Exploration
Dive into the world’s coolest and coldest waterfalls
Ready for a chilled thrill? Check out the world’s coolest and coldest waterfalls.
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When we think of waterfalls, clear images come to mind – tropical jungle pools, cascading water, peace and serenity. But come cold weather, waterfalls turn into totally different scenes, a stunning and solid tribute to winter, able to slow even the most powerful forces of nature.
We rounded up our favourite winter waterfalls for you below – and while you may want to visit, you probably won't want to go dipping you head in.
01
Niagara Falls, USA
1 min
Will Gadd ice climbing on Niagara Falls
Watch Will Gadd make the first ever ascent of Niagara Falls during a frozen winter's day.
The grand-daddy of them all, easily the world's most famous waterfall, and with good reason. It's on an international border, and it's massive. It's also the site of Will Gadd's history-making ice climb, the first-ever ascent of its kind (and maybe the last.)
02
Svalbard, Norway
Aniol Serrasolses goes over the edge in Svalbard
© David Sodomka / Red Bull Content Pool
Elite kayaker Aniol Serrasolses encountered the world's highest glacier waterfall drop in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway during his Ice Waterfalls project. Serrasolses and his team embarked on a challenging expedition to the Svalbard archipelago, to one of the most remote places on earth, beginning with a 36-hour sea voyage from Longyearbyen to the Bråsvellbreen glacier. When the 20m Svalbard glacial waterfall was eventually reached, Serrasolses initiated a descent that secured his place in the annals of kayaking history. Reflecting on the unprecedented descent, the Catalan adventurer expressed his astonishment, saying, "It's hard to find the words to explain this feeling. It's like kayaking on another planet. Without a doubt, it's the most unique kayak I've ever done in my life.”
Watch the Ice Waterfalls documentary below:
54 min
Ice Waterfalls
Kayaker Aniol Serrasolses ventures deep into the wild Arctic. His mission? To conquer an extreme ice waterfall and record the world's highest drop from a glacial river.
03
Argentière Glacier, France
Climbing frozen waterfalls in Argentière, France
© Jonathan Griffith
The Argentière waterfalls in the French Alps are a spectacle – a thundering cascade of water drawn from the huge Argentière glacier in the Mont Blanc massif. During summer, that is. In the winter months, at an altitude of almost 2,000m and shaded from the sun’s power, this raging torrent freezes over to become one of the most compelling ice-climbing destinations in the region.
04
Aldeyjarfoss, Iceland
Land of ice
© Felix Röser
Iceland is known for its incredible natural scenery – and Aldeyjarfoss is no exception. The iconic waterfall is stunning in mid-winter as the frigid spray freezes to the walls, framing the falls in gorgeous white. Wanna go there? If you're up for braving Northern Iceland in mid-winter, go for it – but don't forget the two-plus hour hike along the Skjalfandafljot river.
05
Helmcken Falls, Canada
21 min
Ice revolution
A pair of veteran ice climbers find the ultimate challenge in a massive cave in Canada.
This 141m behemoth in interior BC is an ice climber's dream – or nightmare. Massive, overhanging and technical, there's few in the world up to the challenge – and one of those people is Will Gadd, who put up two first ascents at Helmcken. If Helmcken is on your bucket list, guess what? This one's easy – you can drive right up to it in Wells Gray Provincial Park.
Related
06
Lyngen, Norway
Scoring the shot on the ice in Norway
© Ray Demski/Red Bull Photography
This project with Red Bull Photography took Ray Demski and his climber friends north of the Arctic Circle to Lyngen, Norway. Their goal? Hit this iceflow during the Northern Lights to create an epic, once-in-a-lifetime image. Success? We'd say so.
07
Rifle, Colorado
Sam Elias climbs a cold waterfall in Rifle, Colorado
© Boone Speed
Ice climbing comes with a lot of risk. Says photographer Boone Speed: “The worse-case scenario is the whole column collapses.” Rifle, Colorado is known for both summer rock and winter ice routes.
08
Multnomah Falls, USA
Cold comes crashing down
© Thomas Duffy
This breath-taking 190m waterfall reigns high over the Columbia River in Oregon. Given it's proximity to a major highway, it's a popular tourist attraction in the summer – so we suggest going in the winter, when you can see it like this, in all of it's frozen glory. But you've got to pay attention – conditions like this appear only once or twice a year.
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