascent in the future. While it is still a rumor, his fans and the rock-climbing world at large have gone crazy.

Alex Honnold recently posted updates from his climb atop Vinson Massif (Mt. Vinson), the highest peak in Antarctica. It’s situated at a very high altitude and is always snow-clad. These similarities were enough to create the rumor that Honnold might soon be visiting the world’s tallest peak. Honnold hasn’t made any comments on it yet. Here’s how it got started.

Alex Honnold recently climbed the Vinson Massif and sparked Everest rumors

Honnold recently ascended Mt. Vinson along with Esteban ‘Topo’ Mena, who spent most of his life in the mountains. Honnold has been learning about higher-altitude climbing, and the Antarctica expedition was part of it. Due to his strong aerobic base, and overall quality in big-rock climbing, people were quick to assume about his future plans.

Rumors started spreading about Honnold that he would soon ascend Mt. Everest. Although these were merely questions people asked out of curiosity, the rumor soon went out of hand. Possibilities ranged from climbing Everest to any other snow line, but Honnold didn’t confirm any. Classic to his style, Honnold would probably only reveal his plans while or after he has done it. But he did share details about his trek to Antarctica.

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He wrote on his Instagram, “Antarctica! I’ve recently returned from a two-week trip to the deep, deep south to hike Mt Vinson with @estebantopomena…… For anyone wondering, no, Antarctica isn’t pure ice – there are rocky mountains poking out of the ice all over the continent; some of them are quite impressive. Though overall it is quite cold and generally snowy, as you’d expect. But climbing is still possible, just more challenging”.

Honnold’s previous high-altitude exploits and the possibility of Everest in future

His nonchalant attitude towards climbing one of the most hazardous mountains in the driest and toughest continent in the world, with frequent blizzards and low oxygen levels, is what distinguishes him from other climbers.

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Honnold also excels at his alpine-climbing skills and has received the Piolet d’Or for the Fitz Roy Traverse with Tommy Caldwell in 2014. He has also ascended with three other climbers in Alaska’s Ruth Gorge and made a second ascent of The Pearl on Mt. Bradley.

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With all these previous climbs and many more that form his oeuvre, it is believable that he might chart Everest in the near future. Whether he will do it or not, is something Honnold himself might disclose when the time is right. For now, his rock-climbing community can only assume.