Sports Quotes

“I live out of my van, which gives me a first-hand appreciation for power and lighting. A few years ago, I rebuilt the interior of my van to include solar panels and a battery that powers LEDs for lighting and allows me to charge my phone and laptop.”

“I own very few things. I don't spend money on anything except food and gas.”

“I think the whole protein thing is overhyped. Most Americans eat far more than we need.”

“I guess I'm trying to lead a life of as little harm as possible and minimize my impact on the world. The amount I travel is kind of ridiculous, so I'm contributing to the carbon output and all that stuff. But every other aspect of my life I try to manage as well as I can.”

“Youre not controlling your fear. Youre stepping outside of it.”

“You might get run over; you might get hit by lightning. I mean, who knows? Each day, there is a chance you might die. And there's nothing wrong with that.”

“I am a vegetarian, and I sort of aspire to vegan-hood. So far I've noticed no difference at all in my climbing, but I feel a bit healthier overall. Though thats only because Im eating more fruits and vegetables.”

“I've done a lot of thinking about fear. For me the crucial question is not how to climb without fear that's impossible - but how to deal with it when it creeps into your nerve endings.”

“There's a constant tension in climbing, and really all exploration, between pushing yourself into the unknown but trying not to push too far. The best any of us can do is to tread that line carefully.”

“Climbing is definitely very much strength-to-weight ratio.”

“I make a fair amount of my food choices for environmental-type reasons than nutrition or taste. Im trying to minimize impact, which is something most people don't necessarily think about when theyre shopping.”

“I generally don't climb something if it makes me feel fear. The beauty of soloing is that there's no pressure - no one's telling me to do it. So if something seems scary, I don't have any obligation to do it.”

“I've always loved climbing; I don't see why other people wouldn't enjoy it just as much. As long as everyone does their best to respect the areas in which they're climbing, I don't see how the growth of the sport could be a bad thing.”

“Its always about excellence and perfection.”

“I'm not thinking about anything when I'm climbing, which is part of the appeal. I'm focused on executing what's in front of me.”

“In a general sense, I think it's bad to bring too much money into climbing since it takes away a little from the beauty of the mountains. But at the same time, I can't blame the Nepali government or the Indian, Pakistani or Chinese, depending on where you're climbing for wanting to capitalize on foreign climbers.”

“To be clear, I normally climb with a rope and partner. Free-soloing makes up only a small percentage of my total climbing. But when I do solo, I manage the risk through careful preparation.”

“I love the feeling of touching the rock, the feeling of my body going up the rock.”

“I like the simplicity of soloing. You've got no gear, no partner. You never climb better than when you free-solo.”

“I don't even drink coffee. I had a small cup once it was like drinking battery acid. I had to poop all morning.”

“Dirtbag' is just the term we use, like a 'gnarly dude' in surfing. Within the climbing culture, it means being a committed lifer: someone who has embraced a minimalist ethic in order to rock climb. It basically means youre a homeless person by choice.”

“I have a journal of everything I've ever climbed since 2005. For the entry about free soloing Half Dome, I put a frowny face and added some little notes about what I should have done better, and then underlined it. Turns out that is one of my biggest climbing achievements.”

“I try to expand my comfort zone by practicing my moves over and over again. I try to work through my fear until its not scary anymore.”

“The diet for climbing all the time isn't really different from the diet for living. It's not like cardio sports where you're burning a bajillion calories every day.”

“Its not like Im pushing, pushing, pushing until something horrible happens.”