Climbing Quote of the Week: Joe Simpson

In his compelling climbing narrative This Game of Ghosts British climber Joe Simpson, climber, mountaineer, and author of Touching the Void, one of the best climbing books ever written, writes:

"In a curious way, maybe the climber stops living when he begins to climb. He steps out of the living world of anxiety into a world where there is no room, no time, for such distractions. All that concerns him is surviving the present. Any thoughts of gas bills and mortgages, loved ones and enemies, evaporate under the absolute necessity for concentration on the task at hand. He leads a separate life of uncomplicated black and white decisions—stay warm, feed yourself, be careful, take proper rest, look after yourself and your partner, be aware. Be aware of everything until there is nothing but the present and there are no corrosive fears to eat away at confidence."

Buy Joe Simpson’s excellent books:
This Game of Ghosts
Touching the Void
Touching the Void film

Photo above: Looking toward Dallas Peak and the San Miguel Range from Mt. Sneffels, Colorado.
Photograph © Stewart M. Green

Suggested Reading:
Mountain Climbing
Dark Summit Book Review
World's Highest Mountains