Posts Tagged ‘BASE Jumping’

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So, you want to BASE jump the New River Gorge Bridge?

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Maybe you’ve been a BASE jumper for awhile and the New River Gorge Bridge is on your jump list.  Maybe you’re an avid skydiver and looking for another way to get your rush. Or maybe you just showed up at Bridge Day this year and saw that an 82-year old man had jumped and thought you could do it too.

Whatever your reason, BASE jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge is an epic feat.  Depending on your experience level, there are some guidelines you’ll need to follow to get to the point where you can actually make the leap.

Experienced Jumpers

If you are already a BASE jumper or a skydiver, you may think this means you can just show up and jump. This is not quite the case. There are some requirements you must meet in order to jump at Bridge Day.

First of all, you need at least 100 parachute jumps (BASE  jumps and/or skydives), and at least one of those has to have been in the last two years prior to the event.

Tandem BASE Jumping at Bridge Day

First time BASE jumpers must attend a BASE jump training event prior to their jump. There are several opportunities to get this training.

You must have BASE jump-specific or approved skydiving equipment and need to make sure your stuff qualifies before registering and paying for your slot.

Unexperienced Jumpers

If you’ve never jumped before, you have a fairly long road ahead to get the required number of jumps before Bridge Day 2012. The bright side?  In 100 jumps you’ll probably realize whether or not jumping off an 876 foot tall bridge is for you. Plus you will have developed a pretty exciting hobby.

There is another way you can experience a BASE jump off the Bridge without going to all that effort. For the first time ever, the 2011 Bridge Day offered tandem BASE jumps.  Only 10 tandem jumps were available; stay posted on what might be offered in 2012.

The tandem jump isn’t cheap, but compared to the amount you’d spend to get your 100 parachute jumps in, its a steal. As long as you have an adventurous spirit and meet a couple of other small requirements, it’s safe to say that you’re going to have the ride of your life.

So, are you planning to jump in 2012?

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32nd Bridge Day Has 82-Year Old Jumper

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Its a pretty good bet that a few of the BASE jumpers at the 2011 Bridge Day were probably jumping from the Bridge for the first time. It’s also a good possibility that Bridge Day was the day some of the jumpers made their first BASE jumps, period.

But what are the odds of it being a jumper’s first BASE jump, that jump is off of the New River Gorge Bridge, and that same jumper is 82 years old?  Pretty good this year, since Donald Cripps of Pensacola, Florida was on the Bridge.  Here’s Donald’s story.

Donald Cripps, Bridge Day 2011. Thanks to Vertical Visions for use of their photo.

Bootleg Bootleg Out the Door

Donald acquired his passion for skydiving as a military paratrooper for the Army in the Korean War. He made his first jump in 1947, and not long after he was thrust into battle by making two combat jumps. After the war he switched branches of the military and spent 17 years as a Navy aircraft mechanic. His paratroop past was forgotten and he didn’t jump again until after retirement.

What To Do, What To Do

After fighting a war, parachuting into battles and a long military career, Donald found himself a retiree looking for a hobby. Unlike the traditional Florida shuffleboard resident, Donald went looking for many different activities to entertain himself.

During the search he realized, “I didn’t have the patience for fishing, and I wasn’t good enough at golf.” He remembered his days as a paratrooper and how much he enjoyed jumping out of planes. Even though he was in his early 60′s, he figured skydiving may be the retirement activity he was looking for.  He was right.

He started his post-military parachuting in 1991.  Today, his total for both military and non-military jumps is 3,227, including his first BASE jump on Bridge Day.  He is on pace to have somewhere near 150 jumps this year and has jumped 4 more times since Bridge Day.

When one hears the word peer pressure, an impressionable adolescent usually comes to mind, but that’s exactly how he ended up being what has not been officially verified, but is almost assuredly a given, the oldest BASE jumper in Bridge Day history. “A lot of the guys I skydive with come up and BASE jump off the Bridge every year and they kept telling me I needed to go try it, so I finally just said OK.” The rest is Bridge Day History.

