Jumps with packed chute: 118
Jumps with unpacked chute: 619
Total number of rotations: In the neighborhood of 495
Type and number of unpacked jumps:
McConkeys: 278
Named for creator Shane McConkey, this is when you hang your unpacked parachute down in front of you with the topskin down, facing the opposite direction you are. You dive over it as far out as possible to keep some tension in the lines and, most importantly, to not fall into the canopy for a fatal “gift wrap”. While your body does a front flip falling faster than the light parachute material, the canopy rotates around right side up and facing forward before it inflates and begins flying. Pretty elaborate, huh?
Tards: 149
A Tard is when you prep your canopy by doing a line check, flaking the canopy material between line sets. You then hold the parachute where the lines attach to the canopy, coiling the lines in the same hand. You then throw the parachute into the air, flipping it upright while stepping off to fall and straighten your lines as fast as possible. Your weight yards out on the line and the canopy inflates, most of the time perfectly on heading.
McConkeys Retarded: 86
A slow front flip over a Tard, letting go when you’re almost upright.
Swing Unders: 73
When you have a tail wind and your hanging McConkey is inflating and blowing up in front of you, simply step off, swing under your parachute and begin flying.
McTwisters: 23
This is a sideways Swing Under, done when the winds aren't strong enough to blow your canopy out in front of you and aren't light enough to allow you to jump over it.
Utah Drops: 6
When you can't do a Swing Under in light winds because your canopy is barely getting pushed out, and you just have enough room to lightly step off and fall in front of it. You elevator drop with a canopy whizzing by your face before it inflates and begins flying. This is the stupidest and most dangerous method.
Blue (Floater McConkeys): 3
Ready your McConkey in no winds, then turn a 180 so you’re facing the bridge and jump backwards doing a floater. Kind of like a reverse Utah Drop, only a lot safer.
Tard Away (La Mousse): 1
Do a Tard, then fly for a while and cut the chute away, going back into freefall. Then you deploy another parachute before you die of rapid deceleration trauma.
Type and Number of Packed Jumps: Gainers: 15
Jump forward and flip backward.
2 X Gainers: 12
Jump forward and flip backward twice.
3 X Gainers: 12
Jump forward and flip backward three times—really.
Front Flips: 6
Face forward and flip forward. Pretty much just like it sounds.
Back Flips: 2
Face backward and flip backward.
Whipdy Flips: 1
Jump forward, throwing a sideways cartwheel Dan Osman-style, then do a 1/4 turn when you’re upright, and add a backflip before pulling the chute.
Handstand exit: 1
Just like it sounds.
Barrel Rolls: 8
A sideways turn in the air; a spin.
Double Barrel Rolls: 1
Spin twice.
Switch 180s: 4
Facing the bridge, do a half spin to face away before pulling the chute.
Front flip with full twist X2: 3
Twisting while flipping, twice.
Wild Turkey (Branny, back): 10
A Branny is when you do a half twist in the middle of your front flip when you’re head down. Then you do a backflip. Drink Wild Turkey and go to your local diving board and just go nuts, and this will naturally occur.
Ropeswing Base: 3
Ropeswing, release, fall, open parachute.
Side Float Video: 7
Facing sideways, step off and keep your helmet cam aimed at your subject, who is falling in the air beside you. Then, try to time when you pull your pilot chute so it opens close to when theirs does, but not too close to wrap up and kill you both.
Wingsuit Flights: 11
These things really move across the sky. They are easy and slow things down, making it not so scary and most relaxing, until you pull your chute. Hang on, because they get crazy when your parachute opens. Everything happens way faster while you’re trying to release your arms to work your parachute before you slam into the ground.
Kiss Ass Blaster: 8
Twisting triple. Front flip with a full twist, Branny, backflip.
Straight Air (visual): 10
Just jumping off straight. Easy as pie and you get the best visuals of ground rush this way.
Fun Facts
• Most jumps in one day: 86 using a crane; 23 hiking.
• Longest swoop: 130 foot swoop marks in the snow.
• Number of line twists: 4. All on a twisted McConkey. I tried to do a front flip full twist over to untwist as the canopy inflated, but I over thought it and twisted it the wrong way. Ask Nico [Lopez, Red Bull teammate] about it; he’s probably still laughing.
• Pushups issued for winning jump contests for accuracy, furthest flight, on heading, or happiest during a jump: 320
• Pushups done for losing these contests: 160
• Buildings jumped wearing a tuxedo: 1 (at Red Bull teammate Chris Santacroche's wedding)
• Cell phones killed from water landings: 1
• Highest wind jumped in: about 28 mph
• Times I've swooped the porcupine that lives in the landing area under the Perrine bridge in Twin Falls: 8
• How much vertical climbed: I only rode the boat eight times. You can have fun with the math on this one. I'm feeling pretty healthy now.
Total BASE jumps to date: 1,839
