Archive for the 'BASE jumping' Category
Here’s a ski BASE jump I hit while at North Cascade Heli filming with Teton Gravity Research.
After another good Nitro Mega ramp session I headed to Jackson Hole to meet up with TGR. The initial plan was to meet at North Cascade Heli with Seth Morrison and Sage Cattabriga. The snow was so good in Jackson we decided to start there first. After a road gap session and a day skiing lines in the backcountry we loaded up the rigs and made the 15 hour drive to remote Northern Washington.
I had no idea mountains like this existed in the US. These mountains are the beginning of the range that extend all the way to Alaska. The mountains are big and the terrain is legit. There’s not much up here…the only food, supplies, store is the gas station. Other than that, there’s a few scattered cabins and a heli barn. It’s nice to be in an area of no cell reception, few people and lots of quiet. We have been out flying 3 days and the snow is slowly coming in. We’re all excited to get some good days!
Our cabin for the next 10+ days.
Me, our unbelievable pilot Seamus (or the leprechaun), and one of the nicest B3 helicopters I have flown in. It’s the sports car of helicopters and Seamus knows how to flex its power.
Seth, Sage and TGR filmer Josh loaded up in the B3
Sage pillow popping
This is a cliff I found I want to ski BASE off while we’re here.
Inside our cabin at the computer lab.
A couple years back a friend of mine, Jeremy Jones, posted a blog of things he was thankful for. His blog was inspiring and I decided to post a few things I’m thankful for. In a time when many folks are struggling it’s important to recognize all the things we are lucky to have…
I’m thankful for my dog Chief. He passed away this summer but I was lucky to have him for 13 years…
I’m thankful for my family…
I’m thankful for my jumping friends…
I’m thankful for my Nitro Circus family….
I’m thankful for my mountain friends…
I’m thankful for Annika…
I’m thankful for the opportunities I have…
I’m thankful for my brother and my nephews…
I’m thankful for catching air!!!
I’m thankful for snow storms…
and powder…
I’m thankful for down time…
I’m thankful for the mountains…
I’m thankful for skiing…
I’m thankful for Shane McConkey…
While on a 2-week break from shooting Nitro Circus Season 2, I made a day trip to Twin Falls Idaho and met up with friends for some BASE jumping. The Prienne bridge is the only legal bridge in the U.S. you can BASE jump on a daily basis. I met up with pro BMX rider Mike “Rooftop” Escamilla and pro surfer Brandon Lillard who were on a week long trip shooting footage for Hurley. Neither of them had BASE jumped before…so it was back to “Death Camp”. Its always fun to teach people especially those who have the ability as well as fear and respect for the sport. The boys learned fast and once again Twin Falls was very good to me!
- Brandon, me and Rooftop hiking out the 500 ft canyon photo: cody davis
- Rooftop getting in one of his first BASE jumps
- Making the leap! photo: cody davis
- I’ve jumped off this bridge well over a hundred times….it never seems to get old. photo: cody davis
- Shoshone falls is just up the river from the bridge. It is an impressive site.
I love living in Lake Tahoe. There is so much to do and the environment is one of a kind. The combination between the mountains and the lake offers so much. Summer is my favorite time here and I am just starting to set into my summer mode.
After a week of a relaxing vacation I picked up right where I left off. The day after I returned, I spent the morning skiing and hiking all over Squaw Valley Resort. After a mountain bike ride and a quick lunch I met up with some friends for my first boat trip of the season. The lake was as flat as it gets and the weather was warm…there is nothing more peaceful than being on the lake in those conditions.
The following day I met with some other friends for a couple days of skydiving and BASE jumping. I really love this place!
Skiing some of the last snow of the year.
Looking down some of the late season lines at Squaw…
Taking it all in on top of KT 22 after hiking and skiing from the peak on the far lookers right (way back there), all the way around the ridge to the left and up to the top of KT 22.
Hanging on the lake after a nice day…the “Best Place on Earth”.
Next day..after a morning of BASE jumping (no pictures: its illegal and too dark out)…into a day of skydiving!
Now what? Maybe a night time BASE jump off a different object…check!
As the season is winding down and summer is getting close, I decided to head to the glaciers around Whistler for a few last minute shots for the TGR film Re:Session coming out this Fall. I drove my old Jeep and towed my snowmobile 18 hours North to Pemberton for 2 sunny days of snowmobile skiing. The mountains in British Columbia are amazing…it always blows my mind how much terrain you can access with your snowmobile. We had really long days in the alpine and it was good to get back in the BC mountains.
After the short sunny window, I drove another 18 hours down to Snowbird, Utah for Dynastar’s “Spring Daze” event. Luckily I had to drive right past the Twin Falls Bridge and naturally I needed to make a stop and BASE jump.
Each year Dynastar invites shop employees, managers, industry people to Snowbird for 4 days to hang out, catch a glimpse of the Dynastar family, and ski. Hundreds of people show up to participate and the event always proves to be a good time! The last night I had to give a presentation to 150 or so people about what I have been up too. I was happy to get that over with and head home the following day after a lot of driving.
I am home now but headed to LA in a couple days for the season finale of Nitro Circus. We have signed on for season 2 and start filming in the middle of May…Time to rest and heal up!
My old whip…
Snowmobile and big mountain legend Dan Treadway. He was a great host as always and hes probably the most fun guy to be with in the mountains.
Some of the terrain we road…you can snowmobile right to the top of this face.
A glacial cave we came accross. We were able to ride our snowmobiles right through it.
Making the pit stop at Twin Falls for a jump…scared up top.
Happy after making a successful solo jump.
Finally made it to Dynastar’s Sping Daze event…time to relax and have some fun.
Except for the presentation I had to give…
23 of Shane’s BASE jumping friends got together for a memorial jump. I cannot discuss in full detail but I can say it was one of the coolest jumps I’ve ever made. I’ve never before jumped with so many people or in such an amazing place. Stories, laughs and cheers for Shane were shared and ashes were spread. We all felt Shane watching and laughing hysterically…I’m sure he was proud. Long Live McConk!
Some of the boys about to gear up…
The landing area looked like a skydive drop zone with all the jumpers…so cool to jump with so many people.
The crew celebrating McConkey!
