BASE jumping – dangerous and amazing “sport”

BASE jumping is involving the use of a parachute or the sequenced use of a wingsuit and parachute to jump from fixed objects with the parachute unopened at the jump.

Modern base jumping was invented by Carl Boenish in 1978. He became convinced that modern skydiving equipment could allow for a safe jump off El Capitan - massive rock outcropping in Yosemite National Park. After several scouting trips, Carl and four friends hiked to the top and Carl filmed the four of them jumping. Everyone landed safely.

El Capitan, Yosemite National Park  

Base jumpers jump off various cliffs and man-made objects, usually at a low altitude with only a few seconds to deploy the parachute, and virtually no time at all to deal with problems or malfunctions. BASE jumping is so incredibly risky that it's actually illegal in many places. "BASE" is an acronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: Buildings, Antennas, Spans (Bridges), Earth.

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Perrine Bridge at Twin Falls City, Idaho

  Famous BASE jumper from Belgium, Cedric Dumont, made a spectacular jump from the very top of the Avaz Twist Tower in Sarajevo, od 27.Aug 2008. Watch the video, it’s fantastic!