Aleister Crowley is quoted about the value of mountain climbing in a recent article in Time at “The Economics of Everest“.

“The mountain was where I figured out that I wanted to live my days as passionately as I can and to give as selflessly I can. The commitment I had to make to myself to achieve this climb spills over to my entire life and everyone in it. I’m fiercely loyal to my well-being, my career, and my relationships. Heck, I’m even devoted to my ex-boyfriends. I think Aleister Crowley said it best after a first attempt to climb K2: ‘I had done it myself and found not only that the pearl of great price was worth far more than I possessed, but also that the very peril and privations of the quest were themselves my dearest memories.'”