Three Convicted Amid Shutdown-Related Surge in Illegal Base Jumps

Even with parts of the federal government on pause, Yosemite National Park isn’t letting BASE jumpers off easy. Park officials announced that three people were recently convicted for illegal parachute jumps off Yosemite’s formations amid a legal push to lift the 40-year ban against them.

BASE jumping has been prohibited in all national parks since the 1980s, though the culture was rich up to that point. Yosemite served as the birthplace of the sport, with its first leaps from El Capitan in the late 1970s. The National Park Service grounded the idea under its “aerial delivery” rule, and zero-tolerance enforcement has been upheld ever since… shutdown or not.

"We do not tolerate illegal activity in Yosemite National Park," said Yosemite Superintendent Raymond McPadden. "Our law enforcement rangers remain efficient, effective and vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These convictions demonstrate the professionalism and dedication of Yosemite’s protection team in upholding federal regulations and ensuring the safety of both visitors and first responders."

The three convictions, covering cases spanning from 2020 to 2024, include fines of up to $2,510, probation, brief jail sentences, and the forfeiture of parachutes and wingsuits. In one case, a jumper who crashed into a cliff was billed for his rescue.

Despite the crackdown, BASE enthusiasts continue to sneak in jumps, often at dawn or dusk, to avoid detection. A new nonprofit, BASE Access, has now taken the fight to court, arguing the ban is unconstitutional. The group claims that the Park Service’s enforcement pushes athletes into dangerous conditions and unfairly targets parachuting while allowing other high-risk sports such as climbing and skiing.

Their federal lawsuit, filed in Texas, challenges the National Park Service’s authority to criminalize parachute use without a law passed by Congress, especially under recent Supreme Court rulings that narrowed agency powers. A hearing is expected later this year.

Conservationists aren’t too happy with the NPS either… but for much different reasons. Groups like the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks have been vocal with their argument that even leaving parks open during shutdowns is “irresponsible” and “dangerous.”

FMI: www.nps.gov