I’ll Be Back

Donald hopes to be able to visit WV again next year for a repeat performance of this year’s jump. He really enjoyed Bridge Day and his BASE jump off the bridge. He said he hopes to keep sky diving for as long as he possibly can. We can’t wait to see him in 2012.

 

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Bridge Day 2011 By the Numbers

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Bridge Day 2011 is history.  Beautiful blue skies and an awesome crowd of BASE jumpers, rappellers, and spectators equaled a pretty amazing day.

A member of the Red Bull Team jumps at Bridge Day 2011

Also amazing?  Some of the numbers from this year’s event:

  • There were 750 BASE jumps by 421 jumpers this year.
  • 11 tandem jumps were made, for the first time ever.
  • $660 was raised by presenting sponsor Subaru for the Fayette County Humane Society.
  • 180 – That’s the number of pick-ups that the Rescue Boat team made this year, more than average.
  • The Fayette County Green Team and the Appalachian State University Outdoors Program collected almost 600 pounds of cardboard for recycling.
  • 82  - The age of this year’s oldest BASE jumper, Donald Cripps.
  • There were 868 Bridge Day rappels.
  • $1,000.  That’s the donation that Subaru made to World Hoop Day on behalf of Stephanie Bercht, the winner of the Bridge Day Tandem Jump Video Contest.
  • BASE jumpers came from 12 countries and 39 states.  9 jumpers were from West Virginia.
  • 1,000 of you downloaded the Official Bridge Day app.
  • 24% of jumpers were making their first BASE jump on Bridge Day.
  • There were 105 trash cans on the Bridge.
Thanks for being part of Bridge Day.  We’ll see you in 2012!

 

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BASE Jumping on Bridge Day: An Expert Tells All, Part 2

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

This is the second part of an interview with expert BASE jumper, Jason Bell, who has so many BASE jumps he quit counting and has thrown himself off the New River Gorge Bridge over 100 times.   Jason and his company, Vertical Visions, now have the distinguished and difficult job of coordinating BASE jumping on Bridge Day.

One of the things people notice is different jumpers have different amounts of time they hold onto their chute before throwing it.  How long do you typically wait before throwing your pilot chute?

Vertical Visions Setting Up, Bridge Day 2009

I normally wait 3-4 seconds before deploying my pilot chute.  Pilot chutes are small 42″ diameter miniature round parachutes that are tossed into the airstream in order to create drag to extract the main parachute.

Many first time BASE jumpers will hold their pilot chutes in their hands while in free fall.  More experienced jumpers store the pilot chute in a spandex pouch on their back, which they cannot see.  This may sound crazy, but jumpers know the location of their pilot chutes better than the location of their nose.

What is going through your mind when you are standing on the platform waiting to jump?

I’m nervous.  We keep a portable toilet at the Bridge Day exit point for this very reason. Normally, I’m too busy checking my gear to worry about my family, bills, or my job.  It’s kind of relaxing to be able to not worry about life’s everyday problems.

After the parachute opens and I enjoy a 30 second parachute ride into the gorge to a soft landing, I realize that this is the most amazing sport in the world.

Where’s the worst place you’ve landed jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge?

I landed on the railroad tracks at Bridge Day a few years back.  My parachute opened with numerous line twists, which is similar to what a person would experience if someone twisted them on a swing set.  If not cleared quickly, line twists can can be fatal since the jumper can’t normally steer or flare the parachute.

Have you ever injured yourself jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge? What did you do?

Unfortunately, yes.  Back in the 1990′s, I thought it would be a great idea to propose to my wife while BASE jumping at Bridge Day.  I prepared a special flag that read “Jenn, will you marry me?” and even made some test BASE jumps with it.  On the last jump of Bridge Day, I opened my parachute and deployed the flag.  The flag didn’t fully open and I accidentally dropped a steering line while clearing the flag.  Not wanting to land in the river on my proposal jump, but lacking the steering lines that permit a soft flare, I broke my ankle on landing.  She said “yes”, and off we went to the hospital.  It was one of the best days of my life and I’ll never forget the experience.  I wouldn’t change a thing.

