RIP The Man Who Can Fly

[Funky Bunch]

Renowned extreme athlete Dean Potter and another man have died in a BASE jumping accident in Yosemite National Park, an official said Sunday.

Yosemite Chief of Staff Mike Gauthier said Potter, 43, and Graham Hunt died Saturday night after attempting a wingsuit flight from Taft Point. The men were attempting to fly through a gap between two notches but smashed into a rocky outcropping, he said.

The two men were photographed by their friend and spotter, who reported hearing two distinct pops as the two men crashed the cliffs.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...mping-accident-yosemite-national-park-n360391

 

[tarheelbybirth]

OH SH*POP**POP*

 

[TunzaHawk]

Well there went the open casket funeral.

 

[Funky Bunch]

His new nickname is Asterisk

 

[linkshero]

That's too bad, guy had dog.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Authorities were quoted as saying "we'll be picking up these guys for weeks"

Jerome The janitor added, "huh, white people!"

 

[mstp1992]

Renowned extreme athlete Dean Potter and another man have died in a BASE jumping accident in Yosemite National Park, an official said Sunday.

Yosemite Chief of Staff Mike Gauthier said Potter, 43, and Graham Hunt died Saturday night after attempting a wingsuit flight from Taft Point. The men were attempting to fly through a gap between two notches but smashed into a rocky outcropping, he said.

The two men were photographed by their friend and spotter, who reported hearing two distinct pops as the two men crashed the cliffs.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...mping-accident-yosemite-national-park-n360391

BASE jumping is illegal in the California national park.

 

[INXS83]

Renowned extreme athlete Dean Potter and another man have died in a BASE jumping accident in Yosemite National Park, an official said Sunday.

Yosemite Chief of Staff Mike Gauthier said Potter, 43, and Graham Hunt died Saturday night after attempting a wingsuit flight from Taft Point. The men were attempting to fly through a gap between two notches but smashed into a rocky outcropping, he said.

The two men were photographed by their friend and spotter, who reported hearing two distinct pops as the two men crashed the cliffs.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dean-potter-dies-base-jumping-accident-yosemite-national-park-n360391

Live by the wingsuit, die by the wingsuit.

 

[INXS83]

Renowned extreme athlete Dean Potter and another man have died in a BASE jumping accident in Yosemite National Park, an official said Sunday.

Yosemite Chief of Staff Mike Gauthier said Potter, 43, and Graham Hunt died Saturday night after attempting a wingsuit flight from Taft Point. The men were attempting to fly through a gap between two notches but smashed into a rocky outcropping, he said.

The two men were photographed by their friend and spotter, who reported hearing two distinct pops as the two men crashed the cliffs.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dean-potter-dies-base-jumping-accident-yosemite-national-park-n360391

The dude looks a lot like Oberyn Martel from 'Game of Thrones'. Both their ends were similar, as well.

 

[Chuck C]

What was the last thing to go trough Dean Potter's mind when he struck the side of the cliff?

His asshole.

 

[SF HAWKEYE]

Hopefully Dog wasn't co-pilot on that leap....

 

[naturalmwa]

 

[lucas80]

When I saw a report on CNN this morning I was utterly shocked the guy didn't die years ago. There are lots of ways to get an adrenaline rush besides jumping off cliffs or tall buildings. I can only guess that he never enjoyed the thrill of a long term monogamous relationship, a mortgage, college funds for the kids, and a two car garage.

 

[Big_Palooka]

When I saw a report on CNN this morning I was utterly shocked the guy didn't die years ago. There are lots of ways to get an adrenaline rush besides jumping off cliffs or tall buildings. I can only guess that he never enjoyed the thrill of a long term monogamous relationship, a mortgage, college funds for the kids, and a two car garage.

--------
I can understand the draw to it. I've been scuba diving with sharks, run with the Bulls in Pamplona, and skydiving, ect..
I enjoy the things that you mentioned but every once in awhile like to add that extra adrenaline rush.

 

[2bagger22]

The two men were photographed by their friend and spotter, who reported hearing two distinct pops as the two men crashed the cliffs.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...mping-accident-yosemite-national-park-n360391

"Ahhh, I'm hang-gliding! Take a good picture, honey, I'm dead!"

