Hometown
Canadain Rocky Mountains
Sport
Climb
Unscripted and visionary, Will grew up free range in the Canadian Rockies. At the age of eight, Will climbed his first big peak and never looked back. With monumental ideas and rather practical execution, Will has won gold medals in rock, ice and mixed climbing, set world records and climbed objectives that may never be repeated again. Will’s boundless fascination with calculated risk has made him a voice of reason in the most unreasonable way. As a father of two, an Association of Canadian Mountain Guides alpine guide, a Canadian Sports Hall of Famer and a United Nations Mountain Hero, Will keeps his life full with a constant stream of adventure.
Achievements
- Spent 35 years in the mountains climbing, paddling, flying, skiing, mountain biking, hiking and learning through teaching these sports to other people
- First person to climb and fly a paraglider over Mount Robson in one day
- Set the world's paragliding distance record twice
- Kayaked first descents and climbed first ascents all over the Rocky Mountains and beyond
- Won national and world titles in three different sports
Related Stories

The Luck of the Irish
Words by: Will Gadd Photos by: John Price “Climbing is recreation, recreation is British, and we aren’t British!” That’s the beer-fuelled pub explanation… Read more

Climbing Beneath The Ice
Words: Will Gadd Photos: Christian Pondella The river under roaring into the abyss just a few feet below my crampons… Read more

China’s ‘Christmas Tree’ | Will Gadd & John Price Photo Essay
Will Gadd Gives His Firsthand Perspective from His Trip To Climb Ice In China With John Price

Wicked Wanda. 130M, WI 5 to WI Silly | Will Gadd
Will Gadd’s Take On The Classic Alberta Route