What makes Bridge Day worth attending?

Bridge Day is worth the effort to attend because admission is free, the view from the bridge is breathtaking, and there is no other place on the East coast where spectators can watch adrenaline-hungry parachutists leap from a perfectly good bridge.  With 450 BASE jumpers from 10 countries and 40+ US states, the six hours allotted to jumping are well utilized with continuous leaps from the 876′ New River Gorge Bridge.

In addition, Bridge Day offers spectators a view of what it’s like to fly like a bird, something that every person has probably dreamed at one point in their life.

So now you have a better idea of what it’s like to BASE jump.  Are you ready to give it a try?

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B.A.S.E. Jumping on Bridge Day: An Expert Tells All

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

One of the biggest draws for the Bridge Day crowd are the BASE jumpers.  Anyone who has ever watched these thrill seekers launch themselves towards the rocks and water waiting a mere 880 feet below wonders, “What makes these people do this?”.

Well, we found the answer to that question, and a few others, when we chatted with Jason Bell of Vertical Visions.  Vertical Visions is a parachuting and BASE jumping company in Bridgeport, WV and this is its tenth year as the Bridge Day BASE coordinators.  Owner Jason and his partner Bill Bird are the co-organizers and both have extensive skydiving and BASE jumping experience.

Jason and his wife, Jennifer

Jason is originally from Morgantown and has a Mechanical Engineering background.  It was at WVU where his passion for jumping out of and off of things was spawned.

It didn’t take Jason long to become an experienced skydiver.  After only one year and 150 jumps, he trekked down I-79 and Rt 19 for his first Bridge Day BASE jump.  Jason was kind enough to take a moment out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge.

How many years have you been BASE jumping now?

18 years, which is nearly half my life.

How many BASE jumps do you have total?

I stopped counting around 7 years ago after I reached 500 BASE jumps.  It’s exciting to quantify jumps when you first start, but it became time consuming and unimportant.

How many of those jumps are off the New River Gorge Bridge?


I’ve got 100+ jumps off the New River Gorge Bridge over the years.  This bridge is an amazingly safe object and hopefully jumpers will get to legally leap from the catwalk outside of Bridge Day in the near future.

How was your first Bridge Day experience?

I waited in line for over 5 hours to jump, but enjoyed every minute of the adventure.

What makes jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge so exciting/scary?


We BASE jump entirely because it’s scary.  After 18 years of jumping, I still get butterflies at the exit point.  The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the tallest bridges in the USA, which makes it an ideal location for safe BASE jumps.  As a mechanical engineer, I can also appreciate the structural beauty of this bridge.

Tomorrow, our interview with Jason continues…

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Tandem B.A.S.E. Jump Contest Winners Announced

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Today we are happy to announce the winners of our Tandem B.A.S.E. Jump Contests.  Drumroll please…..

Stephanie Bercht is our video contest winner!  Her “BASE Hooping” video received the most votes, and her charity, World Hoop Day, will receive $1,000, courtesy of Subaru.

Mollie Seidler is the winner of the Hometown Subaru Test Drive contest.  Mollie is currently a med student at Marshall University.

Congratulations!  And a big thank you to all who entered both contests and to those of you who voted.

Next up: Stephanie and Mollie will suit up and jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day.  Will you be there to watch?

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Who Picks Up the BASE Jumpers That Make a Splash Landing? A History of the Pick-Up Boats

Friday, September 30th, 2011

One of the most dangerous parts about parachuting off the New River Gorge Bridge is the landing.

Bridge Day Pick Up Boats

Jumpers may end up hung up in the trees, or a busted “something or other” from crashing into the rocks wouldn’t be very nice either. But the scariest of all landings could be the water. Well, it would be, if it weren’t for the rescue boats that pluck the unlucky jumpers out of the drink each Bridge Day. Some may recall our post last year about, the famed “Pick Up Guys“.

