Hannah Abebe
The Mountaineers is excited to kick off the 2026 BeWild Speaker Series by welcoming athlete, climber, and Mountaineers Books author Will Gadd for an evening grounded in technique, responsibility, and hard-earned wisdom. In celebration of the newly released Ice & Mixed Climbing, 2nd Edition, Gadd opens with an author’s note and Ice Climbers’ Code of Responsibility — a powerful framework that shapes both the book and his approach to life in the mountains.
In this preview, Gadd reflects on managing risk, making sound decisions under pressure, and climbing with intention, offering insight into the stories, lessons, and practical guidance he’ll bring to the BeWild stage on February 9.
I started ice climbing when dinosaurs wore crampons to Sunday school, ice tools had leashes, and it took a third tool or socket wrench to crank a screw in. My friends and I often took all day to climb 200 feet of ice, but we laughed often and reveled in the joy of climbing the most unlikely, crazy medium possible: frozen water. Overall, I’m glad to have survived that essential era and am amazed at how much the sport has changed since the first edition of this book was published! Even though the gear and techniques have advanced tremendously, the basic joy of winter climbing still fires me up every season like a little kid on Christmas morning. I have won some competitions and put up some hard routes in my thirty-five-plus-year career, but grades and achievements are absolutely secondary to good experiences with good people on good climbs all over the world.
Over the last two decades, I’ve learned a lot about ice and mixed climbing by teaching clinics across North and South America, Europe, and Asia, as well as by coaching and guiding. This book is my attempt to share what I’ve learned over the years; I hope these words help you enjoy winter climbing in your own way and for many years to come. Survive, learn, and have fun!
Ice Climber’s Code of Responsibility
- Be respectful. Everyone deserves a safe and enjoyable experience. Educate others with respect, and allow yourself to be educated with grace. Engage online as you would when face-to-face. Pack out trash, cigarette butts, and excrement. Urinate away from the base of any climb.
- Leave a note. Leave a note on your dashboard or in the dirt on your rear window with route name, party size, and departure time, to aid others in their decision-making at busy venues. Have a backup plan for when others are on your intended route if it will not accommodate multiple parties.
- Parties ahead have the right-of-way. It is your responsibility to steer clear of them. Do not climb beneath or pass others without clear communication and a plan to which all parties agree. Multipitch climbers have right-of-way over those only climbing the first pitch of established multipitch climbs.
- Expect falling ice from other climbers. Falling ice is inevitable. Climbing beneath others is dangerous to you and compromises their security. Plan your movement and belay stances to maximize shelter from ice fall, which can bounce far and in unexpected ways.
- Carry avalanche rescue equipment. A transceiver, shovel, and probe should be carried by all party members in avalanche terrain and when sufficient.
BeWild Speaker Series
Tickets are on sale now — don’t miss the chance to be part of the first BeWild event of 2026!
BeWild Speaker Series
Mastering Ice & Mixed Climbing with Will Gadd
February 9, 2026
Doors at 6:30pm | Program at 7pm
The Seattle Program Center
7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
