It’s our human nature to explore. Tens of thousands of years ago, our species walked out of Africa, traveling far and wide across the entire planet, from the Arctic to the tip of Tierra Del Fuego, making us the most geographically diversified species on Earth. Conrad Anker Read Quote
If you compare Everest photographs in 1953 with its current state, things are melting. I imagine if I were a golfer in Indiana, I’d be hard-pressed to believe in climate change because nothing’s going on there. But when you’re up in the mountains and seeing the glaciers melt away, it’s an obvious physical manifestation of a warming planet. Conrad Anker Read Quote
If people see me giving back to the military, they’ll hopefully follow suit and be good to these guys who have done so much. I’m not Lance Armstrong or Tiger Woods – I’m just an old, gray-beard mountain climber, but I’m hoping to inspire people to follow my way. Conrad Anker Read Quote
The mountains seem to have conquered us long before we set foot on them, and they will remain long after our brief existence. This indomitable force of the mountains gives us humans a blank canvas on which to paint the drive of discovery and, in the process, test the limits of human performance. Conrad Anker Read Quote
I learned that life is about the people around you and the people you give back to. That’s what parenting is: You’re not there for yourself; you’re there for your offspring and everyone else around you. Conrad Anker Read Quote
When I was a kid, we would build pillow forts. My pillow fort was always like Ice Station 9 in Antarctica. The other kids would come by and be like, ‘Oh! The wind and snow is blowing.’ From a young age, I wanted to be out there and surviving. I’m a high-strung, hyperactive guy. Conrad Anker Read Quote
The mountains are a demanding, cold place, and they don’t allow for mistakes. Conrad Anker Read Quote
Here at home, we’re in a world of right angles and human construct, so whether it’s cement or plastic or steel, everything is at an angle. But nature is chaos theory in full play. So having that uniqueness of what nature is gives me a sense of rejuvenation and scale. Conrad Anker Read Quote
I like to think that today is the best day of my life and tomorrow will be the next best day of my life. And if you think that way, you’re living for the beauty of today. Conrad Anker Read Quote
