New River Gorge Base Jumping or How To Base Jump Off a Bridge without Getting Fined

Here's a fun way to base jump off a bridge without getting a fine: participate in the Bridge Day extreme sports event - held every year in Fayetteville, West Virginia- USA.

Bridge Day is the largest extreme sports event and the largest gathering of BASE jumpers in the world, held on the third Saturday in October every year in Fayetteville, West Virginia, USA. More than 450 BASE jumpersfrom 10+ countries and 40+ US states will leap from the bridge, hundreds of rappellers will descend on fixed ropes, and up to 200,000 spectators are expected to attend this year's Bridge Day on Saturday, October 16, 2010.

The New River Gorge Bridge, 876' tall and the world's second longest single arch bridge, is the launch point for at least six hours (9am-3pm EDT) of legal, safe BASE jumps.

Source: http://www.bridgeday.info/

Bridge Day Base Jumping Video


Oh snap! Some guys open their parachute during the last seconds...







If you're not into base jumping then you can enjoy long abseils from the bridge down into the New River Gorge.

Did you know that the general public can get on a rope and zip off of the New River Gorge Bridge during Bridge Day? For the 7th year in a row, the Highline is back. There’s no experience necessary to get on the Highline (but you should sign up early). It stretches 600 feet down over the gorge from the beams of the bridge, and the public is invited to play.

And the Highline isn’t the only way to leave the bridge. Teams from around the world have come year after year to rappel and ascend on Bridge Day. The art of the rappel really comes to life in the shadow of the bridge.

It’s a wonderful blend of fearlessness and physics. People on the rappel lines are riding down -and up- ropes all Bridge Day long. As BASE jumpers whiz by at the mercy of gravity, those on rappel control their experience with friction.

Source: http://www.officialbridgeday.com/bridge-day-rappel

So, whether you want to participate or just watch, don't forget to go to Fayetteville next year!

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Information submitted by Brant Dempster who's into tree climbing and DIY projects. Check out his rope access blog.

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