Story Archive

The Iceman Cometh

After eight months of planning, Will Gadd, 47, is the first person to climb Niagara Falls. Or, at least, the spray at the edge, which freezes in the winter. He was assisted by Sarah Hueniken, 40. Both are Canadians. “As an ice climber, it doesn’t really get any bigger than that, you know?” Gadd said. It took him less than an hour to complete the climb, with Hueniken belaying him — so he went back down and climbed it again — two more times. Once he was done, Hueniken climbed up, removing the screws Gadd used to climb the ice as she went. During the 46m (151ft) ascent, water roared down very close by. “You really felt the Falls. It’s kind of vibrating in there, [but] it was definitely more exhilarating than it was scary,” Hueniken said. “I was so close to the water,” Gadd agreed, “I could reach out and stick my ice tool in.” (RC/Toronto Star, CNN) ...Wait — are they still talking about ice climbing?
Original Publication Date: 01 February 2015
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 21.

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