Ice climber Will Gadd reaches top of Mount Kilimanjaro glacier in race against climate change

ICE climber Will Gadd was on a mission to conquer the world’s most impressive ice glacier. But his real challenge was a race against climate change.

IT’S the highest point in all of Africa and stands as a reminder that these natural wonders will disappear in a few short years.

National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Will Gadd has completed his ascent on the last remaining — and sadly, rapidly melting — glacial ice atop Mount Kilimanjaro.

Brutal ... National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Will Gadd sys the climb left him “gasping for air like a fish out of water”. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

In October, after months of planning, Gadd — who has long been on a quest to climb ice on every continent in the world — embarked on his trip to Tanzania.

Rapidly melting ... the ice on Kilimanjaro is disappearing. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

A native of Western Canada, Gadd is used to glaciers retreating in his home mountain range of the Canadian Rockies.

Glacier challenge ... Will Gadd climbs ice near the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

This African ice, however, has melted over the course of up to 12,000 years leaving enormous ice crystals that are more difficult to latch on to, with even the most advanced and lightweight climbing equipment.

Mission impossible ... the melting ice makes it difficult to latch onto the glaciers, even with advanced equipment. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

Gadd said he was shocked that some of the pieces he “climbed one day had fallen apart and melted the next.”

“It’s changing so fast up there that you have to be careful to choose a solid enough piece that isn’t going to just fall over onto you.

Will Gadd set himself a challenge to climb ice on every continent in the world. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

There was also the challenges of the changes in the altitude. “Even before we reached the glaciers, I was gasping for air like a fish out of water,” he said. “We would have to collapse just to breathe sometimes.”

Climate change ... the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year says he was shocked that the ice was melting so rapidly. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

After a week of hiking, Gadd and his team caught the first glimpse of the rare ice formations, which he describes as “fins of ice sticking out of the hot sand … they look like icebergs on a

tropical beach”.

Milestone ... Will Gadd climbing near the summit at 19,000 feet on the glacier ice on Mount Kilimanjaro. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

It’s nearly gone ... Will Gadd says he was shocked by the lack of ice on Mount Kilimanjaro. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

They made it ... Will Gadd, Sarah Hueniken, Pablo Durana, Christian Pondella reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Picture: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

A milestone in Canadian sport and in Gadd’s own personal adventure repertoire, he describes the climb as one of the most challenging and meaningful of his career. “I’ve climbed a lot of ice,” he says, “but this was special and extremely important because it was the last ice of its kind. I felt so very lucky to be there — these glaciers are just small remnants, they’re truly in their last gasp”.

Words and images: Red Bull

Originally published as Ice climber Will Gadd reaches top of Mount Kilimanjaro glacier in race against climate change