Edmund Hillary Quotes

I have enjoyed great satisfaction from my climb of Everest and my trips to the poles. But there’s no doubt that my most worthwhile things have been the building of schools and medical clinics.

I was definitely very much a country boy.

I think the really good mountaineer is the man with the technical ability of the professional and with the enthusiasm and freshness of approach of the amateur.

There is precious little in civilization to appeal to a Yeti.

My relationship with the mountains actually started when I was 16. Every year, a group used to be taken from Auckland Grammar down to the Tangariro National Park for a skiing holiday.

I don’t know if I particularly want to be remembered for anything. I personally do not think I’m a great gift to the world. I’ve been very fortunate.

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.

On the summit of Everest, I had a feeling of great satisfaction to be first there.

I’m sure the feeling of fear, as long as you can take advantage of it and not be rendered useless by it, can make you extend yourself beyond what you would regard as your capacity. If you’re afraid, the blood seems to flow freely through the veins, and you really do feel a sense of stimulation.

Life’s a bit like mountaineering – never look down.

Take advantage of the years of pioneering efforts. You might find this boring, as the young want to rush head on, as it were.

It’s not a real adventure when you have to pay for it.

If I wished to do something, even if I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to make the effort with me, I would go out solo climbing. I did find solo climbing very challenging and a little frightening. You knew that you were completely on your own, and you had to overcome all the problems and possible dangers.

Ever since the morning of May 29, 1953, when Tenzing Norgay and I became the first climbers to step onto the summit of Mount Everest, I’ve been called a great adventurer.

I think Himalayan climbers tend to mature fairly late. I think most of the successful Himalayan climbers have ranged from 28 to just over 40, really.

I think it all comes down to motivation. If you really want to do something, you will work hard for it.

No one remembers who climbed Mount Everest the second time.

Tourism is a very big economic benefit to the Sherpa people, and also, they have very strong ties to their own social attitudes and their own religion, so fortunately, they’re not too influenced by many of our Western attitudes.

Adventuring can be for the ordinary person with ordinary qualities, such as I regard myself.

Human life is far more important than just getting to the top of a mountain.

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

I have never regarded myself as a hero, but Tenzing undoubtedly was.

Becoming a ‘Sir’ is slightly uncomfortable at first, although it is a considerable honor. It is amazing how quickly you become accustomed to it.

I think my first thought on reaching the summit- of course, I was very, very pleased to be there, naturally – but my first thought was one of a little bit of surprise. I was a little bit surprised that here I was, Ed Hillary, on top of Mt. Everest. After all, this is the ambition of most mountaineers.

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.

I don’t regard myself as a cracking good climber. I’m just strong in the back. I have a lot of enthusiasm, and I’m good on ice.

I am a lucky man. I have had a dream and it has come true, and that is not a thing that happens often to men.

I believe that of all the things I have done, exciting though many of them have been, there’s no doubt in my mind that the most worthwhile have been the establishing of schools and hospitals, and the rebuilding of monasteries in the mountains.

When you’re climbing at high altitudes, life can get pretty miserable.

Good planning is important. I’ve also regarded a sense of humor as one of the most important things on a big expedition. When you’re in a difficult or dangerous situation, or when you’re depressed about the chances of success, someone who can make you laugh eases the tension.

When I was 50 years old, I actually decided to draw up a list of half a dozen things that I really hadn’t done very well, and I was going to make efforts to improve. One of them was skiing, and I really did become a very much better skier.

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

Despite all I have seen and experienced, I still get the same simple thrill out of glimpsing a tiny patch of snow in a high mountain gully and feel the same urge to climb towards it.

When I was climbing, I built up a close relationship with the Sherpa people.

Many people have been getting too casual about climbing Everest. I forecast a disaster many times.