American West – highlight of wingsuiting by Daniel Ristow

American West – highlight of wingsuiting by Daniel Ristow
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Here’s a highlight of wingsuiting in the American West throughout 2019. Locations vary from Moab UT, Northern Cascades WA, and Eastern Sierra CA.

Moab is an increasingly popular destination for BASE jumpers and those rigging highlining, who are allowed to practice their sport in the area. About 16 miles (26 km) south of Moab is the “Hole N’ The Rock”, a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) 14-room home carved into a rock wall which National Geographic has ranked as one of the top 10 roadside attractions in the United States. Moab’s population swells temporarily in the spring and summer months with the arrival of numerous people employed seasonally in the outdoor recreation and tourism industries.

American West - Moab

In recent years, Moab has experienced a surge of second-home owners. The relatively mild winters and enjoyable summers have attracted many people to build such homes throughout the area. In a situation mirroring that of other resort towns in the American West, controversy has arisen over these new residents and their houses, which in many cases remain unoccupied for most of the year. Many Moab citizens are concerned that the town is seeing changes similar to those experienced in Vail and Aspen in neighboring Colorado: skyrocketing property values, a rising cost of living, and corresponding effects on local low- and middle-income workers.

The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascade Mountains. The portion in Canada is known to Americans as the Canadian Cascades, a designation that also includes the mountains above the east bank of the Fraser Canyon as far north as the town of Lytton, at the confluence of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers.

The North Cascades are often referred as the “American Alps” by hikers, climbers and mountaineers because of the sea of steep, jagged peaks that span across the range. This range’s rugged approaches and exceptional alpine terrain make it a premiere training ground for mountain climbers.

The Eastern Sierra is a region in California comprising the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, which includes Mono and Inyo Counties. The main thoroughfare is U.S. Route 395, which passes through Bridgeport, Lee Vining, Bishop, Big Pine, Independence, Lone Pine, and Olancha, with Bishop being the largest city in the area. It is sparsely populated but well known for its scenery; major points of interest include Mono Lake, Bodie, Mammoth Lakes, Manzanar, and parts of Yosemite National Park and Death Valley National Park.

Malaysia KL Tower International BASE Jump

Malaysia KL Tower International BASE Jump
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KL Tower International BASE Jump Malaysia 2019 by Tom Rees- first time at this event and loved every minute. Really nice chilled vibe, people from all over the world and some crazy people doing some awesome stuff. Even managed to set the World Record for the slowest gainer EVER. Roll KL Tower International Jump Malaysia 2020.

Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Tower

The Kuala Lumpur Tower is a communications tower located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its construction was completed on 1 March 1995. It features an antenna that increases its height to 421 metres (1,381 feet) and is the 7th tallest freestanding tower in the world. The roof of the pod is at 335 metres (1,099 feet). The rest of the tower below has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the upper area, which also contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners with a panoramic view of the city.

The KL Tower is the seventh tallest telecommunication tower in the world (after Tokyo Skytree in Japan, the Canton Tower in China, CN Tower in Canada, the Ostankino Tower in Russia, the Oriental Pearl Tower in China, and the Milad Tower in Iran). Built to enhance the quality of telecommunication services and the clarity of broadcasting, KL Tower is a symbol of Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions.  Kuala Lumpur is the national capital and largest city while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. With a population of over 30 million, Malaysia is the world’s 44th most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia. In the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, home to large numbers of endemic species. The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in its politics. About half the population is ethnically Malay. While recognising Islam as the country’s established religion, the constitution grants freedom of religion to non-Muslims.

BASE Jumps In South Africa

BASE Jumps In South Africa
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The Red Bull Air Force takes the skies and head wingsuit flying down Sentinel and the Eastern Buttress in South Africa. On their journey, they attempt to base jump and wingsuit fly various iconic locations around the country.

The Drakensberg mountain range stretches over 1000 km across South Africa and Lesotho, with its highest peak at 11, 424 feet. This highest portion of the Great Escarpment is known by the local Zulu community as uKhahlamba, Barrier of Spears. The place is renowned for its dramatic peaks, pinnacles and valleys. Experience the Red Bull Air Force soar through this mythical wilderness and watch the backstory behind the first-ever wingsuit flight from two of its most alluring landmarks.

The high slopes are hard to reach so the environment is fairly undamaged. However, tourism in the Drakensberg is developing, with a variety of hiking trails, hotels and resorts appearing on the slopes. Most of the higher South African parts of the range have been designated as game reserves or wilderness areas. Of these the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park was listed by UNESCO in 2000 as a World Heritage site. The park is also in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (under the Ramsar Convention). The Royal Natal National Park, which contains some of the higher peaks, is part of this large park complex. Adjacent to the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site is the 1900 ha Allendale Mountain Reserve which is the largest private reserve adjoining the World Heritage Site and is found in the accessible Kamberg area, the heart of the historic San (Bushman) painting region of the Ukhahlamba.

Fred Fugen and Vince Reffet – A Door in the Sky

Fred Fugen and Vince Reffet – A Door in the Sky
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Two wingsuit flyers just BASE jumped into a plane in mid-air

soul-flyers

French wingsuit flyers recently completed an unbelievable stunt following a B.A.S.E. jump from the top of the Jungfrau mountain in Switzerland. Fred Fugen and Vince Reffet, known as the Soul Flyers, caught up with and flew into a plane in mid-air.

As part of their project A Door in the Sky, which they had spent several months training for by completing more than 100 test flights in Empuriabrava in Spain, the duo B.A.S.E jumped from the top of the Jungfrau, one of Europe’s highest mountains, and flew into a Pilatus Porter light aircraft in mid-air. Now that’s a different way to catch a flight.

How did this project come about?

They wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Patrick de Gayardon’s achievement in 1997, when he jumped from an aircraft with a wingsuit and then flew back into the plane. He was a pioneer in our scene and we wanted to reproduce his stunt. At the beginning of the year, Vince woke up one day and said to Fred, “We have to do it but with a BASE jump from a cliff!”

How different was the training for this stunt?

“When we started to train, we thought it would be easier to be honest. Then we realised that it was quite a technical and mental challenge. We had to be focused. During the first training session in Spain, Fred managed to fly into the plane, but I failed and hurt my ribs. One month later, we came back for another session. We felt better and it worked out. We managed to make it five times.”

How does it feel to enter into a plane at high speed?

“It’s cool but also quite weird! We’re used to jumping from the plane, but here you have to enter into it. You’re falling down and all of a sudden there’s no air anymore. The feeling is quite strange. When you’re in the plane and you see your friend flying closer and closer, it’s incredible. It was very emotional for us because we worked hard to make it happen.”