Tommy Caldwell Quotes

Tommy Caldwell

Profession : Athlete

Birth : August 11, 1978

I am at a climbing area called the Wendenstock in Switzerland. This area has some of the best quality multi-pitch climbing I have seen on limestone. There is about a two-hour approach on one of the steepest grass slopes I have ever seen. The setting is amazing.

Tommy Caldwell

I have been to Switzerland a handful of times, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to climb.

Tommy Caldwell

I travel and climb about eight months a year. That's pretty great training in itself. When I am home, I do a lot of bouldering, gym climbing, and specific strength training in a effort to get stronger for climbing.

Tommy Caldwell

My wife always says that I function better up on a big wall than I do anywhere else in life.

Tommy Caldwell

The Dawn Wall and the Fitz Traverse were super-satisfying climbs. But I will always be searching for the next thing - the need to accomplish and explore are just woven into the fabric of who I am.

Tommy Caldwell

I have always let my motivation guide me, and that has served me well. Climbing has taught me how to thrive and created a life that I feel incredibly lucky to have.

Tommy Caldwell

I have different shoes for different types of climbing, six or seven different shoes that I alternate.

Tommy Caldwell

As I get more experienced, I love the idea of going into big mountains and doing big climbs. But the problem is, it's getting more dangerous, especially alpine climbing.

Tommy Caldwell

For me, I love to dream big, and I love to find ways to be a bit of an explorer.

Tommy Caldwell

Every climb is different. The Dawn Wall was so dry and aggressive that my fingers would dry out to the point where they would crack. So I actually had to add as much moisture as possible.

Tommy Caldwell

I feel very lucky to be able to call my hobby my job, yet it doesn't feel like one.

Tommy Caldwell

My motivation is internal.

Tommy Caldwell

I love that idea of mastery.

Tommy Caldwell

I've climbed in a lot of places, but only once in the U.K., at Stanage Edge in the Peak District.

Tommy Caldwell

When I was super young, we were hiking to the top of the 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado. You know, when I was in my early teens, we went to Bolivia and climbed to the tops of the highest mountains in the Alps. You know, those experiences were so exciting that when I came back to school, I was actually quite bored.

Tommy Caldwell

I don't journal that much, honestly.

Tommy Caldwell

I've been climbing my whole life, so I know a lot of the feelings, the smells; these memories are pretty distinct in my mind still.

Tommy Caldwell

Climbs like the Dawn Wall don't come around every day.

Tommy Caldwell

I'm always climbing.

Tommy Caldwell

I feel this heavy weight to be a good ambassador for the sport.

Tommy Caldwell