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Reader Participation Day: Should BASE Jumping Be Legal In National Parks

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 24th, 2015

In mid-May, world-class climber Dean Potter and a friend were killed in a BASE-jumping incident in Yosemite National Park. A lengthy New York Times story examined the accident, and raised some contradictions in National Park Service policies.

In made no sense to Potter, and plenty of others, that climbing was legal, and that falling was legal, but that stopping a fall with a lifesaving parachute was illegal, a result of the application of an arcane law banning the delivery or retrieval "of a person or object by parachute, helicopter or other airborne means."

Later in the story a ranger from Zion National Park was quoted as saying BASE jumping was discouraged in that park because "of the spectacle of it."

"We like to think that people come here to enjoy the scenery, and not the spectacle of people jumping," he said.

Is BASE jumping a spectacle that should be banned in national parks? What do you think? 

Comments

Submitted by ecbuck on June 24, 2015 - 4:54pm.

Very reasonable Wild. In other words, treat it just like rock climbing and rafting.


Submitted by ecbuck on June 24, 2015 - 6:36pm.

"Deaths per attempt is the better statistic"

Yes, if you are measuring the risks of the event. Which is why I responded "so what" and not "not so". But the more relevant statistic re the parks is how many times is there a fatal accident because of that activity? There are far more fatal accidents from rock climbing and rafting in the parks and I'll wager you won't find a single example of someone in a park being killed by having a BASE jumper land on them.

"Personal decisions on public lands are under the control of the government, therefore, ban BASE jumping from public lands."

Because the government can they should ban it? Should they ban every other activity as well? Afterall, "personal decision on public land are under the control of the government" (to a limited extent.)


Submitted by Max A. Million on June 24, 2015 - 10:32pm.

If they are willing to post a bond of say $100,000 and take out a permit, let 'em jump. If they have a successful trip, they can have their money back. If not, the government can pay morticians to scoop up the remains and clean up the site. Until then, why should the rest of us have to pay rangers to deal with their mess?


Submitted by ecbuck on June 25, 2015 - 8:43am.

"why should the rest of us have to pay rangers to deal with their mess?"

Agreed - any why should the rest of us have to pay for the mess from fallen rock climbers, drowned rafters, lost hikers?


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