 

[gojojo]

I'm guessing if you are involved in these types of sports you understand the risks and are willing to take them for the adrenaline you get. It may seem foolish to most, but I can see the draw to it. Don't tell me this does not look incredibly fun.....

 

[ANYCHawk]

 

[BubsFinn]

Thread title is inaccurate.

 

[hawkiniowacity]

When I saw a report on CNN this morning I was utterly shocked the guy didn't die years ago. There are lots of ways to get an adrenaline rush besides jumping off cliffs or tall buildings. I can only guess that he never enjoyed the thrill of a long term monogamous relationship, a mortgage, college funds for the kids, and a two car garage.

Ive got a mortgage. Its not that fun.

 

[YellowSnow51]

There are two skill levels in wing suit base jumping: "Grand World Champion" and "Stuff on a rock".

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

There are two skill levels in wing suit base jumping: "Grand World Champion" and "Stuff on a rock".

Dang you Yellow!

I try not to laugh at someone's death being made light of, but ...

 

[YellowSnow51]

I gotta give Norm McDonald the credit. He said that in the 80s about cliff divers and it stuck with me. Good material holds up.

 

[naturalmwa]

I don't see this much different than a drunk driver crashing his car or a drug user ODing. These guys were just chasing a different high and risked death to do it. I wonder if life insurance policies pay out for this sort of thing?

 

[Wendy79]

I don't see this much different than a drunk driver crashing his car or a drug user ODing. These guys were just chasing a different high and risked death to do it. I wonder if life insurance policies pay out for this sort of thing?

There are insurance policies available for high-risk adventurers.

Or so I saw in Along Came Polly.

 

[JWolf74]

There are two skill levels in wing suit base jumping: "Grand World Champion" and "Stuff on a rock".

Thank you for this.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

for someone to be so "renowned" , a lot of us have never heard of him

 

[Big_Palooka]

I don't see this much different than a drunk driver crashing his car or a drug user ODing. These guys were just chasing a different high and risked death to do it. I wonder if life insurance policies pay out for this sort of thing?

-------
Comparing this to drunk driving?? Get real.
Drunk drivers are putting a lot of others people's lives on the line.
These people are only risking their own (outside of some bizarre circumstances). Would you compare rock climbers to drunk drivers? Skydivers? Scuba divers? How about ragbrai riders? People die on ragbrai all the time. Actually there may be a slight comparison with ragbrai riders as many are drunk riding later in the day.
There are risks with most any activity. It is up to the individual what risk they are willing to accept as long as it is not putting others unknowingly at risk.

 

[naturalmwa]

-------
Comparing this to drunk driving?? Get real.
Drunk drivers are putting a lot of others people's lives on the line.
These people are only risking their own (outside of some bizarre circumstances). Would you compare rock climbers to drunk drivers? Skydivers? Scuba divers? How about ragbrai riders? People die on ragbrai all the time. Actually there may be a slight comparison with ragbrai riders as many are drunk riding later in the day.
There are risks with most any activity. It is up to the individual what risk they are willing to accept as long as it is not putting others unknowingly at risk.

You're right, the drunk was at least impaired when he took his risk, these guys don't have that excuse. I didn't say this should be illegal, but in this case I think it actually was. I'm making the a case it's immoral especially if you have dependants in much the same way its immoral to drive impaired or OD on drugs.

 

[linkshero]

-------
Comparing this to drunk driving?? Get real.
Drunk drivers are putting a lot of others people's lives on the line.
These people are only risking their own (outside of some bizarre circumstances). Would you compare rock climbers to drunk drivers? Skydivers? Scuba divers? How about ragbrai riders? People die on ragbrai all the time. Actually there may be a slight comparison with ragbrai riders as many are drunk riding later in the day.
There are risks with most any activity. It is up to the individual what risk they are willing to accept as long as it is not putting others unknowingly at risk.

Maybe not in this exact case, but adrenaline junkies put other peoples lives at risk all the time. Everest basecamp, Denali, Hood, Whitney...it happens a lot.

Also, the 'the sound of two pops' has to be pretty accurate. Two bags of mostly water and blood hitting rock at 150 mph.....