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EVENT DESCRIPTION - Bridge Day is an annual legal BASE jumping event held on October 20, 2012 at the 876' tall New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Up to 450 BASE jumpers and 200,000 spectators are expected to attend. For most jumpers around the world, Bridge Day is a chance to make legal jumps, see old friends, and meet new ones.

For 100+ jumpers each year, it's the chance to make their first BASE jump. For those interested in BASE training, Apex BASE will be teaching a 3-day long course from October 17-20 and a 6-8 hour Introductory Course on October 19. If you're new to Bridge Day, please read our Frequently Asked Questions. Last year, jumpers from 12 countries and 39 US states made 750 jumps, drank six kegs of beer, and consumed 120 pizzas. Jump slot purchases include as many jumps as you can make in six hours, pizza, beer, soda, T-shirt, shuttles, water rescue, seminars, video festival, etc. To see more of the event, check out our Bridge Day 2011 photos.

Jumper registration begins on July 1, 2012 at 2pm EDT (18:00 GMT). Refreshing your browser around 2pm will allow you to see the phrase "Jump Passes Available" directly below the price. You will then be able to fill out the questionnaire and add a single jumper to your basket. If you have multiple jumpers on one order, please add each jumper's information separately to your basket.



CHANGES FOR 2012:
1) The jumper catapult will launch experienced jumpers more than 50' beyond the bridge railing.
2) Jumper ID badges will be barcoded this year. We'll scan badges before each jump to insure no one abuses the system. We'll also accurately tally the total number of jumps and each person's exact jump time. Jumpers will be able to quickly find their photos and videos by viewing a chart that shows barcode numbers versus jump times. As always, no jumper names or other identifiable data will be published.
3) Our van pass prices will increase slightly to match what is charged by the Chamber of Commerce (a Bridge Day Commission contract requirement).
4) Photos won't be available for purchase at the event this year, but will be available online by Sunday night
5) We will now mail out jumper ID badges before the event if the late arrival option was selected. Experienced Bridge Day jumpers only.



OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
1) Late Arrival Option - You can now complete the Bridge Day waiver and 2x2 photo via mail prior to the event and we'll mail your ID badge to you early. This will permit jumpers to simply show up at the exit point on Saturday morning and undergo a quick gear check. This option is intended for experienced Bridge Day jumpers who may have difficulties arriving in Fayetteville, WV by Friday at 4pm. Click here for more info.
2) We'll continue handing out more than $1000 in cash to the winners of the BASE Videofest and Accuracy Contest.
3) Note that early jump pass purchases get to jump off the bridge first and have the best shot at obtaining a hotel room at the Holiday Lodge (jumper headquarters).
4) There are exclusions to most of our rules and we're pretty accommodating to jumpers who have special situations. We are not the BASE police and we want you to have a great time at Bridge Day. If you have a special situation, don't hesitate to contact us. We are also BASE jumpers, so we protect your information and do what's right for the BASE community.

ABOUT US - All BASE jumping activities at Bridge Day 2012 will again be coordinated by Vertical Visions LLC, owned by West Virginia BASE jumper and skydiver Jason Bell (BASE #428, D-16725). Jason will be assisted by his wife Jennifer, Bill Bird (D-6977), Nate Varns, Mark Krasinski, Shawn Kendall, Donk, JJ, and over 50 staff members.



MORE BRIDGE DAY EVENT INFO - Bridge Day is the largest extreme sports event in the world held on the third Saturday in October every year in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Bridge Day is unique in that it is the only day visitors may walk across the bridge, BASE jumpers can parachute from the railing, and rappellers are allowed to descend and ascend fixed ropes. Vendors line both ends of the bridge selling stained glass, crafts, shirts, photos, and refreshments. Bridge Day is West Virginia's largest one-day festival and is rated one of the top 100 festivals in North America.

Jumpers from all over the world will be lined up to take their turn leaping from the world's second longest single arch bridge. Most will fall from the bridge for 3-4 seconds before deploying their parachute. Then they'll spend the next 20-30 seconds floating down to the designated landing zone located on National Park Service property at the edge of the New River.

BASE jumpers have jumped from the New River Gorge Bridge every year since the first Bridge Day on November 8, 1980 (the only exception being the cancellation of Bridge Day 2001 shortly after 9/11). The first Bridge Day saw five skydivers making BASE jumps from the bridge in the early days of the sport of BASE jumping. Over the years, Bridge Day became the place for thousands of skydivers to make their first BASE jump. It is also the largest gathering of BASE jumpers each year, complete with first jump seminars, packing classes, and a BASE gear trade show.

