Learning the ropes on risk management

Canadian ice climber and paraglider pilot Will Gadd, known for dangerous feats such as climbing frozen Niagara Falls, says it’s never too early to teach children risk management.

It’s why he takes his two children, 8-year-old Rose and 11-year-old Marie, on similar adventures up the Canadian Rockies with traction-building crampon and a harness, an example reported in this month’s Outside magazine.

“Gadd and his kids try to go on one adventure every weekend, not only because they love it, but also because it teaches the girls how to assess and manage risk in the outdoors, a skill that Gadd hopes they will carry over to everyday life,” the article states.

“Risk management, however, isn’t about eliminating risk altogether — an impossibility in any facet of life — but recognizing potential hazards and mitigating the consequences, or knowing when to bail.”

The girls even came up with their own levels of risk, according to the article: “Bumps and bruises, hospital, and death.”