base915

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGp11wz2G3Y

Hey Gunnnar, Looks like a good suit. Any info on how easy it is to find the pull. Does the extra wing get in the way? (I'm thinking about the non aircraft jumps)

If you can stretch your budget hire a car. It would make so many more jumps accessible, there's stuff to jump on the way from Lauterbrunnen to Brento. Also, It'd be a fairly safe bet to assume you'd hook up with another jumper or two who are transportless and would share the cost. Brento is better with your own transport. M.

Depends what you like. Who are you?

PS: these are the mutts nuts http://www.salewa.com/equipment_crampons.php?chid=293&m=4&lang=uk&sid=ca4eae235d05a9b1c25cd5cd0bb12fcb&prid=52&ac=det Christal sports (Intersport) in Lauterbrunnen has (or had) them in stock.

I'll be in the valley that weekend and will probably be able to show you around, pretty sure there will be other jumpers there too, the horner's deffo the place to hook up. http://www.hornerpub.ch PM if you want more info

I like this one. Taken by Jodeboo.

Hey JP, I think I took the one of you but handed the camera to James B for the one of me. Nice photos

Sorry for not saying this sooner but, my heartfelt condolences to the Hungarian jumpers their friends and family. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's my only apology in this thread. I agree to some extent, you have to filter through a fair amount of useless shite on this forum to get some useful information BUT that's the nature of the beast. This is an internet forum not a news service!! This is exactly what it is for; speculation, opinions, discussion, information. It's all part of a process. I personally think this thread has been very useful, the speculation at the start has prompted a quick release of more accurate useful information, the underlying motive throughout being concern! Concern for those involved, concern for the well being of aspiring jumpers, concern for the image and reputation of our sport, concern for the continued access to one of the most beautiful sites in the world. I think it shows a wonderful shared passion for our sport and as such I don't think apologies are altogether necessary. That said, information gained is only useful if it is acted on.... That's all I've got to say about that. Mike [Also bored on an oil rig]

The previous 'beginner' death this year was from Yellow O. Hand held 1-2 sec delay with an offheading opening. Bouncing all the way down from the top. Horrific to watch. All jumps in the the valley are for experienced jumpers. The signs at the exit point need to be changed to reflect this.

No, no more info than I've read here. I meant that people are repeating avoidable fatal scenarios. Two pull-up-round-the-PC fatalities this year and two jumpers dying on their second ever BASE jumps in the valley. How sad is that?

That's the second pull-up-cord-round-the-PC death and second beginner-in-Lauterbrunnen death this year. If there are any people viewing who intend to start BASE jumping read this: http://hometown.aol.com/base194/myhomepage/base_fatality_list - don't repeat the mistakes. It makes you look foolish if you do. I think it's time for controlled access to the valley sites. Mike

Are you suggesting just sticking the nose of the toggle through the brake setting rather than using the white loop? Does this offer anything other than the obvious (but, I would argue, marginal) increase in security and savings in wear-and-tear from not involving the white loop where it's not necessary? In Apex's Owner's Manual, it specifically says not to use the white loop when going slider up, just to tuck it to the side. Why, I don't know. My ignorance shows. Can anyone chime in? If you use the white loop when the break line is going through the keeper ring (slider up) the loop can jam against the ring when you try to release the breaks. This can be fixed but takes valuable seconds to do so. M.

Very familiar, spooky even. Here's mine: Atmosphere 2 pin rig. Dagger 277, big mesh slider. 38" Vented ZP PC. Phoenix Fly tracking jacket and pants. (No helmet... idiot) Nothing different to usual pack job except that I changed the slider control bungies, cut a small bungie in half and larks headed it round the centre C line attachments. Bungied slider to both centre C's with an extra wrap (2-3 wraps can't remember which) because of the thinner bungie. I think I also changed the primary stow bungie in the tail pocket, I'll check and confirm... anyway, double wrapped the primary stow. Solo jump. Good track from "The Nose", 8 - 10 sec, pitched over the little field behind the farm. A noticably slow opening, looked up and thought 'not good', looked down and thought 'not good either', passed the tops of the trees descending quickly under a canopy that looked like a bow tie. Braced for impact, the canopy started stalling out and dumped me on my heels and flat on my back from just short of tree height (I think). Really thought I'd fucked myself. But, missed every rock in the field (got to love Swiss farmers for keeping their fields tidy ;-) Once I'd checked that I could feel and move fingers and toes and that all limbs, back, head and neck were, reasonably, intact. I got out of my gear where I impacted thinking 'you lucky, lucky bastard!' and checked the canopy. The tail pocket had come up over the bridle then passed back under the bridal, back between the first pass and the bridle attachment piont, then headed back to it's usual place at the back of the canopy. So, tied it's self in a locked-off knot. Bizzare. The only thing I can think of that caused this was slowing the opening down too much. The canopy didn't fly too well, the front edge was pulled back a bit and the back edge a lot, very little response to toggle input. My verdict: don't slow your openings down too much or random things start happening. [Injuries: broken wrist, bruised heel, dislocated rib, wrenched knee, loose teeth and a badly bitten tongue. Every one say 'Ahhh, poor thing!']

