Helmet camera captured deadly Yosemite cliff jump

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A camera on the helmet of cliff jumper Dean Potter, who died in Yosemite National Park, shows that he may have tried to avoid his friend who slammed into a ridge and then hit the rocks himself a split second later, a park official said.

It's not clear what went wrong, but authorities are using the video captured by Potter's GoPro and other images to reveal how he and Graham Hunt — both wearing wingsuits — died in the illegal stunt.

Mike Gauthier, the park's chief of staff, said images show that several seconds after the jump, Hunt clipped the right side of a notch in a ridge. Potter swooped left possibly to miss Hunt, Gauthier said, but then hit the rocks just beyond Hunt on the opposite side of the notch.

"It could have been an evasive maneuver," Gauthier told the San Francisco Chronicle in a Tuesday report (http://bit.ly/1Bac3v5 ). "Someone else said they saw a clipped piece of a tree up there, so we don't know for sure."

FULL story at link.



In this Monday, Nov. 15, 2010 photo provided by Tomas Ovalle, extreme athlete Dean Potter stands in front of El Capitan after a speed climbing attempt up El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Potter, renowned for his daring and sometimes rogue climbs and BASE jumps, and his climbing partner Graham Hunt were killed Saturday, May 16, 2015 after jumping from a 7,500-foot promontory called Taft Point in Yosemite National Park. (AP Photo/Tomas Ovalle)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2b3dcc38ab07440e8962070ed3d6a4e6/helmet-camera-captured-deadly-yosemite-cliff-jump

[morningfog]

3. Who asked you to feel anything?

Certainly not the article.

[LanternWaste]

14. Who allegedly is instructing you what to feel?

Who allegedly is instructing you what to feel about this incident?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

16. No. You're supposed to feel sociopathic and uncaring when white guys die.

Ask a stupid question...

[Sgt Preston]

21. A+.

[joshcryer]

34. +1

[DisgustipatedinCA]

70. No. No, they're not.

[Trajan]

73. And this is why you have no friends ....

It's the heartlessness ...

[phil89]

26. Grow up.

so what if he was a "white guy"?

[Rebubula]

32. LOL Wut?

Wow...what a mean spirited and racist post.

[ileus]

37. Nope...he died doing what he loved.

You think he's damaged the cliffs or something?

[trillion]

58. He was breaking the law with his jump. Sure it's his own life but he's influencing others, like the

guy who died first in this jump. And, injury and death is probably why it's an illegal stunt.

[hugo_from_TN]

62. He loved smashing his body against rocks?

[IDemo]

67. I rather doubt that in the last second or so before impact

he was thinking "God, I love doing this!"

[Exultant Democracy]

40. Nope, you should feel happy they went out like they wanted

Not in some lame car accident getting mowed down by a minivan running late to soccer practice, or the myriad of other mundane deaths that await the majority of us. When you die will the world care even an shred of an iota as much as it care about this?

You can feel sorry for the people they left behind who I am sure are hurting and try to show a modicum of respect to the dead. But don't feel too bad for sounding like a total jerk, I doubt they read this and if they did I doubt they would very much care what a person like you thinks.

[ZX86]

49. "They went out they way they wanted."

What they did was illegal and for good reason. Those idiots were selfish and stupid and paid the ultimate price. Now some civil servant will have to risk their own safety looking for them, scraping their remains off jagged rocks, and hauling it off in buckets. People who commit suicide in a violent manner whether intentional or not, are extremely selfish. Nobody wants to find and clean up people with gunshots to the head or dismembered bodies splattered across family recreational areas.

[titaniumsalute]

66. There are people who live life more on the edge

The problem comes when others are impacted by the decisions to live on the edge. If you like to drag race do it somewhere organized...not on the streets. If you like to base jump...do it where it's legal so rescue teams are more able to help when needed.

I have set up and fired professional fireworks displays for more than 20 years. Yes it is dangerous, but I have been through dozens of safety classes and know how to do it safely and legally. Hopefully I never have an accident. The main key though is to make sure the surrounding people remain safe.

[Marengo]

48. LOL! Yeah, that's gotta be worth some serious points...

towards your revolutionary street cred.

[Lex]

50. So this is your first thought?

smdh

[sorefeet]

2. They say he always had his dog Whisper

with him. I hope he didn't have him this time. Poor dog don't have no say so.

[morningfog]

4. His dog was not with him.

[hlthe2b]

6. Good... No, I'm not diminishing the loss of human life, but I hate putting one's pet at risk

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. me,too

I wish they would leave the dogs at home. Taking them is just wrong.

