base428

It can be a problem. Last summer, I was told that procedures were changed so that EVERY parachute rig had to be opened, reserve and all, if the Xray drew a red flag. That means if they'll unfold your parachute and dig through everything. Personally, I fly 2-3 times per year on BASE trips and have had the following: 1) Inspector at the gate demanded I unpack the chute. I was able to convince him that it was merely the connector links he was after, so he let me undo the S-folds to show him. The problem areas are B-12's, connector links, and chest strap hardware. 2) Another inspector at the gate looked at my rig and then quickly yanked the shrivel flap off. My wife screamed at him, so he stopped. Gotta keep a close eye on your stuff! 3) Other rigs have been torn apart and inspected. Fortunately, I sometimes leave my round water rig unpacked for this very reason. I won't even mention the two times I've had my luggage lost on overseas trips......I think travelling with large black watertight Pelican cases is also a problem for me. They routinely search my cases and if my 2nd rig is in there, I'm screwed. Keep your rig in a stash bag and never show anyone. Well, maybe you can show the little old lady sitting next to you after the plane takes off.....ask her "why she didn't get her parachute when she boarded the plane"?. Good luck. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Anyone know how he was able to make a parachute jump at the Grand Canyon? Maybe it was outside the park? Or if it was inside the park, how did he get a Special Use Permit? (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Thanks for thinking of me, but we only rode Goped scooters off the cliff. Once was enough. I think the person you may be thinking of is Travis Pastrano. He's the guy you see doing backflips on his motorcycle at the X Games. I heard he learned how to skydive, or maybe even base jump, and then did the stunt using a wooden ramp at the edge of the cliff. Unlike Travis' motorcycle stunt, our Gopeds were attached to our feet and didn't smash into the gorge.... (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

It's freefallable and a lot of fun. It looks more intimidating than it really is. Exit point is easy to find. Flare early on the road since you'll more than likely be landing on the up-slope. Cya. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

"Carbo-sol" which is made by the Sunnyside Corp of Wheeling, Illinois. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

