Base Jumper Talent Level in the Cascades?

[Jens]

I read about another base jumping accident on Mt. Baring this morning. The last fatality was a week ago. Dangerous sports are what we all do and love and I support them all the way as those who've climbed with me will attest to. The only thing that strikes me as odd was that I when I climbed with a fairly serious base jumper a while back, he told me that their were only approximately a dozen folks in Washington that are really into jumping. I'm sure the number of jumpers is a bit higher now, but with about one accident or fatality every two months for a dozen or so folks, the stats make a World War 1 trench charge with a blindfold on look like a trip to the spa.

 

.....Or is it just that the European and Yosemite Jumpers that I've both witnessed are much more skilled than our local hometown talent? ....... A different sport but the paragliders I've seen in the Alps put our hometown talent to shame and the winds at the launch sites in the Alps can be insane for base and para.

 

I will admit I know almost nothing about base jumping and sound like one of the ranters on the news websites.

[AlpineK]

The Alps do have lots of telepheriques. That makes access to big cliffs for jumping easy. I imagine you need lots of jumps to build up your skills.

 

Then again I know almost nothing about base jumping

[obwan]

I used to sky dive in my younger years and would think that a high skill level of maybe a thousand jumps or more would be necessary before taking on base jumping. The crazy French/Europeans are a bit ahead of the U.S., especially in the wing-suit phenomenon. But as you can see on www.basejump.com that many newbies want to do it - and you all think we have a bit of spray on our website.

[G-spotter]

Two rescues off the Chief in the last two weeks, neither serious though. At least one was an Australian who jumped during a windstorm... an experienced jumper told me "That guy was an idiot to jump in those conditions".

[Bronco]

BASE jumper rescued from Mount Baring

 

By Eric Stevick

Herald Writer

 

INDEX ­— A 44-year-old Lynnwood man has been rescued after his parachute lines got caught Monday night on a rock outcropping on Mount Baring in east Snohomish County.

 

By 8:20 a.m., a mountain rescue team was lowered to the man and hooked him into a rope system. He was then lifted to the top of the cliff.

 

Plans were to airlift him to a hospital but he refused medical treatment, said Lt. John Flood of the sheriff’s office.

 

A Snohomish County Search and Rescue helicopter team attempted to reach him earlier but was unable to do so safely so a ground team was being lowered from the summit, said Rob Beidler, a chief with the sheriff’s office.

 

The sheriff’s office received a cell phone call from the BASE jumper around 9 p.m. Monday. BASE stands for buildings, antennae, spans (bridges) and earth, which refers to the types of surfaces from which people jump.

 

The man was alone and uninjured other than some scratches and bruises. He was able to call 911 for help.

 

He was dangling for several hours overnight but it was unclear this morning if he was able to crawl to a ledge, Beidler said.

 

The man was paying respects to a friend who died during a BASE jump July 25.

Aude-Marianne Bertucchi, a 32-year-old Bothell woman, died July 25 after her parachute failed to open properly during a jump off Mount Baring.

 

 

 

[iluka]

It appears people all over the world manage to run into serious problems with their BASE jumping:

 

http://www.splatula.com/bfl/

 

 

[bstach]

Two rescues off the Chief in the last two weeks, neither serious though. At least one was an Australian who jumped during a windstorm... an experienced jumper told me "That guy was an idiot to jump in those conditions".

 

I don't want my tax dollars going towards rescuing those thrill seeking idiots!!!!111

[tomtom]

You too can be a BASE jumper:

 

The Great Book of Base

 

[Gary_Yngve]

Eldon Burrier, the subject of the rescue last night, has been jumping for a long time:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/23/nyregion/thrill-for-bored-with-parachuting-crowd.html

 

He was also arrested this morning for an outstanding warrant for reckless endangerment in a state park (presumably involving base jumping?).

 

[JoshK]

Calls in to be rescued then refuses to agree with their plan to send him to a hospital...hmm, should have left him there then IMO.

[summitchaserCJB]

That's us Americans for you. We want our liberty until it isn't comfortable.

[Bronco]

Calls in to be rescued then refuses to agree with their plan to send him to a hospital...hmm, should have left him there then IMO.

 

I suspect his reluctance to go to the hospital had to do with him having outstanding warrants...

[obwan]

One of the big draws to the sport is that it is free, whereas skydiving can get quite expensive with lift fees, and approved areas for clearance and jumping. You don't just go get a buddy with a plane either, as there are rules and waivers needed for jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. With basejumps though, there is little room for errors; whereas in skydiving you have a little more room to salvage an epic jump. But, as in climbing also - it's not the fall that kills you, it's that sudden stop.

 

[kukuzka1]

everything in climbing tells you to not let go and then your standing on dolminite tower and jump. rad

[sobo]

Eldon Burrier, the subject of the rescue last night, has been jumping for a long time:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/23/nyregion/thrill-for-bored-with-parachuting-crowd.html

 

He was also arrested this morning for an outstanding warrant for reckless endangerment in a state park (presumably involving base jumping?).

Saw that about the arrest, too, Gary, at this link.

The reckless endangerment charge was because of BASE jumping, off the Deception Pass Bridge, as stated here.

 

Were you in on this one, Gary?

[Gary_Yngve]

Saw that about the arrest, too, Gary, at this link.

Were you in on the rescue?

 

I was In-Town Operations Leader (ITOL), as work right now is a bit too hectic for me to get out. Sounds like all the rescuers who were up there had a great time and got some sweet views. Relieved that the heli could fly and it wasn't a carryout from up there..

[sobo]

Bummuh... too bad you couldn't catch some of the views.

[Buckaroo]

Base Jumping is so hazardous and the final outcome so predictable there is a fatality list. Essentially if you base jump you are going to die. RIP, have fun cuz life is short anyway, hope you have some kids before you go on.

 

http://www.splatula.com/bfl/

[wfinley]

Good spot for one of the coolest base jump vids I've seen:

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erfCL-ZfZhY

[sobo]

Does he French free on the bolt hanger at 1:03??

 

Question for BASE jumpers:

Why does Mario (the first jumper) exit with his pilot chute in his hand and deploys it immediately, while Ammon (the second jumper) exits "hands-free" and pulls his PC out in flight?

Just preferences? Or something else? Enquiring minds want to know...

[num1mc]

Even the BASE jumping web-site forums may have a low talent level. They still insist on XXXX'ing out place names of accidents, even though the recent rescues and death here and at Squamish have recieved national media attention. It's not like it is a secret