Baffin Island Base Jumping Expedition

[sean]

Hey mate nice work...you have answered all the questions i havent gotten round to answering...please e mail me with regards helicopter costs for this and also with regards putting a post on basejumper.org feel free...if you want a more permanent advert let me know...ive been busy with other stuff trying to sort out the dvd from my Baffin trip and stuff so thats my excuse for being a flake...

good luck mate...


Sean

went there,froze my ass off but loved every minute...even the near death stuff...

[jonathan]

email sent mate

Thanks again for all the great info on Baffin from your trip. Can't wait to see the DVD!

[base428]

Who is running the expedition and what are their jumping experience levels? Sounds like one hell of a trip....

------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[jonathan]

>Who is running the expedition and what are their jumping
>experience levels? Sounds like one hell of a trip....

Hey Jason,

To answer your question, and for anyone else who would like to know...

The expedition is being run by a company called Polar Safari (http://www.polarsafari.com), a division of SkyCorp (http://www.skycorp.ca). They have been organizing high end Canadian Arctic expeditions for the last 5 years and are very experienced in taking people to remote environments. Feel free to check out the websites for more info.

As for the base jumping side of things, this is what the adventure tourism industry would call a “self-guided” trip. The Polar Safari Team are not base jumpers themselves.

The goal of the Polar Safari Baffin Base Expedition is to provide experienced base jumpers with absolutely everything that they need to get themselves to the various different exit points on Baffin Island. This includes looking after all the transportation, all accommodations, all camping and expedition supplies, tents, sleeping bags, cooking supplies and nice hot meals, Inuit guides, radios, satellite weather reports, rescue and evac procedures if need be, and even most arctic clothing. You will be taken up to Sam Ford Fjord and looked after while you are there. You will be given complete details on numerous jumpable cliffs, some that have been jumped previously, and some that are waiting for someone to be the first to step off. There will even be a helicopter to take you to the top of the cliffs.

All you will need to do is choose your exit point and step off.

The organizers are prepared to deal with inexperience on arctic expeditions, but they are not guiding people on the specific sport of base jumping. Polar Safari’s expertise lies in organizing and financing the expedition.

As for my personal involvement, I’m a base jumper who happens to work part-time for the parent company, SkyCorp. I’ve given advice on some of the details of the trip, and am helping to get the word out. And I also happen to be the first person registered to go!

Any other questions, feel free to ask!

Jonathan

[Pichnibule]

THIS TRIP TO BAFFIN IS A SHAME;
I would like to have the opinion of climbers or genuine BASE jumpers who would be in Baffin at the same time to get the freedom and the peace and tranquillity they look for , to finally find there's an helicopter flying 6 times a day above their head and to hear ( 6 x 20 = 120 times a day, yelling from lazy jumpers.I don't even want to think of empty cans of beers and cigarettes.

Why do you need to ruin everything that is still clean and remote?

Shame

[jonathan]

Hey there,

I'm sorry that you feel this way.

It was my understanding that a "genuine BASE jumper" (as you call it) is someone who did a base jump. Someone who stepped over the edge of a cliff, freefell for a little while, then deployed a parachute. I was unaware that genuine jumpers were only the ones who climbed the mountain on foot. (Please don't get me wrong, I admire those who climb like you wouldn't believe - I wish I could do what they do!)

Personally, I don't think that it matters how you get to the top. If someone already built a road, then feel free to drive up it. If a helicopter is available, what's wrong with using it? If your passion in this life is to jump, then jump with all the passion that you have. If your passion is to climb mountains, take on the challenge of going up on foot, sit on the top and enjoy the view, and then jump, well hell, do that with all the passion that is within you.

Everyone has their own goals in this life, and their own way to reach them.

As for the empty cans of beer and cigarettes, well, maybe you don't understand how the trip is being organized. It is being run by an eco-tourism company that already takes expeditions to the arctic. That is their business, and they know how to do it. Maybe it is the phrase eco-tourism that you are misunderstanding.

Quite honestly, I have to say that I am disappointed that you would judge such a company before even taking the chance to get to know them.