My best guess is you're throwing the PC to the side, similar to throwing something out your car window. I'm guessing this based on the relative position of the PC to your body. You're also throwing it down a bit, resulting in the wrap around your fingers. As Tom mentioned, many strange PC mals have resulted from pitching down (like Donk's knot in his bridle at RG) Solution is to gently throw (or release) the PC in front of you rather than to the side. ....or you can just go stowed! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I just got back from Jon's memorial service. The church was packed full at least 30 minutes before the service even started. Many people had to hang out in the basement because there was no room. There were hundreds of people including the NPS, Bridge Day Commission members, and even a TV crew. Bill Bird, my wife Jennifer, and I attended. I was amazed by all the things Jon accomplished in his life. I had no idea he actually bought a railroad and even a locomotive and was actively hauling things along the RR tracks close to Fayetteville. I never knew Jon went to Antartica, or that he rafted from Tibet into China, or that he helped coordinate water rescue for two major motion pictures. I'm sure there were many things that I wasn't aware of about Jon, but I'm thankful for all the help he's given me and the BASE community. As one person said at the service - "it's not the number of possessions or accomplishments in life that he'll be remembered for, but the number of friends he made along the way". Probably the funniest thing heard at the service was the fact that in the late 1960's, the Fayetteville locals told him that he'll kill all his clients if he were to start a rafting business on the New River. And now there have been more than 5 million rafters in the New River area. They said Jon saw something that nobody else in the area was able to see. Bridge Day 2005 will be named after Jon, by the way. Even our new Governor Joe Manchin sent a letter to the Dragan family and it was read at the service. Bill Bird and I each have a small container of Jon's ashes. Jon will be making his first BASE jump from the New River Gorge Bridge this October as we release his ashes in freefall. Local Newspaper Articles about Jon: http://www.bridgeday.info/images/Jon_Dragan_v1.jpg http://www.bridgeday.info/images/Jon_Dragan_v2.jpg (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Thanks for calming me down Gjhdiver. Unfortunately, it's my duty to tell others about my faulty rig because the next guy *might not* inspect his rig as well as you and me. Plus, there are some minor mistakes that make it through QC, and then there's MY rig. I still jump my Wings rig and I like it. Ya just gotta get out the magnifying glass and inspect the new ones. Constructive criticism only makes us smarter... Cya. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I'm disappointed that others have also had problems with their Wings and bad QC'ing. Apparently nothing has changed since they fixed my death rig, although I'm sure other manufacturers miss some things from time to time. Unfortunately, one miss can cause a fatality. My rig had a main bag grommet that was so poorly struck (offset) that I could easily fit about two entire microlines underneath it. My backpad was missing some stitching that allowed me to put two fingers behind it (not a cause of a mal, but should have been noticed in QC). Original post here *** (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Cards, letters, etc. can be sent to Jon's wife at: Melanie Dragan 2 Thurmond Station Thurmond, WV 25936 also: Jon A. Dragan Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Leadership Fayette County 310 Oyler Avenue Oak Hill, WV 25901 The family has requested donations to the scholarship fund listed above in lieu of flowers. I believe Jon has always done the water rescue since it began in 1984. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Working on it. I'll post the address here shortly. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Jon passed away last night. He was an organ donor, so they are currently working on getting his organs to others. The family said their goodbyes last night. The fact that Jon might be helping others by donating his organs is very comforting. More details as I get them. Funeral will be Tues or Wed in Oak Hill. He was a great guy and will be greatly missed. Here is a pic from his Bridge Day 2004 speech to the crowd. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Mine's a variant of AggieDave's old sig line....be sure to turn your speakers up real loud. *** (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I just got this email from Fayetteville: They have taken Jon off the ventilator and he is breathing on his own. Also he has opened his eyes and seems to be able to focus. Please continue to lift your thoughts and prayers. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Excellent paper! This is a good paper to send along with your permit requests or letters to the decision makers in your state. Keep in mind that the rangers usually don't end up paying for Yosemite rescues or deaths. They bill us. Also, there has been only one fatality in the Moab area and that place has been jumped far more than Yosemite (and the cliffs are not as safe). Many Yosemite fatalities were the result of less than ideal conditions in order to evade the NPS. Think about the fact that we've watched the NPS walk all over us for more than TWO DECADES. Two decades of discrimination. The longer we wait to do something about it, the better off the NPS will be. Kudos to Avery and the four others who had the guts to stand up for what they believe in 1999. --- (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Nick, that line about the old guys "flatlining from the hike up" is priceless. Anyway, in case anyone needs to see the last four Bridge Day Permits in PDF format, you now have the link. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I just talked to Jon's wife, Melanie. He opened his eyes briefly today, but things are still not going very well apparently. She mentioned that they tried to life flight him to Morgantown earlier in the week, but it was delayed due to bad weather. Jon is apparently not conscious at this time. He is at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia. Ruby is one of the best hospitals in the state. Phone number is 304-598-4000. He is in CCU#3. I'm going to try and visit him either tonight or Friday, as I'll be in the area then. So if you want me to send him or his family any messages, just post them here and I'll make sure they get a copy. More info later.... (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I just got word that Jon Dragan had two strokes on Monday. If you've been to Bridge Day, you would remember him as the guy who gave the water rescue briefing at the jumper meetings on Friday night. They are saying Jon might not make it. Prayers are needed. A pic of Jon is attached. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

You hit the nail on the head with the idea of a steady stream of letters to the decision makers. Here are some places you can start: (1) Write Your Congressman (2) If you feel like requesting a permit to jump in Yosemite: Wilderness Permits P.O. Box 545 Yosemite, CA 95389 (209) 372-0740 (3) Use the following form letter to write to the appropriate National Park of your choice. I'll try to get more NP addresses and other information soon. The following form letter is tailored for Yosemite, so please change any applicable information... Today's Date Your Name Your Address Your City, State, Zipcode, Country Your Phone Number(s) National Park Service Wilderness Permits P.O. Box 545 Yosemite, CA 95389 Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing you in an effort to obtain a permit to make a legal parachute jump (BASE jump) from either of your magnificent granite cliffs, El Capitan or Half Dome, in Yosemite National Park. As it is well known in our sport that jumps made from either of these cliffs are unfortunately against park rules, I can only hope that my request be carefully analyzed and accepted by the proper governing authority. With all the hang gliding and rock climbing that is permitted in the Park, hopefully someday BASE jumpers will also be afforded the opportunity to equally enjoy what Yosemite has to offer and be able to make safe, organized, legal jumps at these locations. As with all my BASE jumps, safety for myself and any observers is of the utmost importance. If provided with a permit, I can assure you that all proper safety measures will be followed in conjunction with the usage of new, BASE jumping specific gear. Helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads will be utilized. All Park and permit rules and regulations will be followed as prescribed. I would like the opportunity to prove that safe, legal BASE jumps can be made from your wonderful cliffs. Together, we can work out a process to make everyone happy. Please allow me the opportunity to prove it to the National Park Service and perhaps even assist you in our efforts to create a structured system where we can safely make jumps in Yosemite. Thank you for your consideration. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Sincerely, Your Name . (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

