| BASE jumping is not a sport for the faint of | | | | airplane. Jumpers practice many of the same |
| heart. Athletes who practice this extreme | | | | techniques that divers use to maintain |
| sport climb to the top of tall buildings, | | | | stability and altitude awareness while they |
| canyons, or other structures; jump off; enjoy | | | | are in the air. Before becoming a BASE |
| a period of free falling; then open a | | | | jumper, an athlete must complete a full |
| parachute and coast to the ground. | | | | course of skydiver training. Once they have |
| | | | their full skydiving certification, the next |
| The acronym BASE stands for building, | | | | step for anyone interested in BASE is to find |
| antennae, span, and earth; which make up a | | | | a mentor in the jumping community who can |
| comprehensive list of what kinds of fixed | | | | teach them how to take on these ambitious |
| objects BASE jumpers plummet from. Span is a | | | | freefalls. Only experienced divers can even |
| term that includes all sorts of bridges, or | | | | contemplate a BASE jump because this kind of |
| any other structures that span over a valley | | | | unguided and somewhat unpredictable activity |
| or chasm. Earth means anything from cliffs to | | | | requires razor sharp awareness of altitude, |
| mountains to canyons. | | | | along with stellar free fall technique. |
| | | | |
| BASE jumping is very dangerous for a variety | | | | BASE jumping is one of the most dangerous |
| of reasons, but the most common causes of | | | | sports practiced today. Every year, BASE |
| injury and death have to do with failure to | | | | jumping leads to several fatalities, and most |
| maintain a clear area around the athlete | | | | major BASE societies and clubs have seen at |
| during the jump and/or the landing. If the | | | | least one member perish in pursuit of the |
| wind is against them or if they make a | | | | sport that he or she loved. Because no two |
| mistake during the launch of their jump, | | | | jumps are alike, it is very difficult to |
| athletes sometimes collide with the object | | | | predict what will happen once you start |
| that they have jumped from. Because BASE | | | | plummeting towards the ground. This means |
| jumping areas are usually not designated for | | | | that to survive a BASE jump you need to have |
| this guerilla-style sport, the makeshift | | | | a very level head, an ability to react to |
| landing targets that jumpers aim for are | | | | surprises without panicking, and lightning |
| rarely large enough to allow for a safe jump. | | | | speed reflexes that will allow you to make |
| As a result many BASE enthusiasts meet with | | | | instantaneous adjustments in your position or |
| serious and sometimes fatal injuries because | | | | your trajectory. However, no amount of |
| they haven't been able to steer themselves to | | | | experience can guarantee that you will |
| the landing area in time. | | | | complete your jump without mishap, so even |
| | | | very accomplished jumpers are taking serious |
| Many people compare BASE jumping to bungee | | | | risks every time they prepare to hurl |
| jumping without a bungee cord, but it is | | | | themselves off of a building, antennae, span, |
| actually much closer to skydiving without an | | | | or natural cliff. |