‘World’s Hardest Ice Climb’ Sees First Ascent

June 27, 2023

Emmett joined with partner Klemen Premrl to create the massive, 131-foot line at British Columbia’s Helmcken Falls, developed by ice-climbing godfather Will Gadd. The overhanging pitch only gets steeper as the climbers go higher, so the crux “is literally the last move,” they explain.

They named the route Mission to Mars and rated it WI-13 — a new grade of difficulty in ice climbing. Gear Junkie