Remembering Dean Potter and Graham Hunt

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splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
May 21, 2015 - 11:04am PT
my sincerest condolences to family and friends of Graham and Dean. Hard to fathom a loss like this in such a magical and beautiful place.

I'm envious of how they lived their lives, where you must not hold grudges or leave things unsaid or undone. It must really free you physically and mentally to live like that.
Heisenberg

Trad climber
RV, middle of Nowehere
May 21, 2015 - 12:42pm PT
JL.

Providing the link was the best idea. I just wanted people to respect Charlie and the energy it took to write something so raw. If people wanted to know, register. Dean and Graham meant as much to the BASE community as the climbing community. Thats all.
Mark Not-circlehead

climber
Martinez, CA
May 21, 2015 - 12:48pm PT
Shipoopi, well said.

I just watched a trailer for a documentary on Carl Boenish. And I'm sure Largo will have much more to say regarding this (as I first new of him through Gorilla Monsoon). Carl died 30 years ago base jumping. He was the grandfather of the sport. How much safer has it gotten in those 30 years?

Obviously many, many more people jumping and flying these days, and I don't know the fatality rate, per participant, bit it still seems like poor odds to me. Look how many have perished in the last 5 years! I know more climbers that have been killed in some for of BASE, than soloing in the past 10-20 years.

Someone else mentioned about how Dean and Graham, (and Fernando, and Stanley) are pushing the limits, and think of how safe it will be in 20 years.......? Who's gonna be left in 20 years at this pace?

I'm not one to say anyone should/should't/can/can't do what they love, even at the expense of their own life. But losing so many friends/fellow climbers/brothers hurts nonetheless....
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
May 21, 2015 - 01:48pm PT
I hear that Heisenberg. It must have killed Charlie to write that kind of thing. I've been promising to write something about the great Richard Harrison for Jeff over at Rock and Ice for two months, but I simply can't muster the courange to do it. It's just too close to home just now.

JL
coolrockclimberguy69

climber
May 21, 2015 - 01:57pm PT
How much safer has it gotten in those 30 years?

Much safer, actually. Thirty years ago guys were jumping modified skydiving rigs which accounted for more fatalities and injuries than nowadays. Now there are several companies who make canopies and containers built specifically for subterminal jumps. Vented canopies and innovations like having a "tailgate" have made canopy openings quicker and more reliable.

Another huge factor is the Perrine bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho which is probably the safest legal object in the world for jumping. This enables people to "safeishly" learn how to jump flat and stable with a user-friendly landing area.
Gary

Social climber
From A Buick 6
May 21, 2015 - 02:11pm PT
Another huge factor is the Perrine bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho which is probably the safest legal object in the world for jumping.

If this is the safest object, I shudder to think what an unsafe area must be like.

May 7, 2015
Twin Falls, Idaho ( KMVT-TV / KSVT-TV ) - A 73 year old man died Thursday afternoon after his parachute opened too late while base-jumping off the Perrine Bridge.
http://www.kmvt.com/news/latest/Base-Jumper-Dies-After-Chute-Opens-Late-303013791.html

March 9, 2015
Twin Falls, Idaho ( KMVT-TV / KSVT-TV ) – A New York resident is dead after his parachute did not open when he jumped from the Perrine Bridge. Bryan Turner, 32 of Vancouver British Columbia, and currently living in New York, died at St. Luke’s Magic Valley this Monday afternoon.

http://www.kmvt.com/news/latest/Base-Jumper-Injured-At-Perrine-Bridge-295648931.html

May 13, 2015
TWIN FALLS • Emergency responders rescued a BASE jumper whose parachute became tangled in the Perrine Bridge Tuesday evening.
http://magicvalley.com/news/local/rescue-underway-base-jumper-dangling-from-perrine-bridge/article_a97de2e2-b283-51d0-8d7d-5c7a653759e4.html

March 26, 2015
TWIN FALLS • Two BASE jumpers were injured Monday evening after a jump from the Perrine Bridge went wrong.
http://magicvalley.com/news/local/p-m-update-base-jumpers-injured-at-perrine-bridge/article_98e0e0a6-b3ac-11e3-bbd4-0019bb2963f4.html
coolrockclimberguy69

climber
May 21, 2015 - 02:26pm PT
The old guy and the two injured base jumpers were attempting some sort of kooky stunt. The two guys were doing some sort of shoulder stand thing and the old guy was attempting a cutaway from a flaming canopy.