The popular 16' commercial aluminum diving board, first introduced in 2003, will be returning to Bridge Day this year. The Vertical Visions team plans to have a BASE jumping film festival and some special jumps that should make for an exciting Bridge Day 2012 for both jumpers and spectators.

CONTACT US - For questions regarding Bridge Day BASE jumping, please contact Jason Bell, reply to this thread, or visit www.bridgeday.info. For further spectator-type information on Bridge Day 2012, please visit the official Bridge Day website located at www.officialbridgeday.com.

ADDITIONAL LINKS
Schedule
First Timers Page
The LZ
Hotels/Camping
Shuttle Buses to LZ
Our Main Staff


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Vertical Visions LLC
Jason Bell - Owner
6 Point of View
Bridgeport, WV 26330
Phone: 304-933-9330
Bridge Day Website: www.bridgeday.info

Best wishes for another successful event, Jason.

You've done a remarkable job over the years building it up and it's fun to see the new things you add every year.

44

I want to volunteer for the test flings into water! (as long as I can wear my water-wings because I swim like a garbage truck.

Unlike the passenger in the schematic, please wear your parachute. We don't want to miss out on your wit (and I mean this sincerely).

~ Chris

We've located a great place for catapult water testing here in WV and are waiting for their OK. I'll let everyone know when/where it'll happen and you're all invited. I'm also trying to raise funds for one of these: http://www.bigairbag.com/

I'm guessing spectators don't need to register or anything? I have some people coming with me for my first BD

Spectators get onto the bridge for free and they need not register for anything. More info:

http://www.bridgeday.info/faq.php#24

If your friends/family want to follow you into the jumper exit area and take photos, we're fine with that as long as they leave as soon as you jump.

I've disabled the TimmyE username.

Congratulations Gerald...it's been a long time since I did any active moderating on this forum.

Returning to my retirement home now...

UPDATE: Major storms Friday night knocked out power to the Holiday Lodge Oak Hill and their phones are down. This hotel serves as jumper headquarters and most jumpers prefer to stay here each year. Jumper registration will still take place today at 2pm EDT, but we've been forced to change our plan for handing out hotel rooms. During jumper registration, we're now going to ask if you want a hotel room at the Holiday Lodge Oak Hill. If you answer "yes", we'll add your name to a list based on how early you bought your jump pass. Then, we'll let everyone know who received hotel rooms and provide further information on how to secure those rooms once the Holiday Lodge Oak Hill's power and phones are back online. It is estimated that the hotel will be without power until Thursday, July 5..

Got mine, who else?

How many BD's is this for you? Seven for me....

I'll be there. Will be my 20th BD and I still try to make a jump every year, somehow.

I think we've finally got this July 1 thing pretty well figured out since the forums are fairly quiet. The server is rock solid and the days of July 1 crashes are over. Most people know how to work an online shopping cart, so the telephone calls are fewer than last year. Of course, it's fairly impossible to predict that mother nature would kick our butts on Friday night and knock out power to most of WV, resulting in last minute changes to the hotel room reservation process. I was without internet access from Friday night through this morning and I lost a lot of "final testing" of the store. Found a few minor errors - one where the CVV2 field for Discover cards was hidden. Sorry about that!

I'd love to hear what went well and what didn't regarding today's registration. Also, what does everyone think of the number of jumpers we accept every year (450). Too many or too little? We normally average 2 jumps per person each year. Anything we should change? I'm very appreciative of the jumpers who provide feedback.

Let's hope for good weather on October 20 and safe jumps. I'll cya there Alan!

Registration was straight-forward and very efficient. The system seemed fine for me and I got my confirmation instantly. See you guys there and I look forward to an awesome weekend!

Ya just keep gettin better every year as far as how the "entire event" is run ! Thanks for all you do man !
Our gang up here all got in and done in the first few minutes some from home .... some from the beach on phones ! Ahhh Technology !!! ;-)

Blue Skies & Fingers crossed for Good Weather !

Charlie

Oh yea .... forgot to add to my post ..... Next year ............... ROPE SWING ? ????

Charlie

First Bridgeday and stoked for it!


Yeah rope swing would be awesome. Not too late to do one...

Rope swing. We've contemplated it. Might be bad if the jumper let go on the back swing, but would definitely be fun.

It took some explaining just to get the diving board back in 2003 and the catapult.......well.........I'm told luck was on our side. Of course, I'd like to think a decade of being the BASE organizer and a 10 page catapult proposal helped. Keep in mind the catapult won't get much action this year as I'd prefer to take it easy the first year.