Canmore Team Helps Canadian Cliff Diver Complete World-First Iceberg Dive

When Canadian cliff diver Molly Carlson became the first woman to dive from a free-standing iceberg, a Canmore ice climber was behind the scenes helping make it happen.

Will Gadd, a professional ice climber, mountain guide and Red Bull athlete, spent months preparing Carlson for the historic dive, which took place off the coast of Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador, on June 11.

The roughly 15-metre backwards dive made international headlines when Red Bull released footage of the achievement on Oct. 23. But the preparation began much closer to home, with three days of ice climbing training in Canmore.

And according to Gadd, the project almost didn't happen.

"I climbed a lot of icebergs in that area 25 years ago and I said I wouldn't do it again, to be honest," Gadd told Bow Valley Insider. "I didn't think it was worth it."

But when Red Bull approached him about Carlson's idea, he was willing to explore whether the risks could be managed.

"To help somebody else realize a dream, I was at least willing to talk with Red Bull about it and see if we could come up with enough controls and safety measures that it was less dangerous."

From Canmore's Ice Walls to the Atlantic Ocean

Carlson, a Canadian cliff diver who finished runner-up in the 2026 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, was no stranger to jumping from extraordinary heights.

Climbing an iceberg, however, was an entirely different challenge.

Before heading to Newfoundland, Carlson travelled to Canmore to spend three days learning the fundamentals of ice climbing with Gadd.

The training included using ice tools and crampons, navigating frozen terrain and understanding the dangers of climbing on an unstable surface.

Unlike a traditional guided climb, Gadd explained that Carlson couldn't rely on being attached to a safety rope.

"You can't tie somebody to a rope on an iceberg because if the iceberg rolls, that rope will drag them very deep underwater," he said.

Instead, Carlson needed to develop enough skill and confidence to climb independently, despite having only three days of training.

"I had to teach her how to ice climb well enough that she could get up the berg on her own power and understand ice climbing," Gadd said.

Much of their time was also spent discussing the risks and whether the project was worth pursuing.

Icebergs can shift, break apart or roll without warning, making them particularly dangerous climbing environments.

Gadd said the iceberg they eventually climbed had rolled the night before their attempt and rolled again the following night.

"They're really unstable," he said. "Everybody's got a theory, but they're just quite unpredictable."

A Bow Valley Team Behind the Historic Dive

While Carlson was the athlete making history, Gadd emphasized the importance of the team working behind the scenes.

Several Bow Valley professionals joined the project, including three Canmore-based colleagues and members of Sherpa Studios.

"I was lucky to hire a lot of my friends for the project," Gadd said.

He estimated that seven or eight people from the local team were involved, alongside dozens of other professionals.

"The Canmore team was very strong on this, very solid," he said.

The wider operation included marine specialists, rescue crews and safety personnel working to manage the unpredictable conditions of the North Atlantic.

A dedicated emergency boat was available to treat anyone seriously injured, while specialized water rescue personnel were positioned nearby.

Gadd said the team invested considerable resources into reducing the risks, with Red Bull supporting the additional safety measures.

"We worked really hard to make that happen," he said.

For Gadd, the project's success also demonstrated the expertise available within the local outdoor community.

"It's a good reflection on the talent in the Bow Valley and how we work together that we were able to do this too," he said.

Finding the Right Iceberg

Even with months of preparation, there was no guarantee the dive would happen.

The team needed an iceberg with the right height, shape and water depth, close enough to shore for rescue crews to operate.

An earlier attempt was abandoned when conditions weren't suitable.

"We knew the whole time in this project that if it wasn't right, we were gonna walk away," Gadd said.

With limited time and few suitable icebergs remaining, the team eventually found what Carlson called the "unicorn berg."

It was close enough to shore for their safety operation and had a shape that allowed Carlson to complete the dive.

Gadd climbed onto the iceberg first, establishing a route and installing a handline to help Carlson make her way up.

But the responsibility for climbing remained with her.

"She still had to climb it," Gadd said. "As a guide, that's a pretty scary thing when you're really trusting in somebody's ability who's only had three days of training."

Despite the pressure, Carlson successfully reached the top.

Then came the moment the team had spent months preparing for.

Standing approximately 15 metres above the Atlantic Ocean, Carlson launched herself backwards from the iceberg and completed the dive.

Gadd described watching the achievement as one of the most memorable experiences of his career.

"She's definitely not fearless," he said. "She understands hazard and performance and fear very well and just did a great job of using that fear to focus and perform."

"Seeing her dive off that berg was just magic."

More Than a World-First Achievement

For Carlson, the dive represented more than setting a record.

In an Instagram post following the release of the project, she explained that the iceberg symbolized the parts of ourselves that aren't always visible to others.

"Just like icebergs, there's so much more to us than what's visible above the surface," she wrote.

"This project is dedicated to everyone who's ever been scared to show what's underneath."

Gadd said Carlson's ability to inspire others was part of what motivated him to participate.

As a father of two daughters who follow Carlson's career, he recognized the significance of helping her achieve something no woman had done before.

"I think she is an inspiration for a lot of young people, especially women," he said.

For someone who has spent decades pursuing ambitious climbing projects around the world, Gadd said this experience stood out because it involved helping another athlete accomplish her dream.

"Putting it together and figuring out how to do it with as much safety margin as possible was a highlight of my career," he said.

He hopes to continue working on projects that help others accomplish extraordinary things while managing the risks involved.

With a paragliding and climbing project planned for next summer and an ice climbing project in Mexico this winter, Gadd has no shortage of adventures ahead.

But the Newfoundland experience will remain particularly meaningful.

"In some ways this is pointless, to dive off an iceberg, but it's also magic and we need that in the world right now," he said.

"We need humans doing really beautiful things that are inspirational and cool."