Mountains are cathedrals: grand and pure, the houses of my religion. I go to them as humans go to worship...From their lofty summits, I view my past, dream of the future, and with unusual acuity I am allowed to experience the present moment. My strength renewed, my vision cleared, in the mountains I celebrate creation. On each journey I am reborn.

I respect Everest very much.

I think that people ran out of oxygen and don't really know what happened up there, maybe some of them just made things up because they weren't sure what had happened.

How could the adventure seeker of today find satisfaction with the level of performance that was a standard set more than 40 years ago ?

Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.

I don't know what being an Everest guide means. I am a coach, not a guide.

I am not sure the others are as committed as Rob Hall and Scott Fischer. I think there is more business now, and I know it will be impossible to stop this Everest business.