Basejumper.com - archive

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. Thought you object types would enjoy reading about this:

http://www.ktnv.com/news/jul05/338593.asp

GAME ON

Well, technically, glass "S". But we'll let it slide.

<using best BooBoo voice>

"Uhhhhh... I don't think the Ranger is gonna like this Yogi...."

Hualapai BASE GAMES 2006!

I have some gear I'm willing to lose.

...they certainly have one thing right!

Oops.




Tom?????

Sorry!

If this thing's on tribal lands... is the tribe able to ensure that BASE is entirely legal from their bridge in the same way that some tribes have made gambling legal? I mean... so long as they give permission right... and there's no one arround like the NPS... and if they're after tourism just show them Bridge Day stats... you could have yourself a nice place to start your bargaining for a cool legal S. Would be really cool to be able to look down through the glass at the jumpers below.

Looking at the picture somebody posted... is that really a "span"? It seems like more of an overhanging platform to me...

Not a chance. The landing area is what counts for aerial delivery.

I saw that this morning and wondered the same thing. I think personally I'd call it an "E" with a man-made overhang.

Not true. Not all of the canyon floor or rim is governed by the NPS. In fact, there is a great deal of canyon floor and rim that is under the control of the the Navajo Nation and as such there may be a possibility of organizing something along the lines of a bridge day sort of event. It's been done in the past. Of course that would take a lot. The Navajo like to keep there sacred sights sacred.

True, but if the landing area is also on tribal land isn't there an exemption if you have an tribal member sponsoring you?

Short answer, Yes

Sorry, I wasn't trying to comment on that particular site. Just saying that it doesn't matter if the entire structure is on private land. The landing area is going to have to be private (or permitted of some kind).

There is a real chance to get this going.

There is some history here. Canyon de C***** was legal with the Navajo nation until two old time jumpers (BASE 37 & BASE 124) ruined legal access by
1) filming a commercial without permission
2) using a helicopter in conflict with agreements with the Navajos
3) using a helicopter in a rescue

This was a long time ago and the time is probably right for a respectful diplomatic approach to these Native Americans.

No problem Tom I wasn't trying to start a fight.
One avenue that might help is if we can first find some one of Navajo blood who is sympathetic to our cause. I can think of one. She works for a popular BASE manufacture. I have spoken with her about it before but we have yet to make it happen. Her work duties keep her pretty busy. Anybody know anyone else with Navajo blood who jumps?

Ray looks Indian although he's not!

He could pick up some Navajo and BS his way...

Jumps at this place were had with permission, and permission was gained by smuggling cases of beer in for tribe members. We felt like bootleggers there for a while.

Native Americans are much more sophisticated now but one thing that will always be in our favor is, like us, they are always ready too stick it to the "Man."

If they build a casino at this new structure they'll still need more of a draw to get people to travel there and that could be us.

Hops & Slots . . . !

NickD
BASE 194

It is doubt full that the Navajo will ever build a casino on their land. They realize that their land is far to remote for most to travel to and so the clientele would be mostly Navajo. Their feeling is that it would be wrong to provide yet another source of addiction to the tribe members. The tribe has repeatedly voted against casinos in the past for this very reason

I have some of Tim's gear I'm willing to lose too!!!
~J

Hasn't it be proven that Native Americans have no more predilections for addiction than any other race of people? I think their original drinking problem came from seeing their culture disseminated, being shuffled onto reservations, having no meaningful work to do, and generally having no hope. Christ, I'd need a drink after that too . . .

NickD
BASE 194

Remind me to tell you the story about the guide we hired when hiking at CdC...

Yes your right but why add a means by which they can furtuer the poverty that is already found among so many of their people

I think a better idea, one which would be respectful to the Navajo and just generally be the right thing to do, would be to have a sponsored event in which the proceeds go back to the tribe for various social causes.

A toast to our brothers and sisters who got ROYALLY shafted by The Man.

Quote from Zennie: I think a better idea, one which would be respectful to the Navajo and just generally be the right thing to do, would be to have a sponsored event in which the proceeds go back to the tribe for various social causes.

- Z

Response from me:
Super idea. Let's make it happen.

Which, royally shafting the man of orginizing an event? Both sound cool to me

A note to all (just responding to Zennie because it's convenient):

Let's try to keep the political discussions in Speaker's Corner, ok?

I'd hate this thread to turn into a long diatribe about Indian rights, gaming on reservations, or whatever.

