Now, I’ve written about a lot of extreme sports, but this one kind of ratchets up the definition of the phrase. It’s similar to basejumping, which is parachuting from a fixed structure or cliff. Except that wingsuiters wear a special outfit that creates a surface area by way of fabric under the arms and between the legs, not unlike the wings of a flying squirrel or bat. They also wear special parachute equipment they deploy to control the descent path after leaping.
Okay, but here’s the deal, according to our Batman hitchhiker. Although basejumping and hang gliding are legal in Yosemite Park (with restrictions), wingsuiting is not. The sport is legal throughout Europe, but anyone who hones their skills there and then eyes Yosemite Park or any other North American boulder that seems to invite leaping off it, has to worry big-time about detection and arrest. Therefore, they tend to jump only moments before dark, and land in far less open spaces than they would be able to in Europe, or than they would prefer to aim for if the sport were legal. In other words, to escape getting caught, they take on even more danger than the sport (which carries something like a 2% death rate) offers on its own. And if they upload videos of their activities, it can lead to arrest.
Imagine our Batman friend standing poised on a cliff hundreds of feet off the ground, waiting patiently for the sun to set. His eye is on a tiny clearing he hopes will be just large enough to not mess him up. His reward for pulling off the jump, stuffing his suit in his backpack and disappearing before park rangers arrive? “Zen-like moments” where all thoughts but the flight take over, and furthering his abilities within his chosen sport. That’s what he told us. I’d add a third: the ability to live another day.
Now, I’m not going to get involved in a discussion on whether wingsuit jumping should or shouldn’t be legal or enforced. But I will say that this is one sport I won’t be writing a novel about. Maybe it will become safer as more people get into it, equipment evolves and districts declare it legal. (I’d argue that hang-gliding went through that evolution.) And certainly, one person’s extreme sport is another’s safe, fun activity.
But in writing about so-called extreme sports, my goals have always been to:
Given the illegality of this sport in North America, it’s pretty hard to emphasize any safety aspect, which is rather hard to hone in on compared with others sports I’ve written about, anyway. So, I’ll pass. At the same time, I wish nothing but good luck to Batman and his compatriots. May they enjoy safe rides as long as they choose to pursue their passion.
Here’s a legal jump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2xmAWS4akE
