Like it or not taking risks, by a total commitment to the mountain and the vagaries of the weather, is essential for the greater satisfaction to be derived from mountaineering.

At its finest moments climbing allows me to step out of ordinary existence into something extraordinary, stripping me of my sense of self-importance.

In order to climb properly on big peak one must free oneself of fear. This means you must write yourself off before any big climb. You must say to yourself, I may die here.

History may be accurate. But archaeology is precise.

Nothing substitutes a large apprenticeship, a heap of experiences which converts into the base of intuition.

If you want to climb it badly enough, you will. So... why bother ?

Pucky lads, a wee bit over their heads.

Passion fuels dreams. Commitment fuels action. Get clear about what you want to do and why you want to do it. Take action.Your time is now.

Looking at my life through the lens of history has made me increasingly grateful to standout women who pushed those boundaries to make the changes from which I have benefited.

hate is a virus, revenge its only cure!

Democracy is that form of society, no matter what its political classification, in which every man has a chance and knows that he has it.

I've had the big ups and the big downs.

Zero, zero belief in myself. And it's changed somewhat, but there's still a lot of that in me.

When every inch of the world is known, sleep may be the only wilderness that we have left.

We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest.

Heard about the young deaf boy who used sign language-One day he told his mother a dirty joke and she washed his hands out with soap

I like people too much or not at all. I've got to go down deep, to fall into people, to really know them.