How to Start BASE Jumping?
Hi.. My name is Amanda. My fiance is a big skydiver–has gone I think about 10 times. I want to find somewhere to surprise him to go base jumping, which is something he has always wanted to do. I was trying to look online, but can’t find a whole lot of information for places to go. I saw your website, and figured maybe you could point me in the right direction. We live in Denver, but I’m willing to drive wherever. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thank you!!!
Amanda
Dear Amanda,
What a nice fiancee you are! He is a lucky guy 🙂 Skydiving is the door into BASE jumping. The more skydiving, the better. Most people say the minimum number of skydives to learn to base jump is 200.
I have taught many first base courses, and the jumpers with more skydives do the best in their course and are less likely to get injured in the critical first year of base jumping. Through skydiving you can hone your canopy skills and accuracy landings–these are the two most crucial skills you need to stay safe and have fun with base. A lot of time skydiving also makes you more comfortable in the air and more responsive to any malfunctions or things that happen really fast as a result. The more the better: if he can do 500 skydives before getting into base, it will really be to his advantage.
After doing a LOT of skydives, the next step is to do a course at the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho. I occasionally teach first jump courses there, for people who are very prepared with skydiving experience. I also highly recommend learning from Jimmy and Marta at Apex Base. The more time he can spend after his course jumping at the Perrine, the better. Ideally he’d do 50-100 base jumps from the bridge or from a safe antenna before wanting to move into cliffs in the future.
I highly recommend getting him a copy of The Great Book of BASE
🙂 Steph
Hi Steph,
happy belated birthday!!!
As a climber and BASE-fascinated person, I’ve been browsing all your posts because this blog is such an amazing repository of information and infectious enthusiasm – and one of the posts revealed that your birthday is Nov. 4th! Now since this year that’s even more of a historic day!
All the best on your amazing journeys!
Kai
To other readers: there’s a lot of BASE related info in the posts, since they describe Stephs whole journey into it, starting with the first skydive. Great. I’m not sure if I should be happy or sad that this info comes into my life only now, because a few years earlier I would have probably chosen to embark on a BASE journey myself. Right now, it’s not an option with a little kid. (It’s sobering to read the BASE fatality list, http://www.nitrorigging.com/documents/BFL.pdf).
Hi
Check this out, a pod we have just produced on the world’s highest base jump!!
It’s amazing. Jumping of the highest building in the world in Dubai
It’s at current.com
http://current.com/items/89546563/world_record_base_jump.htm
Sally
Hi there
I didn’t want to give my email as im only 12. Im researching base jumping areas and found this come up. Anyone know any places? Im really fasciniated that you need 100 skydiving attempts until base jumping! It sounds dangerously cool!
Good Luck with the thing!
From
Priya
x
Hey There!
Im a young guy from Kentucky, looking to find the next big adventure in my life! I’ve been wanting to sky-dive for the longest time, just dont know where to start. There are a few small companies close to Kentucky, but im looking for something somewhere else. I understand it requires alot of training to become a base-jumper, but i need to know exactly what that consists of. Just seeing if u had any info for me! Thanks Alot!!
I have never had any skydive lessons or anything but base jumping is something that iv always wanted to do. what is the best way to get into it? how much £££ would i be looking at spending?
O.K. I was just wondering what the age limit is!
[…] Steph Davis loves a wing suit, climbing and BASE jumping. Read her blog for BASE jump details around Moab and farther afield. 38.573315 -109.549840 […]
hi
ive always wanted to go sky diving, unfortunately im underage. i recently heard about base jumping and that caught my attention. are there any places where i can go base jumping in Texas.
Well since 100 skydives are usually required before BASE jumping and the age requirement to skydive is 18… Well then, I believe you can figure the rest out.
I read somewhere you have to go sky-diving 100 times before you can base jump. Is that accurate? I can’t afford to sky-dive 100 times!
I am 12 I live in Virginia is there any place you know I can go base jumping?
when you are 18, you can start skydiving: there are lots of drop zones in the east. If you go and start hanging out at a dz, you can start learning how to pack parachutes, which is a great way to earn money and experience the scene.
Hey! 🙂
I live in Minnesota and have been fascinated with base jumping for a while now. I’ve never really looked too much into it, because for the majority of the time I’ve spent being interested in base jumping, I’ve also been underage. I’m finally old enough and would love to start skydiving, and eventually work my way up to base jumping. Any suggestions on places to go, instructors to seek out, etc.? Any information would be greatly appreciated. =P
Thanks a bunch in advance,
Miya
You should be able to find a drop zone almost anywhere: if you have a summer free, you should consider packing there to earn money while you work your way up through skydiving. It is possible to immerse yourself in the sport, and pretty quickly be earning money as you jump (from packing to coaching to camera flying). 🙂
nice
Sky diving prices really are not that bad the first few are around $215 and as you learn they get cheaper. As you get fully licensed (I think 25 jumps) you will spend $3000 to $4000. After that it is around $25 a jump. After around 100 jumps you can get a helmet and camera, and make money as you gain experience. So you can make your money back. Im shooting for a wing suit, in which you need 200 jumps.
Hey Steph, I’m from Brazil and I got 200 jumps in the last 3 years of skydiving, I wonder if base jumping is only about packing and have a mentor or I really need to make a FJC?
I want to do this
so now i have to learn skydiving and do 100 of them. i hope i can do this i really want to
Hi my name is Amanda also and I’m really into base jumping but I love skydiving too so I’m going to do the course again this time and become a skydiver first if I pass the course this time. I hope I get my dream to base jump
What the crap!!! 100 jumps!!! Each jump cost like $250 bucks! That’s not worth it! I just want to BASE jump not skydive.
Without the experience of normal skydiving, you CAN go right into BASE jumping, since a lot of BASE jumps are illegal anyway. However, you’re creating a deadly scenario for yourself without the required experience.
A regular skydive ticket (after you finish training) is $25-$27.
You really need to be 18 in america to skydive? Wow. In Austria( no kangoroos) you can start with 15! I did it and it was great! I got 74 jumps now! I am willing to start base! But first i need to get some more experience in skydiving!
yes, you want to skydive as much as possible!
do u like to poo? how do u poo?
To learn BASE jumping and to become a proper licensed base jumper for that whom should I contact.
My what’s app no:-9962377082
Start by skydiving, a lot!
But from which place I should start to learn the skydiving.
I am currently living in India and I am willing to relocate too for learning skydiving.
I want to base jump not Sky dive… I am a pilot that has flown many sky divers. Base jumping is a whole different level…. quit talking about skill… throw it and hope it opens lets be real people!!! no second you are throwing yourself off a ledge and hoping it opens. takes skills just balls. I am willing to throw myself off any ledge with a pilot in my hand… just havent been asked because I dont hold a “sky diver certificate in my hand” I will fly you if you fly me!” Literallly…. look into me!
beautiful thing about base jumping… is that it takes no license or flight medical to do so… actually the only free sport in the world. Find a drop zone and go!!!
Hey JT, and steph this is for you both, really? licensed base jumper? I would being willing to bet you have a school for it and have forgotten the true form of where base jumping came from??? No License, no certificates, just launching from the platform of your choice! Whens the last time did you do that? You are just trying to make money off of the industry!!digusting. These people are full of shit!!!
So Google what a licensed base jumper is? Not real they are trying to teach you and charge you for something there is no real certificate for… look into it!
There are drop zones all over the world–just do a quick google search for skydiving in any country, and you’ll find them everywhere!