Dr.K: Extreme Tales Weblog

An Angwin man was arrested at the foot of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan on Dec. 3 for allegedly BASE jumping off the famous rock formation.

According to Ranger Leslie Reynolds, Walden Grindle, 28, of Angwin, and Fernando Motta, 29, of Oakland, were ascending fixed ropes on the rappel route when they encountered off-duty Ranger Keith Lober, who struck up a conversation with them.

The two men asked if Lober was a ranger, and when he assured them he wasn’t, they said they planned to BASE jump from El Capitan that night, Reynolds said. Later in the evening they did so, and Grindle was arrested by Lober and other rangers as he landed. Motta evaded the rangers in the dark, but turned himself in two hours later, Reynolds said.

Both men were charged with illegal air delivery, and Motta was charged with possession of marijuana, Reynolds said. Among the evidence seized by rangers was video from Motta’s helmet camera, Reynolds said.
Source

Tags: extreme tales newsboard

Posted by drk at 05:28 PM | Permalink

Note that this time it could only be "trespassing and vandalism" - and not "illegal air delivery". The authorities have a real hard time pinning down exactly what to charge BASE jumpers with - but they are determined to stamp out "illegal" BASE jumping.

What to you think? Are you a BASE jumper who has been prosecuted? Do you think the laws are adequate or should be changed? If you are a law-enforcement official or local counciller - please tell us your views also

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A thrill-seeking Edmonton man is facing possible charges after climbing a Telus communications tower early yesterday and parachuting to the ground.

The unidentified 29-year-old BASE jumper caught the attention of two cops just moments before he landed in a field near 83 Street and 90 Avenue, said Edmonton police spokesman Jeff Wuite.

The officers were patrolling the south side about 3 a.m., when they spotted the parachutist coming in for a landing in an adjacent field, Wuite explained.

"After first claiming he had jumped from an airplane, the man admitted to jumping from a nearby communications tower," Wuite said.

The urban skydiver has been released from police custody, while the question of charges - including trespassing and vandalism - is being assessed.

Source

Tags: extreme tales newsboard

Posted by drk at 05:25 PM | Permalink

This is the first since 1987 -Brian Lee Schubert, 66, of Alta Loma, Calif., died in the 11:45 a.m. mishap when his parachute opened too late and he hit the river, authorities said. Schubert was described as an experienced jumper with numerous prior jumps. In 1966, he and a friend became the first people to jump from El Capitan, a nearly 3,000-foot-tall rock formation in California’s Yosemite National Park.

It was the first BASE jumping death at Bridge Day since 1987 and the third since the event started in 1980.

Source

Tags: extreme tales newsboard

Posted by drk at 07:11 PM | Permalink

A 48-year-old thrill-seeker is in a hospital after a parachute stunt failed late Tuesday on one of the Boucherville Islands between Montreal and Longueuil.

The man climbed more than 100 metres up a Hydro-Quebec tower on Ile Charron before jumping off, Longueuil police said.

His parachute snagged when a gust of wind knocked him back into the tower, and he was left dangling about 60 metres above the ground.

The man was performing an extreme sport known as BASE jumping, which involves leaping off fixed structures. The acronym stands for building, antenna, span, earth. The sport is considered more dangerous than skydiving.

The man suffered severe head injuries when he hit the structure, but his life is not in danger, Longueuil police said. They are investigating whether charges will be laid.

Tags: extreme tales newsboard

Posted by drk at 06:46 PM | Permalink

Telegraph | News | Couple jump to record, possum-style

An Australian couple have broken the record for the world's highest base jump after climbing to the top of a 22,000ft Himalayan mountain and launching themselves off the summit in specially-designed, possum-shaped wingsuits.

Glenn Singleman, a doctor, and his wife, Heather Swan, who took up base jumping to cure her fear of heights, spent six weeks trekking to the top of Mount Meru in northern India.

Their descent of the mountain took just two minutes, as they jumped off a sheer cliff and hurtled to the ground at speeds of more than 125 mph.

BASE jumping, wingsuits, a married couple and a big mountain - now that is romantic, One thing - did it cure Heather Swan's fear of heights?

