Specifically choose not to take a GPS. Just create a challenge. You can climb Everest or walk across Antarctica with minimal gear and still have that sense of adventure. But in terms of exploration, Google Earth has this world mapped down to the square foot. Conrad Anker Read Quote
Once I graduated from university, I wanted to climb and be outdoors as much as possible. I worked as a part-time carpenter and kept up a relationship with The North Face. One thing led to another, and I’m lucky to be where I am now. It was a circuitous path with lots of adventure throughout. Conrad Anker Read Quote
I’m done with Everest. I did it three times, and I need to be good at that and be happy with it and focus on other climbs. Conrad Anker Read Quote
The first ascent of Everest came at a time when humanity needed relief from two world wars. It was a unifying and inspiring event, signifying the drive to reach our greatest potential. Conrad Anker Read Quote
If people want to go do some big outdoor thing for their ego, have them climb snowy mountains rather than shoot animals. Conrad Anker Read Quote
From a climbing standpoint, gravity is the adversary. You and your fellow humans are striving together to get to the same place at the same time. And I think that’s a really good way for humans to interact. Conrad Anker Read Quote
The compression of time one experiences when you’re a small person underneath this huge avalanche is amazing. Conrad Anker Read Quote
Yes, I was inspired by Jack London and still love reading his books. Ernie Banks is another hero because I lived in Chicago for two years as a kid, and I loved that he was the Cubs’ loyal underdog and one of the first African-Americans to make that breakthrough. Conrad Anker Read Quote
Standing on the apex of our planet is humbling. I’m starved of oxygen, depleted of reserves, unable to eat, and bound by anxiety. This is a dangerous place. Yet the symbolism of standing on top of the world gives me a chance to experience time on a cosmic scale. Conrad Anker Read Quote