Bryan Turner was jumping with a floating pin bridal that may or may not have contributed to the container lock that killed him. This modification was experimental and not recommended by the manufacturer of the container.

The chick who hung herself up on the bridge was on her first base jump and chose to jump in near 20 mph winds. Her "mentor" is as much to blame for this as she is.

Regardless of what kind of poor decisions are made at the Perrine, it is still probably the safest object you can jump from. It's popularity and reputation as a safe object encourages people to make bad choices.

edit: with respect to Bryan, I wouldn't consider this necessarily a "poor decision" but rather choosing to jump gear with a modification that had a higher probability of failure.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
May 21, 2015 - 02:49pm PT
I've been super hesitant to post anything up on this. To all the friends and family of Dean and Graham, our sincere condolences. I continue to find inspiration in both Dean's and Graham's past endevors.

I feel like I am trapped back in time or something compared to the rest of the public. THere is such a rush to put up "stuff" nowdays when anything happens, that the grieving time is cut to mere hours at best and then we are on to the analysis. Seems like there could be at least a couple days before the armchair analysis commences. And don't get me wrong. THere needs to be an understanding of what happend. But it shouldn't be at the sacrifice of some time for the family and friends to grieve. Just my 2 cents.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
May 21, 2015 - 05:13pm PT
But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
Then the bird said “Nevermore."
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
May 21, 2015 - 05:34pm PT
Just came across this stirring and beautiful video. Captures the freedom of wingsuit flight and stirs the imagination for the passion of high and wild places. My condolences again to all those who knew Dean and Graham. As the mourning continues I hope some find beauty in this piece.


Scott

[Click to View YouTube Video]
High Fructose Corn Spirit

Gym climber
May 21, 2015 - 05:58pm PT
^^^^

"It almost moves me to tears knowing that I live in a world that I can do these things. No matter what, I want to do this some day..." Matthew Boren, YouTube commenter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRqnTODwvEA
wheatBeer

Social climber
TheBronx
May 21, 2015 - 08:41pm PT
I can really see the competition to be the ALPHA MALE in the Valley as a real thing and an influence to pushing the limits.

During my hay day in the Valley there was a significant race for fast times on big walls and link ups. With partners and solos. It was very interesting to have 2 guys (Dean and Hans) do El Cap and Half Dome Solo IAD a day apart of each other. It is said that these were efforts were independent and unknown to each other.

Not sure if Largo would comment on this phenomenon but he was part of it during his time.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
May 21, 2015 - 10:28pm PT
It was very interesting to have 2 guys (Dean and Hans) do El Cap and Half Dome Solo IAD a day apart of each other. It is said that these were efforts were independent and unknown to each other.
There's a 2006 article by Daniel Duane which says the exact opposite:
Having heard that Florine would try soloing Half Dome and El Capitan in less than 24 hours on July 28, 1999, Potter jumped on a plane from Colorado to Fresno, California, on the morning of the 27th, paid a taxi to rush him 85 miles up to Yosemite, and beat Florine to the punch.
http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/dean-potter-mountain-freak-20150518#ixzz3aqHokbiS
marty(r)

climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
May 22, 2015 - 08:57am PT
Like Walt's death, this seems shocking, but not surprising. Just wish it hadn't come so soon. Dean was always gracious with his time and definitely inspired others more than he could have known.


Maybe this will remind us to tell our partners what they mean to us before it's too late, and maybe have a slightly less cavalier and callous attitude toward death. I say that as much for myself as to anyone here.
brotherbbock

Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
May 22, 2015 - 10:12am PT
Thanks for the link Largo.

Makes me realize what athletes these guys really were in more than just the climbing forum most of us are familiar with.
Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
May 22, 2015 - 12:49pm PT
I just came across an amazing photo of Graham Hunt on Facebook.

I didn't upload it here out of respect to the copyright holder.

The privacy is set to "public" so I figured it would be OK to post a link to it.

Graham Hunt during one of his last exits from Taft Point
JLP

Social climber
The internet
May 22, 2015 - 01:06pm PT
An accurate premonition...
Amazing, haunting, thanks for digging that up and posting it...
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
May 22, 2015 - 08:10pm PT
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
May 23, 2015 - 07:59am PT
Hardman Knott,

An amazing picture!
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
May 23, 2015 - 10:29am PT
Here's a new article by Daniel Duane, that states Dean was not wearing a camera, or Gopro, and that there is no video of the accident.

http://m.sfgate.com/living/mensjournal/article/The-Last-Flight-of-Dean-Potter-6281144.php
Messages 261 - 280 of total 402 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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