Uh...71 jumbo jetliners. I hate to be an engineer but I don't think so.
Quote from another site. "It is an engineering marvel with six-inch steel pillars that are drilled eighty feet into the mountain." Six inch steel just isn't THAT strong. If it's 80 feet into the side of the cliff and 60 feet out that a 0.75:1 lever arm at the end. Ok if you assume the force on the 80 foot side is in the middle then it's 1.5:1, even worse. Oh hell, you get the idea. Right?

maybe they meant cessna's but it just didnt have a good ring to it.

Or perhaps 71 jumbos one after the other, not simultaneously

so, if i'm understanding this right, if i jumped it i would only have to jump an A to get my BASE number...

Heh. If you jumped an A, on top of a B, that was on the edge of an E that passed by an S... hell yeah... get 'em all in one shot.

.


Yeah I do, but honestly I don't care. Since I tend to gloss over those sorts of statements by the media. Know why? The media wouldn't know their ass from a hole in the ground if they...actually, you know what? I don't think the media actually does know their ass from a hole in the ground.

Besides, earth its self has fallen away from 100mph winds, 8.0 quakes and 71 jumbo can-can dancers, let alone jet liners, who says a building can handle all three with no worry.

why jump this thing when you could just jump the beautiful wall they are disfigering to build it. They are the NPS they are suppose to protect this land not build SH*^ on it

just my 2 cents...............

Hell your taxes are paying for it not mine do what you like!

I graduated from Fort Lewis College in Durango last year. While there, I sang with the Native American Choir and was able to make some contacts. Even though I'm Cherokee instead of Dine, those contacts might be willing to listen based off the work I did with the choir.

I'd be willing to pitch something to them if it was totally respectful of the tribe and its beliefs AND did something positve for the tribe.

No promises, but I'd be willing to try. And who knows, maybe by the time something got worked out, I'd have enough BASE experience to go for my E.

-Blind

To my knowledge, Indian land is not controled by the US...

Anyway check out the website for it:

http://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/skywalk.html

added:

Slow down boys . . .

The correct pronunciation of this tribe's name, the Hualapai, is WALL-uh-PIE . . .

http://www.signonsandiego.com/...ews_1n14skywalk.html

NickD
BASE 194

Here's a look from Google Earth, I can't find the exact LAT/LON for the Skywalk (anyone?) but, I think it's somewhere in here.

Also, look at this page and the video about halfway down. At 1:09 you can see a photo hanging on the wall showing a downward view. If this was a totally shear cliff they would be showing that view more.

http://www.thegreenhead.com/...d-canyon-skywalk.php

Although the Grand Canyon has jumpable spots (especially with a wing suit) the problem has always been finding a way out of the canyon. You'd either need a waiting raft, and then hours, maybe even days of river travel to get out, or you need a helicopter. However, these days aircraft can no longer fly below the rim of the canyon never mind landing down there . . .

NickD
BASE 194

We just need a little bit more powerful jet engines. Jump, enjoy the unpowered flight, turn the engines at 200ft, climb up 4000ft and pull over the plateau.

Parachute: $2,000.
Wingsuit: $1,000.
Jet engines: $10,000.

The look on ranger's face as you buzz him just 20ft away...

PRICELESS.

hmmmm.... i have a lot of ideas involving just that.
but no jet engines, and a very different BASE canopy.

of course, this only works if Nick DG was correct about te LZ being the only part that matters in NPS laws, and i kinda dont buy that. i think that a launch from NPS areas would be just as prosecuted. i dont know though... anyone?

As yet untested in court. There has been one case of jumpers launching from NPS land and landing outside NPS land, and still being busted. They plea bargained rather than fighting the case, so we don't know how a judge would have ruled on the idea that you could be delivering yourself out of the park.

>>this only works if Nick DG was correct about te LZ being the only part that matters in NPS laws, and i kinda dont buy that<<

Tom said that, not me . . .

NickD
BASE 194

With enough kerosene, we will prevail. The skies will be ours. It will become a federal offense to disturb the most rare bird in the universe - WS BASE Homo Sapiens.

Three words: Canyon de C.

completion date March of '07

destinationgrandcanyon.com

my apologies. my brain is kaput.

If this thing is 4 grand.....what exactly, if anyone knows....does that face actually look like? Is it mostly vert or 1000' shear and then 40 miles of talus

Thanks in advance.
BK

I don't think it's even 1000' sheer. Word is that the rock drop is around 5-6 seconds. I wonder if a wingsuit could make it, though?

From the article:
It's called the Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped walkway that will jut from the canyon's lip and offer the kind of straight-down, vertigo-inducing views that had previously been available only to the likes of Wile E. Coyote.

