Tim Emmett and the Wild Ice Climbs of Helmcken Falls

The Cutting Edge

The ice climbs of Helmcken Falls in central British Columbia are like no other climbs on Earth. Since 2010, our guest Tim Emmett has been developing "spray ice" climbs at Helmcken, connecting blobs of ice blown onto an enormous overhang by one of North America's most powerful waterfalls. In February, he and Klem Premrl completed their hardest climb yet: Mission to Mars, with the out-of-this-world grade of WI 13. What does that even mean? Find out in episode 28 of the Cutting Edge, as AAJ contributing editor Whitney Clark speaks with Tim about the new route, the history of the area, and this weird and frightening climbing style. The Cutting Edge is presented by Hilleberg the Tentmaker (hilleberg.com) and is produced by the American Alpine Club. Photo by Jon Glassberg / Louder Than Eleven