Ice climbing is the new tightrope walking is the new barrel plunging.
Daredevil extraordinaire Will Gadd made history this week when he became the first ever to ascend Niagara Falls.
Under the perfect freezing conditions, the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and longtime Canmore, Alta., resident successfully reached the top of Horseshoe Falls, on the New York side, under supervision of the Niagara Falls State Park Police.
“I’ve traveled the world in search of the most challenging climbs, but Niagara Falls, one of my home country’s most iconic landmarks, has been a lifelong mission that I previously never thought possible,” said Gadd, a Colorado native, via press release.
“It was very real on that wall. There’s a lot going on. The ice thickness varies from one inch to 10 feet, so every swing and grab is different. There’s a lot to account for, all this with the world’s most powerful waterfall flowing over my shoulder.”
Gadd, a dual citizen, ascended 140 feet of frozen shelves, spray ice blocks, and nasty rock as water plummeted next to him at nearly 70 miles per hour.
“The massive water flow constantly shakes the ground and makes the ice shelves and walls around you unsteady and unpredictable,” Gadd said. “It’s a harsh environment and an intense challenge to stay attached to the wall let alone climb it.
“I was so close to the water, I could reach out and stick my ice tool in the Niagara Falls.”
(all photos courtesy of Red Bull)