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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 25, 2006 - 01:29pm PT
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Thanks Nick. This thread has come along nicely from getting nuked to a piece of history!
IMHO it's important to note that climbing has had a long battle to achieve acceptance in the mainstream and positive relationships with land managers. BASE jumping will have to fight that same battle. While we climbers accept our freefalling brothers as kindred spirits, we must also let them work this out, being careful not to risk the access we have won. These are two very different sports with different origins and safety concerns, it just happens that they are played on the same field. While I fully support BASE Jumping's viability and legality, I don't think it's in climbers interests to have land managers lump climbers and jumpers into the same lot.
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artifact
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 25, 2006 - 03:38pm PT
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Wow.. I've always been blown away by BASE jumping and all of the flying sports. You guys have my support!
Some years ago when living in the valley I met an older guy in his 80's or so who had hang glided off GP hundereds of times. His description of his experience took me back to the first time I saw that IMAX "to fly" or something like that. I guess he had taken up the sport later in life, like @ age 60 or 70... rad!
BASE jumping and the parachute sports too has really opened up the realm for so many new things. Big Mountain skiing with parachutes or kites, expedition kites/ foils, ski BASE all that stuff is amazing.
How about that ACRO-BASE. These guys skiing big mountain lines with a chute down the EIGER.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3JnFXWy-UE
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nez
Social climber
confusion
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Dec 25, 2006 - 11:37pm PT
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I thought that Lober was fired. Tim Toomey said that he filed a complaint and that he got him fired, Guess Toomey was full o's##T.
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Dec 25, 2006 - 11:58pm PT
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Tim Toomey the politician?
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d_goldsmith
Mountain climber
Seattle
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Dec 26, 2006 - 03:32am PT
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I'm very interested in climbing, but haven't gotten to learn as much as I'd like yet. I'm half way through "On Rope" and I've had a 1 year climbing membership at a couple local gyms. I love handjamming. I've only done one alpine climb so far, but I do a lot of hiking and some bouldering.
I'm posting as a BASE jumper though to say thank you to all the people that have understanding for BASE in NPS. It would not only save money for the NPS not having to enforce, but it would increase the revenue by all the BASE jumpers that would be going to NPS land. However, they wouldn't get the additional money that they get from the fines?
Thanks again and someday when I'm worthy of calling myself a climber maybe I'll meet some of you.
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Dec 26, 2006 - 11:22am PT
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Goldsmith,
You ARE worthy just by deciding to figure it out and tie-in. No need to buy-in to the "I've got to climb 5.12 to be included" silliness. As long as you're having fun on the rock and keeping yourself and your partner alive, you're IN!!!
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Slider_up
Ice climber
Irvine, CA
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Dec 27, 2006 - 12:16pm PT
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J-Tree is pretty f-ing bad.
I've had a couple run-ins with the Rangers there over the past 10 years. This is funny to me because I am an absolutely low key, law abiding person. I have never been arrested. I've never even had a misdemeanor. But I've been hassled for being "drunk" and also for double parking in front of a campsite while unloading stuff. Drunk? It's a huge f*#king desert for heavens sake. Double parked? Arggh!
NPS Rangers have been dicks to me several times in Yosemite too.
I truly believe that if more NPS rangers put in some time working as cops in the big cities (San Fran, NY, LA), they would most likely lighten up quite a bit. They would still enforce the law, but also be respectful at the same time.
NPS rangers just seem to come off as "agitated" by the simplest of things.
This would definately change if more of us starting started drawing attention to it.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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Dec 27, 2006 - 06:03pm PT
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Nick D.,
Enjoyed your post. Thanks. There was a time I thought about BASE while I was starting skydiving. I ran into Earl Redfern and found him to be pretty inspirational. But, now I paraglide. I think what you guys are doing, especially with the wing suits is incredible. Don't know if I'll ever BASE jump but I sure get a rush out of footage that you guys shoot.
Like I said before, I'd probably BASE jump just enough to get a patch, but everything I would jump would be wickedly high and severally overhung. And then immediately retire the BASE rig. Do you guys still do patches or is that old school?
Thanks for the stories :-))
Klimmer
On vacation in Bishop.
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NickD
climber
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Dec 27, 2006 - 08:48pm PT
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Yes, we still do the BASE patch along with the BASE numbers. We are up to about BASE 1100 as of now. You can look here to see a graph on this:
http://www.basenumbers.org/ui.asp
For those wondering - if you make at least one jump in each of the four categories, Building, Antenna, Span (bridge) and Earth (cliff) you are issued a sequential BASE number award.
The first award, BASE 1, went to Phil Smith in 1982. There are far more than 1100 BASE jumpers in the world of course – but some are geographically challenged and lack certain object types in their area, and also there is a certain amount of people who aren't the award type . . .
