Ice to see you, to see you ice ... climber Will Gadd scales the frozen waterfall
A CLIMBER d-ices with death – by scaling a 450ft waterfall covered in dangling icicles while UPSIDE DOWN.
Will Gadd, 44, and Tim Emmett, 37, spent two weeks meticulously plotting their ascent of the notoriously tricky Helmcken Falls in Canada - dubbed the world's hardest climb.
They had to battle deadly ice spray - which could freeze them to death in minutes - temperatures as low as -25°C, and the thought of one mistake sending them plunging into a frozen 100ft deep ice hole below.
Water risk ... the epic climb is in full flow
But amazingly, after four hours of constant, problem-free climbing, the pair successfully reached the summit to become the world's FIRST to conquer it.
And a triumphant Will declared that they had to use sheer brute force to overcome the tricky 20ft long icicles dangling from the falls overhanging walls.
Will said: "It's like doing hundreds of pull-ups on icicles to get to the top. By the end I'm not sure if we or the waterfall won.
Hang on a minute ... athlete Will Gadd climbing on the Ice Fall
"There was so much to deal with - getting covered in spray and turned into human popsicles, the huge icicles, the cold - the list is endless.
"It's overhang behind the actual waterfall is extreme and means you are often climbing almost horizontally - it is like climbing along the underside of a stadium's roof.
"Ice normally doesn't stick to overhanging walls, but this ice was literally sprayed on by the waterfall, creating the huge icicles.
Just don't look down ... Will Gadd breaks off an icicle on the Ice Fall
"There is literally no other ice in the world that is as difficult as this to climb.
"This thing is so unpredictable - no one knows what is going on with it in truth.
"The spray ice also appears to create a cone that surrounds the water as it is in mid-air falling into the plunge pool. Over time this grows to be more than 100ft in height.
"The falling river then disappears into the spray cone and flows out of the bottom.
"It is quite frightening to think about what would have happened had we fallen in. It would be like plummeting into lava - you simply wouldn't be likely to live."
Breathtaking ... Will Gadd uses ropes to scale the fall
Standing at over 450ft in total, the Helmcken Falls, in Wells Grey Provincial Park, Canada, is one of the fiercest in the world - continuing to flow even in the depths of winter when temperatures dip well below freezing.
And its unique combination of challenges makes it one of the most difficult - and spectacular - climbs in the world.
Tim Emmett, from London, added: "There's always debate about the true hardest climb in the world but I think all climbers would agree this is easily the most difficult.
"When you have already climbed a long way up you are exhausted and drained, and then you have to deal with so many challenges.
"It is no wonder people consider this to be the world's hardest climb.
"As you can imagine, we took our time and enjoyed the view once at the top - I think we had earned it."
Challenge ahead ... Tim Emmett prepares to scale the 450ft Ice Fall
