From the NPS Morning Report . . .

[NickDG 23]

The below is the only arrest for BASE jumping in Yosemite I've heard of this summer.

We must be getting better at it . . .

Nick BASE 194

From the NPS Morning Report:
http://data2.itc.nps.gov/morningreport/

Yosemite National Park (CA)
BASE Jumping Arrest

At dusk on Sunday, September 12th, Valley ranger Carly Lober was on foot patrol in El Capitan Meadow when she heard parachutes open above her. She saw Chad Peabody, 23, and Catherine Hansen, 19, of Bremerton and Gig Harbor, Washington, respectively, land at the east end of the meadow. They gathered up their chutes and ran into a grove of trees. Lober caught up to them as they were trying to finish packing their equipment into stash bags and arrested them. All their gear, including a helmet-cam video tape of the approach and jump, was seized as evidence. On September 14th, Peabody and Hansen appeared in federal magistrate’s court in the park and pled guilty to illegal jumping charges. They were sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation, fined $2,000 each, and forfeited all their jumping gear. [Submitted by Dan Horner, Special Agent]

[piisfish 135]

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fined $2,000 each

that's an expensive jump ticket...

is Yosemite a place where BASE is illegal, or is it because they trespassed ?

I'm not really clear with US regulations on BASE jumping...

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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The below is the only arrest for BASE jumping in Yosemite I've heard of this summer.

We must be getting better at it . . .

Are you sure about this? I've heard talk that some people are communicating with the NPS, so things may get better in the future. But what concerns me here is that this is a recent incident (two weekends ago) and the guilty are people we know, and who often post here. Plus it really sucks that they got fined $2000 and lost their gear. But those are some of the risks we take I guess?

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[TomAiello 25]

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is Yosemite a place where BASE is illegal, or is it because they trespassed ?

BASE is illegal in all National Parks in the US. This includes Yosemite (as well as most of the other terminal cliffs in the states).

Chad, Katie, I know we talked about this before and after. I feel for you guys. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. There's spare gear sitting in my basement if you need some.

Everyone else, Let's be sensitive to the fact that these two jumpers are regular posters here, and our friends. I'm sure there is still some soreness over this.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[TomAiello 25]

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All their gear, including a helmet-cam video tape of the approach and jump, was seized as evidence.

On the plus side, I've heard a rumor that they'll get the camera and video back (once copies have been made for the evidence locker).

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[piisfish 135]

thanks for the answer.

does that mean they will never see their gear again ??

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Zennie 0]

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does that mean they will never see their gear again ??

That does bring up a question I've had for some time now. Does anybody know exactly what NPS does with forfeited gear? Do they just store it forever? Burn it? Sell it at auction?

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[TomAiello 25]

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does that mean they will never see their gear again ??

Yes.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[TomAiello 25]

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That does bring up a question I've had for some time now. Does anybody know exactly what NPS does with frofeited gear?

As far as I know, it's all held in an evidence room somewhere. Apparently Brenda McGlynn once got access to the evidence room (legally--some story about being the manufacturer [which, in fairness, she was] and needing to check for stolen gear) and reported that there were rigs that had been locked in there since the 80's.

Hmmm. If my gear were stolen by a young, foolish jumper and taken to NPS land and confiscated, would I have a legal right to it's return (assuming that I had reported it stolen in advance)? Food for thought...

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[fenceline 0]

Canadian law agencies, once evidence has been seized keep it for court. In a case where no charges are laid, the agency returns it to the owner or the agency auctions it if the owner is not located (or destroys it if it is illegal ie fake money, shrubbery etc) Once the "evidence" has gone through the courts, the agency no longer holds it for "evidence" purposes. Rather, the courts now become the care taker, for any appeal processes that may occur. I would assume something similiar occurs in the U.S., but can only guess.

There may be an application process where they can get there gear back. Might cost money, but probably not as much as buying it all over again. Again, not 100% sure.

Just my $0.02 Cdn

[outrager 6]

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Canadian law agencies, once evidence has been seized keep it for court.

In Norway rigs seized at the illegal wall used to be sold at a public auction. I remember Thor Alex got his gear back at a nominal cost
bsbd!

Yuri.

[ZegeunerLeben 0]

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As far as I know, it's all held in an evidence room somewhere.

>>I propose the creation of the BASE Gear Liberation Front! Who's sole duty it is to rally the masses in firm and vigilant resolution to free this unjustly and historically signifigant confiscated gear!

[Faber 0]

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In Reply To
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does that mean they will never see their gear again ??

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Yes.

to me this sounds really stupied.. i mean.. do they keep your cars aswell after a speeding ticket?

