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People say, 'Are you insane?' But the most successful climbers are the most calculating, with the most refined sense of risk. They're hyper-conscious of safety. They're the least insane people I know.

When I was young, I was on a real hot streak with 'Crazy Climber.' There was a good three-week span where I couldn't get that game out of my head. I could not get back to the arcade fast enough to try and climb up there and not get kicked by a potted plant this time. That one got under my skin.

Identifying and overcoming natural fear is one of the pleasing struggles intrinsic to climbing.

I was timid and frightened as a child. Yours truly did not shin up mountains or do any other kind of adventurous stuff.

I was scared many times on Everest, but this is all part of the challenge. When I fell down a crevasse, it was pretty scary.

I've always hated the danger part of climbing, and it's great to come down again because it's safe.

I enjoyed climbing with other people, good friends, but I did quite a lot of solo climbing, too.

I think, as a young guy, I was always drawn to being in wild places. Climbing was a logical extension of that.

I grew up rock climbing.