Climbing is not a battle with the elements, nor against the law of gravity. It's a battle against oneself..

I don’t deny that there can be an element of escapism in mountaineering, but this should never overshadow its real essence, which is not escape but v….

The solitary ascent of the Dru had the immediate effect of expanding the horizons of my ideas about mountaineering. It made me aware of possibilities….

If in normal conditions it is skill, which counts, in such extreme situations, it is the spirit, which saves..

We [climbers] demonstrate in the most stunning way of all - at the risk of our lives - that there is no limit to the effort man can demand of himself….

For me, the value of a climb is the sum of three inseparable elements, all equally important: aesthetics, history, and ethics. Together they form the….

The mountains have rules. they are harsh rules, but they are there, and if you keep to them you are safe. A mountain is not like men. A mountain is s….

I've always been incapable of accepting fate, and I've always refused to die, and that has helped me to survive..