Basejumper.com - archive

From FB:

"Attention: Folks in and around the Bow Valley.
On the morning of Monday, September 1st, my good friend and mountain partner, Ralph, disappeared while BASE jumping in the Mt. Rundle area. If you are working/playing on Mt. Rundle, fishing/running the Bow River or golfing at Banff Springs, please look for a tall, lanky man in black (black wing suit, black canopy). He is an incredibly experienced and tenacious person...there is still hope. Thanks for your help! If you see anything, you can contact me (Jessica Taylor on FB) or the Banff Warden's Office directly (403-762-4506)."

Been waiting for about a week now for news on this but sadly nothing. All i know has been passed to me from Winnie. He went to do a wingsuit jump and had arranged to meet friends to go hiking on Monday morning but never turned up.

A search with dogs was initiated and later (on Wednsday i think) a chopper search during a break in snow fall. On Thursday i am informed a large civilian search and rescue effort was launched but to no avail.

As stated, Ralph is not only an experienced all-round BASE jumper but also an expert in many facets of wilderness survival. I cannot comment on his wingsuit expertise but he has been BASE jumping wingsuits since at about 2003/4 when i first met him.

Anyone know which exit he was jumping? Super shitty news, but if I've ever met a person who could actually survive a week in the wild it would be Ralph. He had been back into base for about a year and had been wingsuiting quite a bit. His slider down exploits are legendary.

I don't think I've ever met a tougher person than Ralph. I'm not hopeful, given the circumstances, but if anyone could make it through something like this, it would be him.

Photo of Ralph (on the left, with my kids) attached.

ditto to the above comments about Ralph. he's one tough bastard and definitely a legendary BASE jumper in my book. really sucks to hear this. still hoping for the best.

Hopefully he comes tromping out of the woods with a busted lip and another good story, the dude is awesome, he's probably in there nursing a pack of sick bears back to health and making stew out of wolverines, in all seriousness Ralph you better be ok

Hi all,
Please keep the positive thoughts flowing.
Ralph and I are life long friends and many of you have featured in his adventures and tales from around the world over the years.
The weather is forecast to change in Banff over the coming days so the SAR teams job will get tougher. There's been an incredible amount of effort and support in looking for him.
I head out there today and need you all to keep hoping and strong.
Ralph has been really happy playing in the mountains and loving life, if anyone has a chance, he does.
Clare

Ralph is one bad motherfucker! A machine if you will. I hope to see this guy again, god speed.

I spoke with one of the SAR team members this past weekend. She showed me the track log of the search they have been doing. It's a huge mountain and they have covered it fairly well. They actually found the body of a hiker missing since last year. But sadly, they haven't found Ralph.

There is only one exit so far.