I've had those kind of views.

75 ft out

I emailed them this:
Hi there,

Is the skywalk complete yet? When will people be able to go out on to it? How big is the wall that keeps you from falling? I have two kids.

and got this back:
Thank you for your email regarding Grand Canyon West and The Skywalk at Grand Canyon West. May I ask how you heard about The Skywalk? The glass wall is about 5ft high on the sides.

The public should be able to access the glass bridge March 28, 2007.I have attached the latest press release announcing the Grand Opening of The Skywalk. I've included overnight accommodation information as well as attached a description on the Grand Canyon Overnight Express Package.

Grand Canyon West has some great things to see and do. There are helicopter tours to the bottom of the Canyon with boat rides on the river, off road Hummer Tours, an Indian Village with cultural performances, horse back riding and lunch on the canyon rim with the best view imaginable.
--------------------
So we might be able to get out via helicopter, horse, boat, and Hummer.

I emailed them this:
gud daiy,

is skywalk to be finish sune? wen will i be able to go out on to it to mak base jump? how big is the wall for falling? I have two rigs.

and got this back:
"Thank you for your email regarding Grand Canyon West and The Skywalk at Grand Canyon West. However we are unable to decifer any of the crap you have written. Please learn to read a write English properly or refrain from sending Emails. Thank you."

is this mean i can to jump ther?

Okay, what gives! I had to read every post just to be sure I didn't repost another lame one. I can't believe nobody thought of this one...

Let's call it a little "s." That way you'll have all the BASE's' covered!

Is that lame or what?

(edited to fix my smiley)

few newer pics that show a but more.
http://news.yahoo.com/...3BjvQ0zelWp9EuVsaMYA


http://news.yahoo.com/...5bVTjtsm4B5FrWNsaMYA

Okay so then going back to the stunt junkies episode with the base rig out of the heli and the motorcycle off the grand canyon.. i thought i read somewhere they got away with that because it was indian territory.. so where he landed was not indian territory?

Having never seen a single second of Stunt Junkies, I'm totally mystified by your question. Can you rephrase it so that someone who has zero knowledge of that show can follow it?

Thanks!

really?

Yes. Really and truly. Not even the bits that get posted online and linked to this forum. I just don't have time.

Episode 22: WING SUIT BASE JUMP
In this never-before-attempted stunt, Luigi Cani will BASE jump off a cliff with a speed bike; however, instead of going down with the bike, with the help of a specially designed wing suit, he will fly up and away from the bike. Luigi is the only athlete known to date that has worked with the specially designed wing suit, which enables him to fly up and away from an object rather than down. Another twist? Luigi has never BASE jumped before! So, he'll need to start with a basic BASE jump course to prepare for the stunt. From there he will do several high-speed skydives wearing the special wing suit in order to train his body for flight position with great horizontal projection. Then, he will do test rides with the motorcycle wearing the special suit and the BASE harness to make sure that he will not be lifted up and off the motorcycle while riding at high speeds.
Premiere: Feb. 19, 2007



The cliff they speak of is the grand canyon. And prior to doing the stunt he jumps a base rig out of a helicopter

Not positive, but I'm pretty sure the Stunt Junkies crew uses a tributary of the Grand Canyon and not the canyon proper.

Not sure exactly where the glass lookout is either, but I think it's on the Grand Canyon itself and the two spots are a couple hundred miles away from each other.

It probably doesn't matter anyway, because the NPS will arrest you for even talking about a parachute regardless of jurisdiction.

There are many legs of the Grand Canyon that pass outside the NPS boundary.

As for the helicopter, I don't know. I'd ask some skydiving experts and see how they managed that one.

Has anyone here tried to get the FAA to allow them to jump a BASE rig out of an airplane or helicopter? If they can get a permit on Stunt Junkies to film and BASE jump off otherwise illegal objects, I'm guessing they might be able to get an exemption from parts of the FARs for the show.

http://www.faa.gov/...petition/#exemptions

I Doubt it. One rig from an aircraft, not even a belly mount reserve? Highly unlikely considering the this caveat alone in the petition.....


Which is of course:


That was not a base rig they jumped from the helicopter. Savvey?


That agency is inflexible.... believe me I know.....

_j

http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related

about 2:15 into the video... best view I have found yet... It is definitely NOT Sheer!

I know that wouldnt stop you, nor me. I mean if it were legal of course.

well, at least we know what to wear as a disguise. however, i think a bigger head dress will help conceal the rig a bit more.