Antarctica has this mythic weight. It resides in the collective unconscious of so many people, and it makes this huge impact, just like outer space. It’s like going to the moon. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
You can get a lawyer with two months off or a New York socialite who wants to play at being Lewis and Clark and put them up there, but Everest is still in charge; it can still kick butt. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
The thing that is most beautiful about Antarctica for me is the light. It’s like no other light on Earth, because the air is so free of impurities. You get drugged by it, like when you listen to one of your favorite songs. The light there is a mood-enhancing substance. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
When I went to Everest, I underestimated things. I just didn’t know what altitude could do. Or the cold – I especially didn’t appreciate the cold. It can be just debilitating, and things can happen so quickly. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
Let’s not mince words: Everest doesn’t attract a whole lot of well-balanced folks. The self-selection process tends to weed out the cautious and the sensible in favor of those who are single-minded and incredibly driven. Which is a big reason the mountain is so dangerous. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
I love being outdoors, being in the mountains and the desert, and my wife enjoys that too. That’s one of the things that sustain our relationship. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
Climbing Mount Everest was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life. I wish I’d never gone. I suffered for years of PTSD and still suffer from what happened. I’m glad I wrote a book about it. But, you know, if I could go back and relive my life, I would never have climbed Everest. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something badly enough, it is your God-given right to have it. Jon Krakauer Read Quote