A production company we're working with is currently attempting to sell a one hour documentary that will definately allow us to tell our side of the jumper vs. NPS issue. They're negotiating with National Geographic and others. But you are correct - it would be nice to have another Donahue type program about BASE. For those who weren't around then, a bunch of experienced jumpers were on the talk show Donahue in the early/mid 1990's. I think it was a small step forward for BASE at that time.... I'm going to develop a webpage that contains form letters to mail to various National Parks and Congressman. If other people can email me THEIR form letters, I'll add them to the choices. I'll post the info soon. PS. Yes, I took 30 minutes and wrote my Congressman yesterday!!!! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Try HERE and see if it helps. I used Acrobat 5.0 to combine all three pages, but I'm still getting a strange error message that does not affect me viewing it. Perhaps the PDF's were made with something other than Acrobat? (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Can you believe the ignorance of the rangers? I just started writing a letter to my Congressman about legal BASE sites when I read this article. Events like this further my cause even more!! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I thought the waterfall was voluntarily closed due to some accidents (not due to overcrowding or rowdiness)? The big hole was closed by the eco-freaks and jumpers supposedly killing birds. Two different things. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Great idea. Why don't we just post our "rejected" letters here? I'll start. Here's MINE I agree, just sitting around waiting for someone else to do something about it is NOT a solution. Unfortunately, even the BASE organizations that are reportedly working on NP legalization are also a victim of the waiting game. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Lawrocket made some interesting and valid points, but let me give you a BASE jumper's perspective on things (1) Yes, the NPS probably has a fear of BASE jumpers and what the sport would become if legalized. However, when is the last time you've heard of a legal site being closed down due to overcrowding or unruliness? Jumper attitudes have changed over the years, and we are now a pretty responsible group of people who'll respect the rights we're given. Unfortunately, the NPS is still living in the early 1980's and they cannot see that we are a new generation. The LEGAL sites are usually the best sites - simply because we can't afford to misbehave. Of course, there are exceptions. I believe the main issues with legalizing jumping are the rescues, which can be solved with rescue insurance. I, for one, am going to say right here and now that if I were afforded the opportunity to jump legally in other National Parks, that I would be respectful of the land, the rules, and the rangers. I would act as an invited guest and I would leave the place better off than I found it. And I also believe there are many, many jumpers out there who feel the same way I do! I also believe there are rangers out there who KNOW THIS. There are rangers who know that our system would work, but they are the minority. (2) Fatalities and injuries will NOT skyrocket upon the legalization of jumping in National Parks. Sure, we'll see more incidents simply because there will be more jumping. But incidents in National Parks would probably remain consistent with the incident rates at other sites. And I truly believe there will be NO inexperienced people just leaping off any old cliff. Look at Kjerag for example......they have a system in place to train the newbies. The NPS would be insane to just "open it up" to anyone. Rather, a system run by jumpers themselves should be put in place to make sure one has the proper experience and, if not, they are trained. Look at Bridge Day for example - 50 skydives minimum and first jump and packing courses for the newbies - and this is a very simple, minimal requirement. Rescue insurance is also a good idea, because that is a major complaint from the NPS (although THAT IS THEIR JOB paid for by my hard earned tax dollars). The bottom line is that we can easily make jumping successful in National Parks because we're already running similar systems around the world with much success. (3) Increased traffic to the exit point is a moot issue. There are already a large number of established trails to many, many exit areas within the National Park system. Plus, we're talking about ROCKS and rocks aren't easily damaged by an increase in foot traffic. In addition, it's not like there are a ton of BASE jumpers out there. You could even go to some of the most jumped cliffs in Utah and I bet you could never find the trails. (4) I think there is a big misconception about BASE jumpers and the rush they get from making illegal jumps. Perhaps early in a jumper's career you will see them get more of a rush from jumping an illegal site rather than a legal one. But it doesn't take long for jumpers to realize that we don't BASE jump because we get to sneak around, but we do it for the jump itself. Skydivers surely don't skydive for the plane ride, so why would BASE jumpers enjoy hopping a fence and climbing a tower more than the jump itself. Perhaps one day (hopefully before I'm too old) the NPS will extend their hand to BASE jumpers and allow them the freedom to participate in their valued sport from the tallest and safest cliffs in the good old US of A. However, if in 20 years we're still banned, I'm going to organize a 400 person train BASE jump from El Cap that will snuff out the last remaining bit of sunlight in the valley!!! Mark my words... (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.