A first ascent is a creation in the same sense as is a painting or a song

A first ascent is a creation in the same sense as is a painting or a song

With the best equipment in the world the man with poor judgment is in mortal danger.

Climbing is a great game-great not in spite of the demands it makes, but because of them. Great because it will not let us give half of ourselves-it demands all of us. It demands our best.

My ambition was to become the best climber and I never did. I think that goal was a wrong goal. A better one is to put more emphasis on enjoyment and on getting a rounded experience and on things like friendship, rather than on sheer achievement.

Before the deed comes the thought. Before the achievement comes the dream. Every mountain we climb, we first climb in our mind.

The rock is a field of battle between our weakness and our strength.