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JumpSurfRepeat

Winter's Impact on Jumping

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Hi Everyone. So here I am about to get my A-License and holy sh*t this sport is awesome! I could easily imagine myself doing this forever.

I do have a question for jumpers who live in areas where the winter season makes jumping impossible. Here in Washington State, the cloud cover definitely renders this true.

During that time of year, what is your approach to keeping on skydiving? I can only imagine that you'd have to travel somewhere you can jump (which can get pricey, needless to say. Expense is part of the sport, and I get that.) USPA regulation says you have to jump once every 60 days to stay current.

Is this enough to stay safe though? With muscle memory loss and other factors I'd think you should jump more (Plus more jumping = more fun ;).) What would you say is a reasonable minimum? Any pointers on attaining that minimum without shelling out ridiculous dollars?

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As you jump this summer, hang out at the end of the day. Socialize. Then you'll find out what the people at your DZ do for the winter. That way you'll not only know one option, you'll have built-in friends doing it at the same time if you schedule it.

Options include winter hop and pops, tunnel, more tropical DZ's (e.g. Perris or Z-Hills), and winter boogies (Eloy, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, etc). Or just doing a recurrency jump when it's spring.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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In Wisconsin we keep on jumping, just a lot less and it's harder to round up loads. It's actually not really that bad as long as all skin is covered to protect from the extreme wind chill. Think about it, you're really only exposed for 5 minutes or so tops. Hell I spend all day skiing and riding snow machines outside if I'm not jumping. Jumping over snow cover is beautiful, and the cold dense air feels different. I also take trips, hit the tunnel, etc. Lately I've done so much "work" jumping all summer that come winter I'm perfectly OK with taking a bit of a break.

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JumpSurfRepeat

Hi Everyone. So here I am about to get my A-License and holy sh*t this sport is awesome! I could easily imagine myself doing this forever.

I do have a question for jumpers who live in areas where the winter season makes jumping impossible. Here in Washington State, the cloud cover definitely renders this true.

During that time of year, what is your approach to keeping on skydiving? I can only imagine that you'd have to travel somewhere you can jump (which can get pricey, needless to say. Expense is part of the sport, and I get that.) USPA regulation says you have to jump once every 60 days to stay current.

Is this enough to stay safe though? With muscle memory loss and other factors I'd think you should jump more (Plus more jumping = more fun ;).) What would you say is a reasonable minimum? Any pointers on attaining that minimum without shelling out ridiculous dollars?



Alaska Airlines direct flights from SEA to PHX 2 hours.... 1 hour drive to Eloy... They have a great Tunnel and huge fleet of aircraft and bunkhouse and team trailers to stay in as well as food and liquid entertainment at the Bent Prop and pretty good weather all winter long. Take a long weekend once a month and jump your butt off then try to get any hop and pops you can at your local DZ.. and take advantage of those 2 days of sunny weather but cold when you can get those rare days of full altitude. I did that for a few years... travel light... put your rig in a carry on...


Edited to add.... hanging out at Kapow on weekends is hella fun.. even if the weather is in sucky mode. They will put up loads anytime the sky will allow it... seriously... BUT you have to be there to take advantage of any short breaks in the weather. You are surrounded by great people... with tons of experience..... it does not get much better than that.

OH and to keep the expenses down... get an Alaska Airlines VISA card... and use it for any and everything you can put on it and pay it off every month... you get the airline miles..... as well as a companion ticcie option once a year to take a friend along. I still use my airline miles for pretty much free flights a few times a year.

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^^all that stuff.

Also: 100 jumps per year is a good minimum number to maintain skills. Jumping less you will be remembering everything each time, not using it or building on it. Its common to do just a couple jumps to stay current in the winter and focus your jump time to the rest of the year, though we do get those cold clear days in winter and you can layer up and jump.

Eloy Christmas Boogie is a lot of fun, though it's cold down there too at least they get sun and skydives. Last year I counted 21 of us from all around WA, you should come!

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We jump until 15 degrees F and I've jumped even colder than that. It's managable but really, really cold.

A couple of times my hands have felt frozen until I dialed in my clothing and gloves. It's a really bad pain and makes it much harder to effectively use your toggles, especially since your hands are up getting even less blood flow.

Now that we have three tunnels nearby (US Midwest) it's a lot less tempting to jump in the cold but still fun.

My advice is talk to experienced instructors about gear. You don't want bulky gloves or anything that interferes with your handles, etc.

I usually wear two pairs of ski socks, two or three layers of Under Armour cold gear, Sirius Extreme gloves, a full face, and a Nike neck warmer thing. I see some people wear ski liners under their gloves which is probably a good idea.

The advice about going to Eloy in the Winter sounds good. I've done it and enjoyed it. Eloy has a lot of visitors so be careful out there too.
Chance favors the prepared mind.

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Last couple years I've gone down to Eloy in the middle of winter. I'm leaning toward increasing the number of trips I make there -- it's not super expensive to get there, and it really is a nice place in the dead of winter. I'm also planning to hit Sebastian, FL this year.
I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

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Get some good winter gloves, like cross country ski gloves. The DZ sells some good winter gloves for about $15. I bought a pair and they're great. Also pick up some good base layers and polar fleece. Make sure you wear a jumpsuit. Turtlenecks are your friend. :D

Keep an eye on the weather and just come out if it gets nice at all. November and December can be pretty poor, but Feb. and March actually traditionally have some great jump weather, at least a weekend or two a month, enough to stay current.

