NEWS: Potter Solos In Yosemite With BASE parachute rig

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Mick Ryan

Trad climber

Kendal, English Lake District

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 18, 2008 - 04:55am PT

In August, the American climber Dean Potter made a "BASE solo" (or FreeBASE) of Deep Blue Sea (7b+, 300m, Rathmaier-Ruhstaller, 2001) on the west side of the north face of The Eiger, Switzerland, (UKC News Report: Aug 10).

The question asked by many climbers was when would somebody make a BASE solo of a big wall, particularly in Yosemite, perhaps of The Nose or the Salathé Wall?

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=11&year=2008#n45452

dogtown

climber

Where I once was,I think?

Nov 18, 2008 - 06:02am PT

Soloing of the Alien is impressive shoot or no shoot.

Way to go Dean!

BASE104

climber

An Oil Field

Nov 18, 2008 - 08:16am PT

It would probably work fine on the Rostrum overhang. Not that I know much...

This is a weird legal area. He wears the rig, but doesn't want to use it. Doesn't even intend to. It is like a seat belt. Just for safety.

Doug Robinson

Trad climber

Santa Cruz

Nov 18, 2008 - 09:19am PT

Good job, Dean. Way to go indeed!

As if you're listening, I know... but I'm curious about aspects of FreeBASE. Saw the footage of the Eiger solo. Cool indeed. But... and here's the main question: it didn't look that steep. Nice and smooth, but merely vert, more or less. So in one shot you jumped. Not fell, but turned and pushed away from the wall and everything worked fine. The next time, climbed right through it and jumped later, from above the climb.

So my question is, actually falling. You'd have to orient yourself in the air as you gain flying speed. Once you're pointed away from the rock and up to speed, no problem. But getting there? I mean, you watch a cat turn itself in free fall. It's prety athletic. Not much chance to practice.

I know you must think this stuff out. Some of us watching are curious. BASE104 and I were housemates awhile; rigs were packed in the living room ('morning dude, you're up early...). Some pieces of your puzzle are quite real to us.

While it raised the question of actually falling, that footage answered another older question from some of us who've been tracking you. We've heard that you could pop off a slack line and catch yourself on the line, and there it was, illustrated. Gotta say that seeing it makes me feel better by helping me to understand.

If you'd care to expound on it, some of us are mighty curious...

Chris Mac?

BASE104

climber

An Oil Field

Nov 18, 2008 - 10:07am PT

Doug,

I've seen a few guys blow the exit and dump while on their back. Not the best of situations, certainly, but way better than nothing. It doesn't mean that you are toast for sure.

Over the years there have always been climbers that got into jumping, like yours truly. This might catch on here and there. Who knows? I don't think that what he is doing is a bad idea.

He knows what he is doing, so I don't second guess it.

Doug Robinson

Trad climber

Santa Cruz

Nov 18, 2008 - 10:41am PT

Yeah, he knows what he's doing all right. And I don't think it's a bad idea either. Just fascinating. And a bit...radical. So I get curious about how it works.

Curiosity, after all, is what gets the cat into the position of having to learn that spiral twist toward getting his landing gear down.

I liked watching you pack your rig, you know? Some of it comes down to technique.
Didn't know you could dump your canopy without facing the ground, so that helps.
Just a little info...

The sky's not the limit, the ground is.
You told me the story of a BASE jumper delivering the game ball from the roof of the Houston Astrodome. Two hundred feet and change, isn't it? Has anybody jumped from lower than that?

dirhk

Trad climber

Nov 18, 2008 - 11:01am PT

Ha. He thinks thats the first solo...

Mark Hudon

Trad climber

Hood River, OR

Nov 18, 2008 - 11:05am PT

Un-fricken' believable!

WBraun

climber

Nov 18, 2008 - 12:11pm PT

Pretty amazing tactics and pushing the envelope beyond the boundaries of the norm.

He has a powerful spirit ......

Gunkie

climber

East Coast US

Nov 18, 2008 - 12:29pm PT

So what do you guys think? Should I wear a BASE rig on my planned solo of 'Hall of Mirrors'? Or maybe just take one of those red plastic snow sleds?

Doug Robinson

Trad climber

Santa Cruz

Nov 18, 2008 - 12:32pm PT

How about motorcycle racing leathers with the teflon knees and elbows?
And did you ever notice how Hollywood stunt fallers put cardboard boxes under their crash pads...

Nefarius

Big Wall climber

somewhere without avatars.........

Nov 18, 2008 - 12:34pm PT

maybe a plastic sled AND a chute....

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Nov 18, 2008 - 01:12pm PT

sled, chute, AND a chain saw to cut down the trees at the bottom that you will run into.

terminal velocity sledding!! hahahaahha

pedge

Trad climber

Nov 18, 2008 - 01:27pm PT

Just curious: is this a manual operation or does he have a little rocket to fire out an initial shoot linked to an accelerometer?

BASE104

climber

An Oil Field

Nov 18, 2008 - 01:31pm PT

My buddies used to think that I was so nuts that they invented a new sport for me: Atmospheric Surfing.

The idea was to toss me out of a capsule with one of those round plastic sled thingies, but with a full heat shield on it. Then I would go for re-entry.

I bet someone does it some day......

Oh, pedge, it is full manual, you just toss your pilot chute out.

And Karl below. After you learn how to pack a parachute, you will realize that it is easier than making a bed. I used to pay a 12 year old girl to pack for me when skydiving. She did a great job.

And Werner, I don't know Dean, but he seems to have a great imagination. It takes something to say, "What if," and "Why not?" He is really doing something visionary.