These boats are filled with professional rescuers who have a combination of boating skills, swiftwater rescue training and advanced first aid knowledge.

Here’s a short history of how this necessary Bridge Day service came about, and here is a quick video of them in action on Bridge Day.

The Team
The Dragan family is this area’s first family of whitewater.

Brother’s Jon, Tom and Chris started Wildwater Unlimited in Thurmond in 1968 and were the first to take people rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers.

Because of this extensive knowledge of the New River, they became the official rescue boaters of Bridge Day. But their first event with a boat in the water was completely different than it is today. The way the rescue boats are run now, it is a team effort between the Dragan’s company, Dragan Diversified Inc. and the National Park Service. It is still very much a family affair, with a Dragan family member in almost every boat.

The Task
The very first year the Dragan’s participated as a rescue boat for jumpers was 1981 and they were approached by a jumper to have a raft down in the water as a “target” more so than for safety.

In fact there was a year where safety wasn’t provided for the jumpers. The unfortunate death of a jumper who drowned after his chute drug him down through the next rapid established the need to have a safety presence in the water.

Now they have 8 boats on the water and the boats they use are very specialized to the task at hand. The jumpers aren’t signaled they can jump until the boats are in certain staging points after cleaning up any prior issues.

The Crafts
They use 2 different water craft as rescue boats and each one is used for its unique abilityOne boat they depend on is an aluminum hulled jet boat. There are two of these and they are used for their speed and maneuverability. These boats allow them to get to jumpers in the pool area of the river very quickly.

A Jumper's View

The other boat they employ is an inflatable pontoon boat with a motor called a mini-snout rig. These boats are used because they can navigate the rapid areas safely and work better around the rocky banks.

The park service also employs their snout rigs above and below the rapids on each end of the landing pool as additional safety and to alert and control any river rafting traffic in the event of an emergency. They too, have a boat designated to take medical personnel to jumpers who may need immediate medical attention.

The New River, which flows under the bridge, has two Class III+ rapids on each end of the pool where a majority of the jumpers end up landing. Swimming in the New River without a PFD is definitely not advised, but the addition of the gear a BASE jumper will have on makes it extremely dangerous. It must be rather comforting to the jumpers to know that they have rescuers with over 40 years experience ON THIS RIVER in the boats waiting below.

Have you ever seen a jumper land in a precarious spot?

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Rafting on Bridge Day; Or, How to Get Up Close and Personal With B.A.S.E. Jumpers

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

As you know, Bridge Day is a very unique festival. It brings together extreme crowds and extreme thrill seekers in an electric atmosphere.

But there’s another way to experience Bridge Day: on the river.

Why Raft?

Rafting the Lower New River on Bridge Day is a great way to enjoy the event. Most whitewater rafting companies offer packages that allow you to raft and spend time underneath bridge watching the base jumpers, up close and personal. Watching the jumpers from water level is a whole different experience than watching from the bridge.

Why?  Well, would you be more excited about a herd of bulls running at you or away from you?  Exactly.

From bridge level, the jumpers hurl themselves off the platform and as they fall away they get smaller and smaller, and if their parachute doesn’t open instantly, you get little sense of the gravity (no pun intended) of the situation.

This could be your view

Jumpers Up Close and Personal

But from the water, you have a better perspective of just how little time jumpers have left for their chute to open as they accelerate towards you.

You get to see just how hard it is to have a good landing, especially on a rocky riverbank. You can watch their faces as they realize they are destined for a splash landing and a rescue by the safety boats that are positioned to quickly pluck not-so-lucky jumpers from the water. Maybe they get caught up in the trees above your head. Or maybe Elvis lands in your pot of chili (true story).

Lower New Fall Colors

But you also get some adventure in your day as you navigate the rapids of the Lower New River. The fall colors are usually in full swing, making this one of the most wonderful times to experience the Gorge. And there’s a good chance you’ll be offered a discounted rafting trip on the Gauley River as part of a Bridge Day weekend package.

