72 Quotes by Alex Honnold

I was 19 when my father died from a heart attack. He was a 55-year-old college professor and had led what was by all appearances a risk-free life. But he was overweight, and heart disease runs in our family.

Anytime you finish a climb, there's always the next thing you can try.

I'm not nostalgic for my glory days in college. It was lame for me. Probably because I had no friends.

I love red bell peppers. Bell peppers in general, really. I like to eat them like apples. They're so crunchy and delicious.

I love my climbing shoes. Virtually all of my big solos have been in the TC Pros. They are the most important thing when I'm soloing.

In climbing, sponsors typically support an athlete but provide very little direction, giving the climber free rein to follow his or her passion toward whatever is inspiring. It's a wonderful freedom, in many ways similar to that of an artist who simply lives his life and creates whatever moves him.

I know that when I'm standing alone below a thousand-foot wall, looking up and considering a climb, my sponsors are the furthest thing from my mind. If I'm going to take risks, they are going to be for myself - not for any company.

I'm not thinking about anything when I'm climbing, which is part of the appeal. I'm focused on executing what's in front of me.

I like the simplicity of soloing. You've got no gear, no partner. You never climb better than when you free-solo.