"When I lost seven of my toes on Nanga Parbat and small parts of my fingertips I knew I'd never be a ..." — Reinhold Messner

A 30-year-old rock climber is an old man. At 40, one is in the middle of his high-altitude power. At 50, a crosser of deserts is at his best age. But at 60, each of us is out of the game.

Life is about daring to carry out your ideas. And for me, it always comes back to the wilderness, nature, mountains.

In the West, the art of rock climbing is growing because it has to do with less risk, good muscles. But the people seeking high goals in high places are in Eastern Europe, and they reach their goals because they are willing to suffer more.

I'm a rock climber, a high-altitude climber, an adventurer, a storyteller through my museums, and a writer of more than 50 books.