Jonathan

Baffin Island - A Base Jumpers Playground

[mojo]

The world is made a better place by the hellacopter! Heck yeah I don't want to hike up there when I can get a ride in two minutes. Maybe you should not plan to go there during that week. Maybe you're just sore because you can't afford the trip. Get a better job Pinchin' Blues.:P
I don't drink and I don't smoke so I will not be leaving that behind.
(I don't think French people are allowed on Baffin anyway.)

[Polar Safari]

Hi Shame,

Nature and business: This is an issue argued world wide - and also in Canada. To what extent do we open our national treaures? Do we allow motorized vehicles in our parks? Or do we only let those who are physically able enjoy our most magnificent areas?

These are not new issues.

There is a National Park established on Baffin Island. Our expedition is well north of the park. The Canadian Arctic, and Baffin Island, is vast - there is plenty of room for everyone.

We are not the first to organize an expedition there, and we will not be the last.

Any person who wishes to venture to Baffin Island on their own will find all the time and all the space they could ever ask for.

When was you're last trip?

John Davidson
President
Polar Safari
skycorp

[Pichnibule]

I appreciate that Jonathan is trying to convince me and stays polite.
Considering the post of Mojo, I really imagine he is the kind of jumper that don't care about the place where he jumps and don't give a f..k about other jumpers.BASE is a matter of respect for the place you jump, for the people you're jumping with and obviously for your self.Unfortunatly, the BASE community today is mainly composed by people who don't have a clue about what is BASE jumping.Jonathan, don't take it for you. Mojo, take it for you.
French people went to Baffin before you Mojo and came back alive.You're free to spoil this place and to spoil the dream of people who would be there in the same time.Baffin is a tricky place to go: May is probably the only period accessible for climbers and/ or jumpers.
If your only pleasure is to jump why don't you stay on your dropzone?

We know what happened at El Cap in the early 80's.This wall has been closed and forbidden because of such behaviours.

[Pichnibule]

By the way Mojo,

I went to Baffin in 2002 and I walked there.I had the money to go to Baffin by myself.I would off course not pay 10 000 $ to have jet fuel smelly clothes.

I think also Baffin should be accessible to anyone who wants to enjoy the wilderness of such place.But being accessible doesn't mean having an helicopter to disturb the inuits hunters.But probably you don't care also about that.


Best regards

My two euros

[Tree]

If I was going to Baffin I would want the helicopter. Some of us have jobs and can't f-uck off for 2 months just for a couple jumps. Besides, with a helicopter and all of that support staff, we could take serious party supplies and a good DJ. Can you say arctic rave! I can see the polar bears shakin' it to some hard psy-trance. The Inuit would be glad for the party.

BTW, a guy from Texas was there before the French. Oooooweeeee.

Tree :*

[jonathan]

Hi all,

For anyone who may be interested . . .

You've heard about it, seen the pictures, read the stories, and always wanted to go. Now it is within your reach.

The Polar Safari Baffin Base Expedition is a 2 week base jumping trip to the massive cliffs of Sam Ford Fjord on the north east coast of Baffin Island. Renowned for its immense sheer walls and the variety of 3000 foot exit points, Sam Ford Fjord is a base jumper’s paradise.

The trip involves:
- A 14 day expedition to one of the most beautiful places in the world
- Camping on the ice of Sam Ford Fjord for 10 days, at the foot of multiple 2000 foot cliffs
- 20+ jumps planned
- 10+ major cliffs to jump, from 1500 feet up to 5000 feet
- A Jet Ranger helicopter to transport jumpers to the top of the cliffs

If anyone wants more information, check out the website at:

http://www.polarsafari.com/baffinbase/index.htm

[jupija]

where has all the fun gone. Where is the chalenge, is the point of BASE that u have everything at your foot, that u just go in heli, exit and jump,(well skydive)and that people r taking care of u like a baby? Does one go on the trip like that to make as much jumps as possible to count how many jumps can be made per day... to brag about it.. and at the end what special thing did he do(well he jumped, congrat. for that - but beside jumpiang), he just hand over the $

And another thing, be carefull with helli approches. Once there was a group of guys with heli and we were on the exit point, getting ready to jump, when rotors from heli down in the vally started to move... they didnt think that anyone could be up on the mountain at early hour, so they approached the exit from bottom up, not all the way around...,and they r established, experrianced group, with pilots that pilot medical-first aid rescue helis... and they did something stupid like that.

take care and enjoy