[Brother Buzz]

23. But Whisper was harnessed and roped on most of his climbs

http://deanspotter.com/whisper-dog/

[Sunlei]

29. He took excellent care of his dog.

[Brother Buzz]

30. He sure as heck did.

Perhaps he should have had a goat instead.

[Hoppy]

5. Stupid is as stupid does.

[riversedge]

8. They went down loving what

they did-and together. Horrible way to die but ....maybe for them--they will find peace. I hope their families do

[exboyfil]

10. really not a horrible way to die

I would prefer it to taking 2 years to die from cancer. The biggest shame is that he leaves a girlfriend with children that I think he was a father figure to. I don't know about the younger one. Lots of years lost though.

[secondwind]

9. While it may be lawbreaking, it harmed no one but himself.. and he paid the ultimate price n/t

[Hoppy]

11. The harm would be if they got snagged on a rock or outcrop

and other people were to risk their lives to save their stupid asses.

[exboyfil]

13. I wonder if this and summit ting should have fees to cover rescue

The sport really should cover the societal cost associated with it. I guess the argument could extend to lifeguards on public beaches as well.

[Xithras]

25. Exactly. It's not the cost of the recovery, but the danger it places others in.

There are places in Yosemite Valley that are incredibly hard to access and dangerous to visit , so they see very little foot traffic. The Ledge Route and Tenaya Canyon are obvious examples, but there are steep and dangerous places along the walls all throughout the Valley.

The NPS's worry isn't the cost of the rescue, but the fact that bodies from jumpers tend to end up high along the Valley walls in these hard to access and dangerous spots. Because the NPS isn't going to just leave dead bodies laying around in the park, it means that another human being has to risk his life to go into those risky places and retrieve it. That danger to others, and not the money involved, is the harm it places on society.

And it's worth mentioning that YOSAR saves very few lives. Yosemite is an incredibly unforgiving place and granite is not soft. When people fall in Yosemite, the result is usually body recovery.

[exboyfil]

12. It might be better to legalize it

They jump towards evening to avoid legal entanglements including loss of their equipment. just don,t go looking for a deep pocket if something goes wrong.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

45. Several years ago, BASE jumpers put on a demo at Yosemite

in an attempt to get NPS's blessing to pursue their sport. One jumper's parachute didn't open.

Needless to say, they didn't get the permission they sought.

[LanternWaste]

15. And his family. And his friends. And they will pay a price, too.

"it harmed no one but himself.." And his family. And his friends. And they will pay a price, too.

[handmade34]

18. family and friends know...

his choice, no harm

he died doing what he loved, I'm sure his family will have many fond memories

[happyslug]

17. How about the costs to recover the bodies?

Someone paid for the removal of the bodies and looking at the terrain we are talking about Helicopters. Helicopters fees are NOT cheap.

[tammywammy]

41. And if they request reimbursement from the estate they're heartless bastards.

That's what some will think at least. I think they should get reimbursed, the same if people get rescued due to their own stupidity.

[Plucketeer]

19. OK then....

So if no one but these daredevils were impacted (literally) - why IS it a violation of the law to do stuff like this??? Other'n bragging rights, the adrenalin rush or MAYBE some revenue return for their GoPro footage, HOW would these stunts be justified? As has been noted here already - there's some significant costs to taxpayers for the "clean-up" of these guy's failed taunt of fate. And even if there was a Gofundme cleanup cost drive, that still doesn't compensate those who put THEIR lives on the line to clean up the public park in the aftermath.
Not just with these jumper sorts - there have been rescue efforts in the past where rescuers lost their lives (or suffered injury) trying to save folks after they'd stupidly backed themselves into a corner. These jumpers were taunting fate - purposely to get their "jollies". I have to wonder if they ever objectively talked about the aftermath of the day they would fail? If you LIVE to taunt the ol' "Reaper", eventually he's gonna be annoyed enough with you to put an end to your teasing him. And from the great beyond, there's what? A heartfelt, but inaudible "sorry!" to those left to clean up (and pay for) the mess?

[psychopomp]

38. Yosemite Search and Rescue risk their necks to pick up their shattered bodies

Death by misadventure and suicide in Yosemite always necessitates the involvement of SAR. who have to put their lives just as much on the line to find and retrieve bodies off of ridges and outcrops.

[jberryhill]

55. Why not leave them for the birds?

Surely animal carcasses are nothing unusual there.

Who cleans up if an old mountain goat falls?

[Drahthaardogs]

47. Not entirely true.

Recovering bodies is expensive stuff as well as the investigation into his death. We will pay the bill for this.

[packman]

20. Wonder if it ever crossed his mind to get in a hot-air balloon

and jump out of it and avoid all those hard, bumpy things on the way down.

