Basejumper.com - archive

Another brand new year came upon us. How many will we see this year? Are we going to break the magic number of 40? Will it be possible for people to smarten the fuck up and have zero fatality by the end of this year?

I'm betting 30 with zero in December.

I predict 38 of us will die this year with 1 being in December. The vast majority of these gory deaths will be high-speed scrapes instead of straight down bounces, but I think we already know that.

If this thread can prevent even one death, then it is worth its weight in gold. If your actions towards others and yourself can prevent a death, you will be a fucking rock star.

Seriously.

No one give a shit about how close you get to top of the bush any longer. We've already had several who survived without pitching and you can't get any closer than that.

Remember kids, more death = more rules

I wouldn't be surprised if Swiss valley, France, Norway introduces minimum clearance rule and minimum opening height.

I doubt that as everyone who has even slightest clue about what he is doing knows very well that there is no real way to enforce even the minimum opening height rule, let alone the minimum clearance rule. Just take the "no free fall beyond the river" -rule in Stechelberg as an example. Yes there is a rule. No, no one really gives a shit about it and there is no way to enforce it.

+1

Once again, people influenced by aviation culture try to impose it on backcountry activities. The only way to regulate conduct is through common sense guidelines that help shape and encourage better behavior rather than codified rules that demand it -- and thus require enforcement and adjudication arms, all of which cost money and resources and in the end (as you point out) have little effect anyway.

I wouldn't bet my money in a reduced number of deaths.

Hearing about the first jump courses that have ran on the last few years, there are plenty of people still joining the sport and consequently there will be plenty of deaths.

The fact that lots of cool, well spirited, experienced or bad-ass jumpers died in 2016 won't have much effect on those who didn't know them. This wasn't the only year that great jumpers went in.

Not to mention that now we have the one-piece TS, I think there will be many more deaths in the next few years with it. There will be plenty of people doing WS lines with the 1PTS looking for fame, glory or just a nice big shot of adrenaline.

People's attitude and mentality are already molded from before they join the sport. It's hard to talk sense when it conflict with ego, peer pressure or group mentality. I wonder how many even read the forums. :(

I (unfortunately) agree. The development of 1PTS´s will inevitably lead to the same situation we saw with the rapid development of mattress style WS´s couple of years ago. The ease of use and ability to fly more advanced spots with less actual flying skill and training lead to a situation we all saw (massive increase in WS BASE fatalities). The same will most likely happen with 1PTS´s, as more people who don´t actually know how to track will have access to more advanced jumps due to higher performing suit, it will inevitably lead to more accidents.

I hope the near future proves me wrong on this.

I agree, it's a shame. I've found a huge amount of valuable info here and on DZ.com in the 7 or so years I've been lurking on them.

50 and 0 in December. Winner gets money right?

On a completely unrelated note, I plan to open the koala care BASE school with the first program being "cribs to cracks" which takes complete whuffos through an intensive 1-week training program that covers all the basics and ends with a group-terrain wingsuit flight through the famous crack in switzerland, as seen in Jeb's thrilling and motivating video "grinding the crack". Starting at $8000. Flying carpet, plane tickets, gopro rental, pictures, video, in-flight snapchats, in-flight facebook live feeds, and balloons sold separately.

43 and 1 in December. Agree with the sentiments above. Gonna get worse before it gets better.

I'm going to be hopeful this year.

31, 0 in Dec

I just keep saying troll wall fine and kjerag model have saved lifes.

43 and one on slippery exit in december total 44

28 with 1 in December.

This is our year!

Ok a contest, really? Does it do anything to make things safer?

54 total in 2017 then

why not also try to post some name(s) of who you think will be on the list, are you comfortable with that? speak your mind...could save someone, or not.

No specific names, but I bet we'll see more 1-piece tracking suits both as an absolute number and percentage overall.

0 deaths in 2017. #Optimism

A well written and eerie piece written ten years ago on the BFL for Edgar Krauss:

' Edgar was a well liked and experienced BASE jumper who's death, I hope, will unfortunately yet mercifully, end the single most disastrous year in BASE jumping's 27-year history. We lost thirteen brothers and sisters to 2006 and that should give us all pause to ponder what we are doing. The true consequences, of course, are visited onto the families of those jumpers, but it should reinforce in all of us to be as careful as possible. I don't know what the true answer is, or how we go about making the sport safer, but I do know we could all slow down a little bit, and we can, and should, temper our bravado around each other and especially around newer and would-be BASE jumpers.'

Seems that 10 years on the sentiment is the same, only the volume has tripled.

I bounced a couple of t imes at Moab amd was in a coma for 5 days with a broken bnody. But now I'm healthy and alive at age88 ............. lucky.