Local talk

[Yuri]

http://home.anet.ee/~outrager/n98-13.jpg

Yo !

Uh, there's been quite a bit of a polite, civilized discussion here on a few topics like NPS, park access etc. Well, it's only natural for locals living within a driving distance to Yosemite to be upset about park rules and regulations. What's really surprising is why out-of state people seem to spend so much energy on a fight that's hardly worth any global effort ? I mean, it's a real bummer when you can't jump in a car with a huge skydiving sticker and drive to the park next door... but when you have to get an airplane ticket anyway - why don't you fly to some really nice place where you can get twice the altitude for half the hike ? Where beer, wine, food, weather, women - hell, just about anything is so much metter ??? Say, it's hard to judge the beauty, and some would say Yosemite is as pretty as a number of other jumpable places. True! But as far as other BASE values go, it is hardly even in the top 20 - and that list is growing daily... May i suggest thinking out of the box and looking around our little cute planet ? Time is short, and it's so much more fun to spend it on jumping, flying or partying then on a looser fight over a place that shouldn't come up on a priorities list more than once a lifetime for the vast majority of the open-minded jumpers. And a night-time hike followed by a sunrise exit isn't that much of an inconvenience for that once-a-lifetime been-there done-that jump anyway.

Here is your smile ;-)

bsbd!

Yuri.

[gowaylow]

After speding some time in the places that yuri jumps! I have to agree. I will spend my time in much better places than yosemite. I have been there and done that.
Now all I can say is what a waste of time. Its not as costly as one might think to cross the ocean. I have thought about leaving this so called free country more than once. puck these nps basterds. The world awaits you. TRAVEL. This country is not as great as they want us to think it is. ( I have spent 8 years of my life defending this country and I regret every day) the only people truly free are dead!!!

have a go way low day.
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[Tom B]

It is not totally a waste of time for people to fight for rights, BUT.

Your definitely correct about discovering the world, finding better sites, etc.

El Cap is a legendary site. More due to politics and location than the actual jump itself. I remember driving down Yosemite valley last year. El Cap poked its grey mass through the fog, and I thought, "well, it's much better than any site we have in Oz, but: 1 - I'm a little disappointed in the aura of its magnitude (the picture you have attached shows a site almost twice as big from exit to landing - I can't wait until I jump it again), 2 - further down the valley, there are sites with less effort and more freefall time (with the aid of a wingsuit).

Keep up the great work on your journey of discovery Yuri. I only hope that I can beat you to at least some undiscovered territtory.

Luv your work.

;-) :P ;-)

[d-dog]

You make a good point, Yuri, but perhaps it isn't an either/or, but rather a complimentary set.

Speaking personally and as a longtime climber, the Valley is an emotional epicenter. Perhaps that's just because it is really the birthplace of modern climbing in the U.S. - and of clean climbing around the world. Perhaps it is just because El Cap is, I believe, the biggest cliff jump in the continental U.S. (well, I do not know a bigger one and if there is one please do share beta ;-).

In any case, there is symbolic resonance to the Valley for me at least. That our government won't let us jump there, and can't really come up with a good reason other than bureaucratic inertia, is galling to me as a taxpayer. No, it's not up there with Really Important Issues in the global scale, but it's a thorn in my side. Someday we gotta find the time and energy to crack that nut, else it'll drive us bonkers in the meantime.

Yosemite is less than 4 hours door-to-door (via commercial airline and rental car) for me, as it is for many U.S. jumpers. I'm all about traveling, too, but I can't get to many other global jumping locales for a quick weekend. For a high percentage of American (and Canadian) jumpers, a Valley weekend would be inexpensive and pretty easy to pull off logistically. A quick trip to Europe for the weekend ain't gonna work without a charter of the Concorde, which is a bit spendy and pretty wasteful gas-wise.

That's my sense, anyway. From a convenience and symbolism angle, the NPS ban on Yosemite jumping is a thorn in my/our side.

As to the other amazing places around the world just waiting to be explored. . . I'll join you in a decade (or more) of exploration and discovery. My "tick list" of known cliffs that have never been jumped is dozens long already and grows every week. It'll take a lifetime for me to hit just a fraction of these objects. . . but I'll be glad to try!

And for the record, I have a 5000+ foot jump (perhaps 7000 feet exit to landing) laid out that will be the biggest, baddest, highest elevation jump ever by far. And the prettiest (well, in my mind anway), and the coolest 'cause there's no "easy way" up this particular piece of bright-white granite. You'll hear about it after we've been there, climbed it alpine style, and brought back helmet cam footage that'll make everyone smile.

Peace, my friend.

D-d0g
ddog@wrinko.com

[guest]

Oh darn, why did you have to go say that ? It's getting really wintery over here now in Viking country and most big wall fans are going into some sort of hibernation. Now you gone and made me horny again. All we got is the vertical cold steel to play with under starry nights with crunchy snow on the deck.

But just you wait, sooner or later somebody is gonna find that place where a car or scooter can take us to the exit point. A little trudge through the snow and we can Skyflyer it all night long under the full moon....legally.

Northern hemisphere rules :-) .

/Lukas "Cold Steel" Knutsson

PS Has anybody scouted the mountain range in Queen Maud land(?) in Antartica ? Just check National Geographic back issues for pictures.

[Karin]

Lukas,

Queen Maud Land and the Ellsworth Range have been on my mind for a long time. The late, great Alex Lowe made some cool big/semi-big-wall ascents there, and the faces are definitely inviting from a BASE standpoint. But these areas are in a league quite their own - remote, silent and untouched for the most part.

In my opinion, traveling there for BASE-only would be a bit of a waste because there are so many other more "BASE-accessible" places with bigger walls, more challenging jumps with more intense visuals (like so many newly discovered areas in your backyard). But what WOULD be worthwhile, is to make the commitment of spending a fair amount of time there - enough time to scout and explore, to climb the faces trad-style and/or ascend the peaks in golden alpine style. The rewards would be eternal.

Keep your faith warm up there Harry Potter :-) ...

[guest]

YOU HAVE TO BE AN AMERICAN TO UNDERSTAND WHY SOME OF US WANT TO LEGALLY FLICK IT

nate

[guest]

OK. I'm convinced. I'm moving there....
:-)

[guest]

Hey Yuri,

Who is that hot blonde chick in the photo? Does she like BASE jumper girls? I prefer Asians but the blonde will do if she is a good BASE jumper.

Can I have her number? Pretty please?...

Peace,Love and hot Bi-BASE chicks,

M

[Skinflicka]

Good point well made.

Can we all club together and buy the blonde chick a new glove?

Looking forward to jumpin with ya sometime soon bro'.