NickD
BASE 194
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Richard Sims
Trad climber
LeVagina,Co
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Nick D
I filmed for Carl Baineish (sp) one of the last leagal jumps off the Captain. Carl I heard went off top on a skate board tied to a line. Good for me on El Cap Towers. I think only Rollie? Of the three of us took Carl up on jumping lessons. If I hadn’t filmed one of the jumpers disappear into the trees I would have had a greater interest. Small regret Be well
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Strongerdog
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I was on Tis-sa-ack with my partner back in June of 1996. We were up high just finishing for the day on the Ramp when two BASE jumpers flew by us. Of course at first we though rockfall with the noise they created, but as soon as the first guy went by and began tracking out from the wall we knew. I was amazed at the tracking curve that we were able to view from our perch. The first guy looked like he was going to deck on the slabs, then pulled at the last second and flew up the valley. His buddy did the same a few seconds later, pulling a bit quicker, and they both disappeared to the sound of our screams of support. I remeber turning to my partner and saying "if they got half the rush I just got - frickin amazing". Are any of you BASE posters out there the guys we saw that day?
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NickD
climber
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Richard,
Carl did it on stilts (tied off) too. He was a bit goofy for things like that.
And, oh yes, wasn't Rollie a character . . . I miss him.
Strongerdog,
I'm not sure what the statute of limitations are, so no it wasn't me, LOL . . .
I'll say thanks for the kind words though. And only because there's been times in the past when climbers kind of bagged on us for jumping while they were on the wall. However, I understood their concerns as while the chances of jumper/climber collisions are nil, there is the "surprise" factor that, to some, could be a bit disconcerting.
It's another reason I wish they'd give us a legal 1-hour window in the early mornings to jump – that way nobody would be taken by surprise . . .
NickD
BASE 194
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Strongerdog
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nick, did you ever work on Vashon Island a few years back? If so, I am the guy you traded with a few times.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
the greasewood ghetto
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Apr 14, 2009 - 08:49pm PT
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bump
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Apr 14, 2009 - 08:58pm PT
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Base jumping is a crime. I've seen the bumper sticker, I believe it.
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Clayman
Trad climber
CA, now Flagstaff
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Apr 14, 2009 - 10:59pm PT
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It is unfortunate that the ranger busted the jumpers after assuring them he was not a ranger. It is unfortunate that that ranger didn't act with more integreity of character and do his job of protecting and serving. Instead, he waited them to jump, busted them, and got his jollies of the whole gig. I would like to think, but am not that naive, that that the tool would rather admit to the jumpers he was indeed a tool and was going to bust them if they jumped, in the interest of keeping them alive and discouraging them from a dangerous, life threatining activity. Not too long ago,i was lost in the hood and had a cop pull me over and tell me that I was going to get shot for being white in the wrong neighborhood. He then escorted me back to the safe area of town. This is a fine example of an LEO doing his job. Outright lying to the jumpers and saying he was not a tool, letting them make the illegeal jump an not discouraging them from a life threating activity with a heavy fine is not professional conduct for an ambassador of the law and Yosemite. The example set by the Officer that pulled me over, let me know i was in danger, and escorted me out of it is a shinning example of protecting and serving. The ranger who lied and did not look out for the well being of the jumpers, and who probably got a bonus for busting a couple jumpers, is a shinning example of a tool.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Apr 14, 2009 - 11:05pm PT
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Ranger Keith Lober fell victim to "collar addiction."
The most important thing to this kind of officer is to make the collar (arrest). So he outright lies in order to set the guy up and be waiting (and cooks up all the fatuous justification for being a bold faced bullshitter). Doubt it? Take the chance of making the arrest out of the equation, and Ranger Keith Lober tells the truth to the ass hats jugging the lines. But then there's no drama nor collar - and life in the Valley can get boring for rangers.
My cousin used to be head ranger in Yo. You don't want that job.
JL
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Clayman
Trad climber
CA, now Flagstaff
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Apr 14, 2009 - 11:32pm PT
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It seems like some valley rangers need to take a step back, catch their collective breath, look at el cap under a full moon, sit beneath thousand foot waterfalls, go climb the perfect rostrum cracks, walk the lost arrow slackline, epic rapping off middle cathedral, and think about why they are there and what impact their presence as a ranger has on the preservation and visitor safety, of and in, one of the most sacred places in the world.
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
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Apr 15, 2009 - 12:20am PT
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" It is unfortunate that that ranger didn't act with more integreity of character and do his job of protecting and serving. Instead, he waited them to jump, busted them, and got his jollies of the whole gig."
It's Lober.
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