Yup, spoke to my g.f. in the valley today. There is snow lying on the top of Mannlichen 2230m (the peak behind Wengen). The Eigergletscher station, where you start walking, is 2320m so probably far too much snow on the walk. The next bit I post because I'd rather have given out good information instead of reading about a fatality because of poor or no info. Forewarned is forearmed. The photo shows the different routes (that I know about): (Please, people who are familiar with the route double check my drawing, I'm no artist ;-) Red: the usual 'easy' walking/scrambling route. No climbing involved. Yellow: the climbing sections with dodgy fixed ropes, cuts some time of the approach but only if you are a confident climber. Please don't trust your weight to the ropes unless it's your last resort i.e. actually falling off! Blue: snow route, kicking steps. I've not done this one but I'm told it's pretty quick. However, winter climbing /mountaineering experience would be a pre-requisite, not really for the climb but if you slip and start sliding then you need to have some idea of how it stop yourself. It's a fantastic jump BUT the approach is not for the faint hearted or unfit. Mountain experience is essential, if you don't have any go with someone who does. The Horner Pub in Lauterbrunnen is the place to find these people. Mike.

http://www.ihi.com

Thanks for the info but could you be more specific please. Which 3rd party switch and does this third party switch have the necessary 3 pin connector to connect it to the camera? Cheers. Mike

Hello, can anyone help; I just bought a tongue switch to use with my Canon D20 but the plug doesn't fit. The female socket on the camera is 3 pin and the male on the switch is a single 2.5mm plug. Does anyone know if there is an adaptor that will convert the 2.5mm plug to 3pin and allow me to use the tongue switch? Or do I have to buy the hand remote for the D20 and cut it and the tonge switch and splice the two together? Also, does anyone just use the hand switch? Cheers. Mike

STAY PUFF!!!! I'll have you know I have a slim and silf like 100kg exit weight! - stay puff my arse.

I'm not that cold. I wouldn't post if anyone was badly hurt. Uncle C is right, bruised egos and minor scratches only. Let me repeat what I said: 'No matter what happens, no matter what shit you see during free fall, no matter how concerned you are for your fellow jumper, don't forget to PULL! I learned a valuable lesson, you have to be a little cold, no one can save you but you, and going in out of sympathy won't help out your fellow jumper ;-) One huge scoop from the luck bucket.' I posted this on a BASE section so BASE jumpers could hopefully learn from my mistake and my fellow jumper's mistake. It's entertaining but only because no one got (badly) hurt. Essentialy it was stupid thing to do. I never thought I'd loose altitude awareness on a BASE jump, however, I got distracted on this one. The low pull was not deliberate, niether were the last two flips. This was a badly executed jump. We were lucky. End of story. Mike.

Please, no more. My sympathies to the survivors, my thoughts are with you.

Second fatality was from YO. This was the jumpers second base jump. He went hand held, packed slider down. Started to rotate head low on exit, pitched and started to drop his right shoulder. Chute opened with a fast 180 right, he was on his left riser immediately but impacted the cliff and continued to impact the cliff a number of times till the tallus.

Rolleigh. The valley, summer 2005.

Last week was OK, bit wet on the Wednesday but all exits accessible. There were some small snow chutes/avalanches on the way to La Mouse and the platform on Yellow is a bit hard and icy. There's been a bit of snow since but should be OK if you know the routes (of course you do) Cheers. Mike

Hey Rapid Peter, cheers for the photo. What happened to you for the Spain trip in Feb? Going to the valley this weekend with Ted etc, fancy? M