One does not do it (climb a high peak) for fame alone. What does one do it for, really?
According to the narrator, fame is not the only driving force when it comes to climbing a high peak. The physical conquest of a mountain is only one part of the achievement. The other part gives the climber a sense of fulfillment, a satisfaction of a deep urge to rise above one’s surroundings. The eternal love of adventure is not merely physical but emotional and spiritual in nature. Above all, it changes the individual altogether thereby bringing within him a deeper understanding of himself.