Or was she happy it only took 2 minutes to come down?

Tags: base jumping, mountaineering, records, wingsuits

Posted by drk at 10:04 PM | Permalink

I found this on a Magazine Cover website and thought it was good enough to share.

Are you a Skyflyer?
If so please contact the author to be interviewed for "Extreme Tales"

Tags: extreme sports extreme tales skydiving free fall base jumping wingsuits skyflying

Posted by drk at 06:04 PM | Permalink

I thought this was interesting today.

Sometime around 1912 an inventor named Franz Reichelt built an experimental parachute that fitted into his overcoat.

Determined to test it himself, he leapt from the Eiffel Tower - only to fall almost 1000 feet to his death.

Watching the video has the sense of inevitability about it - as he hesitates you want to shout "don't jump - it won't work" at the screen.

But he does, and he dies. So it goes.

My curiosity is tweaked now - I wonder whether this was the earliest BASE jump recorded (other than suicides) - with the intention of landing safely,

How do you judge such things?

If some 17th Century inventor jumps of a cliff with wings then that would be an early attempt at flight - and not parachuting - so its not a BASE jump.

Nobody calls hang-glider enthusiasts "BASE Jumpers" when they jump off a cliff - the different technologies define the different categories of extreme sports quite clearly - one man's hang-glider launch is another man's BASE jump.

Does anyone have any details on this? Were there other parachuting pioneers that "BASE Jumped" and failed?

Tags: extreme sports extreme tales skydiving free fall base jumping

Thanks to Maison Bisson for this.

Posted by drk at 04:04 PM | Permalink

According to the Anchorage Daily News

Miles Daisher has jumped off the Perrine bridge - the only US bridge that allows BASE jumping - 57 times in 24 hours.

I reported about Gary Cunningham who jumped off the the 421-metre (1,381ft) Menara Kuala Lumpur tower 133 times during new year , now it would seem that BASE jumpers are determined to jump of as many things as possible - as many times as possible.

BASE jumpers know what they are doing after all - anyone who can repeat the same jump 57 or 133 times has their safety systems well and truly in place.

Perhaps stunts like this will convince Joe Public that BASE jumping isn't the dangerous madness it appears to be - after all you are more likely to be killed while horse riding in America than while BASE jumping all over the world.

Tags: extreme sports extreme tales skydiving free fall base jumping

Posted by drk at 06:04 PM | Permalink

From Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- An Austrian stuntman who claims world records for BASE jumping parachuted off the top of Mexico City's highest building Monday before escaping in a Hummer to avoid police capture.

Felix Baumgartner, 36, launched himself off the 738-foot Torre Mayor on Mexico City's main Reforma Avenue, starting with a free fall and then floating downward under an opened parachute as about 200 curious onlookers gathered below.

Tags: extreme sports skydiving free fall base jumping extreme tales

Posted by drk at 06:04 PM | Permalink

Some extreme news ...

Gary Cunningham, an Australian engineer, left, rang in the new year by jumping off the 421-metre (1,381ft) Menara Kuala Lumpur tower 133 times.
Cunningham, 34, who set out to break the record for the most BASE jumps performed in 24 hours, started at midnight as New Year’s Eve began and finished as fireworks exploded in the sky above the Malaysian capital to mark the new year. The previous BASE jump record is believed to be 57. (AFP)

Tags: extreme sports skydiving free fall skydiving base jumping

Posted by drk at 06:04 PM | Permalink

Calling all cave divers, base jumpers, free climbers, surfers, bungee jumpers, zorbers, parkour enthusiasts, skateboarders, kite boarders, free divers, wing-suiters, freefall specialists, wind riders, wake boarders, urban exploration experts, wind surfers, cavers, mountaineers and white water rafters.

Dr. K, author of "Hackers' Tales" is currently researching a new book called "Extreme Tales".

Are you an extreme sports enthusiast?

Do you have tale to tell about your extreme sport?

If so please contact the author.

Tags: extreme sports skydiving snowboarding surfing kite surfing wind surfing free diving free climbing free fall skydiving base jumping skateboarding street luge parkour wingsuits skyflying spinning trebuchet

Posted by drk at 06:04 PM | Permalink