[mn9driver]

27. The hard, bumpy things are the whole point.

[Xithras]

22. It was probably the weather.

We've been having unsettled weather and winds in Northern California since last Thursday which dumped a bit of rain across most of the state, has been keeping our temperatures below normal, and will be dropping more rain and snow in the Sierra's starting tomorrow. When I heard that he'd been killed, I was a bit surprised that ANYONE would be doing that kind of thing in this weather. While it wasn't raining up there on Saturday, it was still a bit blustery across most of the mountain range.

My guess, as a person who wasn't there, hasn't seen the video, and was 90 miles away when it happened, is that the wind pushed them off course and they missed the notch in the rocks they were aiming for.

[Coventina]

24. Yosemite National Park should be sued for having those attractive nuisances.

Clearly, that is what is to blame, here....

[Sunlei]

28. The "wingsuit" was beautiful to see him fly. To dangerous a sport. National Geographic 'approved'

Mar 14, 2012 Dean Potters epic jump with Mt. Edens Bat for Lashes as the music.
Clip from the National Geographic documentary "The man who can fly"

[jomin41]

31. Limits must be pushed (no joke)

[mnhtnbb]

33. The ultimate narcissist engaging in illegal activity.

It's all about me!

[Monk06]

35. Wile E Coyote tried to warn us but no, we wouldn't listen....

[Skittles]

36. I think these kind of people are crazy

but I concede that life would be very boring indeed if no one took senseless risks

My sympathy to their loved ones

[FLPanhandle]

39. +1

God knows I've taken a few in my life and it's made it more exciting.

[Kaleva]

74. Many advances have been made by people taking senseless risks.

The inventor of video recording oneself doing something senseless and dangerous was a man by the name of Franz Reichelt and he did this in 1912.

Now we have tv shows on cable that are all about youtube videos of people getting themselves hurt doing stupid stuff.

[workinclasszero]

42. Darwin award winner

Gravity wins again. Couldn't see that coming.

More first world, idle rich folk problems.

[TexasBushwhacker]

61. Seems like inevitable suicide to me

They don't know when they will die, but it's a good chance it will be soon.

[roody]

63. well said

[PRB]

43. This should be illegal.

These activities are very dangerous. You have an entire industry that benefits by selling things like equipment, but then people die. It's not worth it. I get tired of seeing this.

[ManiacJoe]

44. In many places it is illegal.

[Lex]

51. Um, the article says it was illegal. nt

[PRB]

54. There should be stricter penalties

[jberryhill]

56. Why?

Pray tell what "stricter penalty" will deter someone who is determined to engage in an activity which has a substantial risk of death?

Let's see... I might die but, OMG there might be a huge fine.

[PRB]

75. You need examples in society.

If people are not deterred, then this will mushroom. It's insidious. Pretty soon you have an entire generation that grows up with this and it sticks. It's called common sense safety.

[jberryhill]

76. He's dead

You think there is some greater deterrent?

[PRB]

77. What about young kids?

What about younger people who do this because they take their inspiration from this person? What if being dead is deemed cool? If you're an adult, then you have this responsibility. If you're engaged in sports like this, then it's a given that you will be a role model. Whether you want that responsibility or not. No excuses for poor behavior.

[uppityperson]

78. How would stricter penalties stop "What if being dead is deemed cool?"

[PRB]

79. Getting a fine is not seen as cool

If the fine is stiff enough, then you're just hurting in the wallet. Nothing bad ass about getting a fine. It's not like being in jail.

[Travis_0004]

59. It is illegal.

But skydiving is not illegal, so of course there is a whole industry dedicated to skydiving, and some people will use that equipment for base jumping.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

46. Probably safer to do it indoors...

"

[quadrature]

52. to investigate this 'accident', follow the money ...nt

[boomer55]

53. Maybe they should have paid attention to the don't do this it's illegal

[roody]

57. This type of recreation is a luxury of the well-fed.

[Stella_Artois]

60. Very true

Only certain sorts of recreation should be legal until everyone is well fed.

[yurbud]

64. as long as they don't land on any innocent bystanders...

[sendero]

65. I really don't think "extreme athlete"...

... is accurate, these guys were daredevils pure and simple. I'm sure they got a serious adrenaline rush doing this, but like anyone who tempts fate enough times, they eventually lost.

I feel sorry for their families.

[treestar]

68. So I suppose they'll release the video?

Since that was the lead on the story.

Never heard of a "wing suit" but I suppose that allowed him in theory to jump and be able to ride it out - some type of parachute like thing?

[Crabby Appleton]

71. This isn't THE video

just shows wing suit flying

[treestar]

72. thank you

I did not know that even existed!