"It was surreal to be hanging by my ice axe above 2degC water that looked so tropical. Soon after I jumped off this brittle, 10,000-year-old berg, a dump truck-size block broke off right where I'd been perched! We learned that mountain boys may well be out of their depths in the North Atlantic," Gadd wrote of his experience for National Geographic Adventure.
In 2002, Gadd spent 10 hours and 38 minutes doggedly flying over thorny desert vegetation, in fear of landing in more ways than one.
He wanted to get his hands on the paragliding world distance flight record, and eventually did so with a flight of 423km.
But first he had to conquer the intense heat of the Texas/Mexico border area, where people easily get lost and die of heat exhaustion. The hostile environment is also home to fanged and venomous wildlife, and drug runners, who reportedly shoot people on sight.
At lunch time, Gadd dropped a Pop Tart - about one-third of his day's rations gone in one fumble.
At times he was terrified. When he finished, he knew he had "rolled the dice and won".
Gadd, a Canadian, has won every major ice-climbing competition in the world. He is a writer, he coaches, gives presentations and hosts the documentary series Fearless Planet. And he does charity work.
In January, he climbed ice non-stop for 24 hours at the Ouray Ice Festival (in Colorado) to raise money for the dZi Foundation, a US-based charity supporting schools in Nepal.
Log on to his website and the first thing he says is "get outside".
"This site is a resource for those who would like to contact or know more about Will Gadd. So please click on one of the links above. But please consider this: You're obviously on your computer right now, which is a serious hazard to your life. Please consider turning off your computer and getting outside. Immediately. I don't believe anybody ever died wishing for just one more day in front of the monitor."
True. But needs must.
MARJORIE COOK: I have just stumbled into the office on a beautiful morning, Treble Cone skifield has just opened for the season ... But at great risk to my life and against the sage advice on your website, I am sitting in front of my computer writing to you.
WG: BAD DECISION, YOU SHOULD GO SKIING NOW! Wow, caps on for some reason. But you should. Looking forward to skiing there.
MC: Have you been to Wanaka? ... And how did you get to know Mark Sedon (founder of the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival)?
WG: I haven't been to Wanaka before, which is criminal in light of the number of friends who are either from there or spend time there from Canmore, my hometown ... I got to know Mark mainly over email. He is one motivated, relentless and enthusiastic individual! I've sent a few films into the festival over the years. Looking forward to seeing it all in person.
MC: (Mental note. Must warn Mark of email peril). What do you want to talk about at the festival?
WG: Rocks, water, sky, risk, reward, survival, children. My 3-year-old wanted to come with me but I didn't think the plane ride would be fun for her. I'll focus a bit on recent adventures in Canada and Norway.
MC: What else would you like to do while you are here?
WG: Climb, ski, drink local beer and maybe get a paragliding flight if anyone there can hook me up with some gear. I'll be way over the top on baggage already so I can't bring my wing unfortunately. And whatever else looks fun!
MC: Are you going to try for that world record again one day?
WG: Yeah, it stood for a long time before it was broken. Now I'm starting to feel the motivation to go after it.
MC: In terms of the ice climb for dZi Foundation, what next?
WG: I'm going to carry a standard porter's load of cement into the village where the money went that we raised. That should be an adventure. The dZi foundation is the only group I'm regularly involved with, but I do send used climbing gear all over the world to places that can use it. I really enjoy that.
MC: You list "surviving" among your lifetime highlights. So that begs the question, of all your adventures, which terrified you the most?
WG: I'm learning how to fly planes right now, and that has been totally terrifying ... you would really be screwed if the engine failed. That's taken some time to get used to. In paragliding you don't generally have an engine and can land anywhere, it's a lot simpler.
MC: Was there ever anything you wished (while doing it) you hadn't started?
WG: Oh sure, one of the best rules for sports is that it's better to be on the ground (or side of the river, or wherever) and wishing you were in the air, than in the air and wishing you were on the ground. Lots of that over the years, but I'm hopefully getting better at just making honest mistakes instead of doing deliberately stupid things.
MC: Do you have some tips for training the mind?
WG: The positive power of negative thinking is really important to me. Too many people believe the b...s... about "Think happy thoughts and the universe will be nice to you". No, the universe is actually out to kill you. Mountain sports are a lot like riding a motorcycle. You have to assume no-one sees you and everything will be unpredictable. This helps stay alive.
MC: What do you do to train?
WG: Lots of sports mainly. Skill is 80% of results most of the time if you're halfway fit.
MC: And do you eat anything other than Pop Tarts?
WG: Lots of deer. I try to eat organic stuff, but there's nothing wrong with the occasional Pop Tart.
FACT FILE
• Age: 43
• Hometown: Canmore, Alberta
• Partner: Kim Csizmazia (42) writer.
• Daughter: Marie Cephren Gadd (3) who enjoys riding her bicycle, doctoring her teddy bears, climbing the jungle gym we put in thinking it was a closet-organiser system.
The New Zealand Mountain Film Festival runs until Tuesday at the Lake Wanaka Centre. Will Gadd gives his illustrated talk "Canada Exposed" at 8pm tonight.
