Classic mountaineering grows out of a traditional romantic imagination. Its heart is the feeling, its path is blood, sweat and tears, and its restriction is God.

When you are totally defeated you begin again to enjoy the small things around you. Just going to the mountains, not for victory or glory, but to enjoy nature or enjoy fine people. If you always succeed you enjoy the admiration of many people. Being defeated means being limited to the basis existential choices of life. If you can enjoy the quiet evening hours it is beautiful; a hero who always succeeds may not have time to enjoy such things.

Classic mountaineering grows out of a traditional romantic imagination. Its heart is the feeling, its path is blood, sweat and tears, and its restriction is God.

Isn't a person who can live on nothing much stronger? I try to nurture that transformation in myself.

I see one single suitable role for my life's work: for it to be a gift to others.

Whenever a climber leaves the known paths, he enters an area without rules or routines... The only advice comes from deep inside the self.

Every type of evil we've got in us is the result of that one true illness of the human mind - that is, of being self-centered.