So lets review why rafting on Bridge Day is a good idea:

  • Different, and in some opinions, better perspective to watch base jumpers.
  • Scenic time to whitewater raft .
  • Possibility of discounted Gauley trip the next day.

 

So if you love Bridge Day but want to mix it up this year, a quick run down the Lower New River with some added action at the end may be just what you’re looking for. It is a wonderful way to spend a fall Saturday in WV.

Have you rafted on Bridge Day?

 

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How to Plan Your Bridge Day Stay

Friday, July 15th, 2011

It’s only July, but believe it or not, people are already planning their Bridge Day trips.  That’s because lodging and activities tend to book up quickly for that weekend.  Have you started to plan?  If not, here are some tips for planning the best Bridge Day vacation ever.

New River Gorge Lodging

We’ve got it all here in the New River Gorge.  You just have to decide what kind of accommodations you want.  From luxurious cabins to rustic camping, you can make the outdoors part of your stay.  If that’s not quite your style, there are some great hotels in the area.

Taste of Bridge Day

Looking for something more quaint? Choose one of our area Bed and Breakfasts.  The Historic Morris Harvey House in Fayetteville is a local favorite.

New River Gorge Dining

You might be surprised by the diverse dining choices available in the Gorge.  There is something for everyone.

Do some homework and scope out locals’ favorite haunts.  Fayetteville, Hico, and Oak Hill have an awesome variety of options – hand-crafted pizza, American cuisine, unique Mexican food, cajun-style fare.  If you stop by Swirl, be sure to try the Blueberry Pie ice cream.

Since it’s nearly impossible to try all of our local restaurants when you’re here, think about coming to the Taste of Bridge Day.  Sponsored by our local Fayetteville and Oak Hill Rotary clubs, it’s on Friday, October 14 at Adventures on the Gorge.  You’ll have the chance to sample a signature item from several local eateries.  And you can bet you’ll run into some local rafting and Bridge Day pioneers.

Plan An Adventure

Bridge Day coincides with the end of Gauley Season.  If you’re thinking of rafting the Gauley, make sure that you’re experienced enough to handle the class IV, class V, and class V+ rapids that you’ll be facing.  And if the Gauley’s not for you, rafting the New is a great option.  This is a really busy weekend for outfitters, so be sure to book your trip in advance.

If you don’t want to get on the water, try a canopy tour or zip line.  These trips have quickly become a favorite adventure for locals and visitors alike.  Autumn is a pretty spectacular time to soar through the trees.

And why not go for the ultimate adventure – tandem jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge! Only 10 spots are available for a brave and lucky few, so you should make the call quickly if you’re up for jumping.

So go ahead and start making your Bridge Day plans.  It’s never too soon.  Besides, who doesn’t like looking forward to a vacation?

See you there!

 

 

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Another Extreme Sport Comes to the Gorge

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Whitewater rafting, ziplining, rock climbing – and now the sky’s the limit.  Yep. You heard it here first; skydiving is officially coming to the New River Gorge.

Two new outfitters are now in operation.  Tristate Skydivers and WV Skydivers are both operating with new drop zones for skydiving.

Are you ready to skydive in the Gorge?

Tristate Skydiving and Larry Lemaster are names that are known in the Gorge for parachutes and BASE jumping.  Larry and his team have assisted with Bridge Day for the past two years and have worked to train others in the sport.  Tristate’s location at the New River Gorge Airport was always his Bridge Day home; it’s now the permanent home for his second parachuting business. Tristate Skydiving also has a location near Huntington.

WV Skydivers is operating its new business from the Fayetteville Airport; this is its second operation in WV.  Skydiving from this airport is now yet another aviation activity at the facility, which already offers biplane and helicopter rides.  Ralph Osborne and his staff also offer a full service campground for those who want to experience everything that’s happening on-site.

Both businesses look forward to introducing the sport to tourists and locals this season.  And we’re pretty stoked too.

Are you gonna give it a try?

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