YES the gear were used in an Illegal way but the gear it self aint illegal as there are serval places were you could jump legal....

Its even more odd that people aint are offere to pay some kind of a fine to get their gear back(if taken by law)

sometimes im happy that i live were i do,even if that means that i have to pay that much in Tax

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[pattersd 0]

A legal and technical point BASE jumping in a national park is not illegal, doing it without a permit is. They won't issue permits, with the exception of Bridge Day, so with the exception of bridge day, any jump made is illegal because a permit has not been issued.
The NPS has tried to propagate the perception that BASE jumping is illegal, but that is not what the law says, we should not be helping them deny access to our parks. Even their recent relaxation in their position does not go so far as to say that BASE jumping is legal.

[ZegeunerLeben 0]

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Its even more odd that people aint are offere to pay some kind of a fine to get their gear back(if taken by law)

>>I know a jumper who got busted but was allowed to pay a $1000 fine to get his gear back. I think it's just the NPS that plays for keeps.

[Zennie 0]

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If my gear were stolen by a young, foolish jumper and taken to NPS land and confiscated, would I have a legal right to it's return (assuming that I had reported it stolen in advance)?

There might be a lot of legal wrangling over it, but I believe that yes you would be entitled to it (after all legal proceedings requiring it as eveidence were completed).

It is your property, it was wrongfully taken from you and used without your consent. If someone steals your gun and then uses it to commit, say, armed robbery, I'm pretty sure you are legally entitled to get it back.

The main thing would be proving that the rig was indeed stolen.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[NathanL100 0]

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Valley ranger Carly Lober was on foot patrol in El Capitan Meadow

Does anyone know what foot patrol implies? I.E. Was she walking through the meadow or on one of the trails? Or was she hiding in the meadow (sneaky fuckers) ? Just curious...

Base # 942
The race is long and in the end, its only with yourself.

[TomAiello 25]

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...BASE jumping in a national park is not illegal, doing it without a permit is....

Ah, yes. You are, of course, correct. Having been turned down for something like 50 permits now (my letter writing campaign doesn't seem to have had any recognizable effect, though), I know that well.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[TomAiello 25]

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Valley ranger Carly Lober was on foot patrol in El Capitan Meadow

Does anyone know what foot patrol implies? I.E. Was she walking through the meadow or on one of the trails? Or was she hiding in the meadow (sneaky fuckers) ? Just curious...

It's actually my third hand impression that a climbing ranger on the wall had radioed in before the jumpers had even landed.

"Foot Patrol" just means hanging out, walking around. Usually it's about keeping the kids from smoking pot in the meadow, the drunks from being too rowdy, and giving Aunt Ethel directions to Curry Village.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[riggersam 0]

>All their gear, including a helmet-cam video tape of the approach and jump, was seized as evidence.

>On the plus side, I've heard a rumor that they'll get the camera and video back (once copies have been made for the evidence locker).

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Interesting... After getting busted in 1995 at "the large lake", my gear (two rigs) was returned after 5 years, but they refused to return the video tape.

[Zenister 0]

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As far as I know, it's all held in an evidence room somewhere.

>>I propose the creation of the BASE Gear Liberation Front! Who's sole duty it is to rally the masses in firm and vigilant resolution to free this unjustly and historically signifigant confiscated gear!

hhhmmm

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[ultraviolet 0]

Free The Parks !

This is a perfect example of how BASE jumping can be safely enjoyed without endangering others.

It's time for BASE jumping to be re-evaluated by the NPS as a legitimate sport.

[Zennie 0]

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It's time for BASE jumping to be re-evaluated by the NPS as a legitimate sport.

And sounds like we're making some progress on that front.

I'd also request that those of us going to Bridge Day show the attending NPS staff respect and gratitude. Bridge Day is always a great opportunity to meet NPS folks in a non-hostile, non-confrontational atmosphere.

Whenever I'm there I make it a point to say "thank you" to the rangers who I see. Every one I talked to really appreciated it and loved watching us jump.

In fact, with about 45 minutes to go last year I landed and one of the female rangers smiled and said "Hurry up & pack! You can get another one in!"

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[skypuppy 1]

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In Reply To
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does that mean they will never see their gear again ??

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Yes.

to me this sounds really stupied.. i mean.. do they keep your cars aswell after a speeding ticket?

__________________________________________________

Up here in Canada, the sentence depends on the crime. For illegally netting fish out of season you forfeit not only your boat, but the trailer and vehicle you used to bring it out to the lake. So, base-jumping-wise, in some places they might decide to take not only your gear, but any vehicle you've used to get to the site...

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[pgpilot 0]

I apologize if this has been covered in another thread-
but is there an address and contact name to which we can send letters of support for opening NPS sites?