Basejumper.com - archive

http://www.climbing.com/...-killed-in-base-jump

BASE jumping has lost two legends.

BSBD.

A good friend called this morning to let us know. So sad. A true legend.

BSBD

It wasnt Glacier point. Ill post something when the time is right, its also Graham, known to most as Grambo. Very very advanced line off an otherwise fairly standard jump. I think everyone reaches there threshold in this sport, and I just reached mine. Not worth it for me anymore. I had the honor to call these guys my friends, and ill never forget them. The only lesson I can think to learn from this one is that it doesnt matter how careful, current, or experienced you are, this sport can take anyone. Its been fun.

Good to have some credible info, Thanks dude.

Correction BASE jumping just lost two legends. If you're going to post something as serious as a death report at least get the name right. Graham you humble, humble person hope you're somewhere that the flying is great everyday.

Sorry I got it wrong, Mitch. I've updated the post.

Fuck!!! Say it ain't so!!!!

http://www.outsideonline.com/...ase-jumping-accident

Super sad :( I'm sure plenty of people have offered, but if Whisper needs a new dad, I would take good care of her

What a shame.

Shit Dean!!! I just never thought you...............One of the few people i ever looked up too.......it was funny "bumping" into you and doing those jumps.........

...............I'll always remember those jumps with you.....

YOU were YOSEMITE......Correction YOU are YOSEMITE!!!!!

they broke the mold with you :-( BSBD

http://news.yahoo.com/...-014455885--spt.html

DO NOT WANDER INTO THE COMMENTS SECTION.

i stopped reading the comments on news reports... the general public really is that ignorant.

The problem is not about ignorance but intolerance

It's a truth universally acknowledged that people who rush to post in the comments sections of online news articles are the biggest cunts on the planet. Not an ounce of humanity amongst the lot of them.

Fucking classic.

Dean, father of Cliffing..........................
Gone

Bummed I missed our connection on the Eiger in 2013.

sigh

This is so tragic, he was always so much fun to run I to at the DZ when he was passing through on his way to his next monumental adventure. He will be missed greatly.

Is there any credible information on what actually happened?

http://www.sfgate.com/...-with-no-6271703.php

Pardon my ignorance, I have now geographic knowledge of the location:
Is this the small crack wher Scotty Bob did his famous video? Or is it something completly different?

Something completely different.

ok, thanks

Never a truer word spoken.........

There was a link in the comment section of an earlier link with a picture of the place.

Person who linked it claims (with confidence) that the place seen is where they tried to pass.
I refrain from linking it since i dont know for sure.

Wondering if darkness/shadows played a role...like Zion...

You know, speaking of all the comments sections...

Why the fuck do all these people freak out about the goddamn dog. Unless they're fucking "living the vegan lifestyle", there is a 99% chance that their lunch lived a much shittier life than that dog did, even if it went in with Dean.

Jesus Christ.

You cant read the comment section man. Its not worth it for yours or anyones sanity.

"You know, speaking of all the comments sections...

Why the fuck do all these people freak out about the goddamn dog. Unless they're fucking "living the vegan lifestyle", there is a 99% chance that their lunch lived a much shittier life than that dog did, even if it went in with Dean.

Jesus Christ."

Dammit that is funny!

There words are my own and I do not give permission to use them in any other context.

Dean and Graham jumped from Taft point just after sunset. The exit there is not very technically difficult and was opened by myself, dean, and stanley several years earlier. They chose to fly a line through what had been nicknamed "the notch". This location is not particularly small, but does require an exit and flight that very few people in the world are capable off. If you have a perfect exit and perfect glide, you will pass over the ridge at around 200ft. If you look at the notch from exit, it looks absolutely impossible, and we used to joke that we would know wingsuits are ridiculout when we can fly over that. Dean had flown through it twice previously, Graham several more than that. I had just had a conversation with dean last week that I thought it was a bad idea and you gained nothing really in the flight by taking that line. He argued that you didnt have to decide until about 15 second if you had to stay committed to the line, and he would only do it if he felt he was flying perfectly. The only proximity involved in this line was however high you could cross the ridge. After you pass through the notch the terrain drops off a cliff.

Deans gf was on exit taking photos. Dean exited first with graham a second or two later. Graham passed dean early in the flight and was setting up on the left side. Graham made a sudden hard right towards the notch for unknown reasons. He passed in front of dean and slid into the right side of the notch where he impacted. Dean made it through the lower portion of the notch to the downhill side, but likely impacted a tree.

Deans gf did not see the impact, but thought they looked lower than normal flying that line. She thought she heard the sound of a parachute opening and rockfall. When she didnt hear from them in 10 minutes she called me concerned that something was wrong. Dean always texted her even before he stashed gear. After 2 hours of no word, yosar was called.

Its unclear if graham made the turn intentionally, because he thought he could not clear the upper ridge, to set himself up for a line through the notch, or because of some unknown weather condition. It is impossible to know if dean was burbled, or was just very low in the notch already. In the best case scenario, this is still an extremely challenging flight. Graham was hyper current and had just returned from a trip opening many exit points in moab including wingsuiting dragons nest. Dean was very current in the valley as well.

I will keep my personal thoughts and memories of these two private, but I appreciate those who have reached out. They were two unbelievably talented wingsuit pilots, most know deans accomplishments, and many would soon know about grahams. It just makes me angry that I had told them both that I thought that line wasnt worth it. It was the new standard of being an alpha male in the valley though. Like moths to a flame.

I again do not authorize any reproduction or quoting of this in any way. If people have questions that will make any difference in the understanding of this, I will answer them. A memorial is being planned in the future with no date yet set.

Heavy. That was very kind of you to provide that report.

fuck Charlie, sorry man. what a huge loss.

Thank you Charlie.

Thank you for taking the time to post this info.
Would appreciate hearing about memorial service details.

Craig

Thank you. Please let us know about a memorial. 3 weeks and I'm still laid low by their exit.

Good Article this morning: NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/14/sports/dean-potter-final-yosemite-jump.html?_r=0