Keep your emergency procedures fresh by reviewing and practicing them. Spend a few minutes with an instructor to review your EPs monthly to make sure you're doing them correctly. Keeping things fresh in your mind goes a long way to maintaining currency, even if you can't "get in the air". :)

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Well you could do as all of these people say OR be a real man or woman and just jump naked:ph34r:

Joking aside if you've ever been snowmobiling and know what 90+mph windchill feels like its not much different you only spend 45 secs or so at terminal which you hardly notice the windchill in freefall as long as you have all of your exposed skin covered. The worst part is under canopy but with some snow on the ground its a tremendous view!!

Just layer up with underarmor, thermal underwear, long johns, sweat shirt, windproof light jacket and then put you jumpsuit over the top and you'll be fine.

Couple of do nots:

DO NOT layer so heavily and tightly that you limit your range of movement for pulling and for your emergency procedures.

If you are not going to wear a jump suit over everything MAKE SURE that you have access to you emergency handles. Imagine a high speed malfunction and your reserve handle has sucked up into a loose fitting polar fleece. Truly better off just wearing a jump suit.

If you are planning on jumping this winter buy your winter gloves now and make a few jumps with them this fall so you get the feel for them. It'll feel better when you hands have less feeling from the cold and from the gloves as well. This is especially true if you have to hang off the wing of a C-182 or a C-206 that strut can get liquid nitrogen cold as fuck!!

Or you could just go to Eloy, Florida or SoCal! Bonus if you can get into a canopy course and knock out your canopy requirements for your B-license and get in some good canopy coaching too.

I live in the upper Midwest and we have jumped all months of the year up here, if its above 25^F and the winds are nice we try to get jumps in its a great time. Have fun and congrats on your upcoming A-license.

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Thanks for the advice everyone! Absolutely helpful.


Amazon



Edited to add.... hanging out at Kapow on weekends is hella fun.. even if the weather is in sucky mode. They will put up loads anytime the sky will allow it... seriously... BUT you have to be there to take advantage of any short breaks in the weather. You are surrounded by great people... with tons of experience..... it does not get much better than that.



Definitely agree there! I consider it a huge privilege to jump at Kapowsin!

gunsmokex

Well you could do as all of these people say OR be a real man or woman and just jump naked:ph34r:



Is this legal/within USPA regulation? If so it's DEFINITELY on my list of things to do! Just not in winter :P

Am liking the idea of going to Eloy. The more I look into it, the more appealing it sounds. That place is HUGE! Three landing fields, tons of aircraft, places to eat/drink/ buy gear. Won't be as near and dear to my heart as my home DZ but definitely a will go.

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JumpSurfRepeat

Thanks for the advice everyone! Absolutely helpful.


***

Edited to add.... hanging out at Kapow on weekends is hella fun.. even if the weather is in sucky mode. They will put up loads anytime the sky will allow it... seriously... BUT you have to be there to take advantage of any short breaks in the weather. You are surrounded by great people... with tons of experience..... it does not get much better than that.



Definitely agree there! I consider it a huge privilege to jump at Kapowsin!

gunsmokex

Well you could do as all of these people say OR be a real man or woman and just jump naked:ph34r:



Is this legal/within USPA regulation? If so it's DEFINITELY on my list of things to do! Just not in winter :P

Am liking the idea of going to Eloy. The more I look into it, the more appealing it sounds. That place is HUGE! Three landing fields, tons of aircraft, places to eat/drink/ buy gear. Won't be as near and dear to my heart as my home DZ but definitely a will go.

I really do suggest keeping the nekkid jumps to summers at LPB|;)>:(... heck mebbe even a water jump into McGregor Lake once you have the license to do so.... I used to take a bunch of my old 70's Para-commanders and Papillons( rounds) and other 70's and 80's vintage squares and reserves and their rigs for the water jumps. Get good flotation for those jumps and get the proper water training... Kapow has training during the summer..... avail yourself... if needed get others who need that training as well and then ask at the DZ when they are coming up.
The top 10 feet of the water column is nice and refreshing

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It it's really cold there are some tips that can help. One, don't wear your gloves in the plane. Wiggle your fingers a lot for blood flow then put your gloves on just before exit so your hands don't get warm and sweaty in the plane then freeze on exit. Do lots of practice pulls, between gloves and cold things feel different. Under canopy can by the worst. By far. When your hands are on your toggles the blood has a hard time getting to them and the wind is blowing through your fingers. I like to get set up on a good direction then lower my hands and hold them behind my back and move my fingers around for circulation.
Every winter it's the same for me. My blood starts boiling and I need a jump. The first one hurts, but now I'm acclimated so I do a second. It hurts just as bad so then I go home to a very hot bath.
I edited to add this. See how good a grip you can get on your throwout with the gloves and know that it will be worse in the cold cold sky. In the summer I tend to just wrap my hand around it and pull it out but in the winter I'll insert my thumb into one side and a finger into the other of the opening that goes through it. This gives me a grip where slipping isn't a problem.
The best part is the hot bath afterwards. It's reminds you that it's good to be alive.

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Learn to dress for cold weather by donning in multiple layers of long underwear, sweaters, turtle-necks, neck warmers, etc. because your fingers will only stay warm if there is an excess of warm blood in your core.
To avoid over-heating on the ground, wear leave turtle-necks un-zipped and wait until after take-off before slipping on your neck-warmer.
The best gloves (for me) have thin, leather palms ( to reduce wind-chill) with big, puffy backs sides to hold it warmth. Thin, leather palms allow me to find all my handles by feel and they are loose enough not to restrict blood-flow.

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