Squatters, illegal BASE jumpers invade Yosemite amid federal shutdown

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

Squatters, illegal BASE jumpers invade Yosemite amid federal shutdown

https://www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/yosemite-national-park-shutdown-illegal-activities-21093093.php

A little over a week since the Oct. 1 shutdown of the federal government, videos and photos have surfaced on social media showing visitors to Yosemite National Park engaging in dangerous and illegal behaviors, including BASE jumping from El Capitan and climbing Half Dome’s cables without permits.

A little over a week since the Oct. 1 shutdown of the federal government, videos and photos have surfaced on social media showing visitors to Yosemite National Park engaging in dangerous and illegal behaviors, including BASE jumping from El Capitan and climbing Half Dome’s cables without permits.

There's a new manga exhibit in the Bay Area!

“It’s like the Wild Wild West,” said John DeGrazio, founder of the tour company YExplore Yosemite Adventures.

BASE jumping from the park’s majestic granite monoliths and illegal climbs up Half Dome’s famous cables aren’t anything new. The jumps have been happening since the 1960s, and in his more than 200 times summiting Half Dome, DeGrazio has regularly encountered hikers without permits who are hoping to score somebody’s extra along the trail.

“This is different,” DeGrazio said after viewing a brazen post in the Aspiring Half Dome Hikers Facebook group about an illegal ascent. “These people are counting on no enforcement because of the shutdown.”

[tanyev]

1. I predict that won't end well for some of them.

Also, mind the bears.

[Retrograde]

2. And I predict the loved ones of some of those

will expect the Yosemite rangers to recover the bodies, and will try to sue for something or other.

[RockRaven]

3. I'm reminded of the BASE jumper who died at El Cap during a protest jump.

Back in the fall of 1999. The protest was because a BASE jumper had drowned in the Merced River that summer while fleeing from park rangers (who were trying to arrest/cite him because that's their job/the rules).

It was a planned protest, there were five activist jumpers and they had arranged with the park rangers that they would surrender upon landing and accept their citations and have their gear confiscated. The first three jumpers went fine. The fourth one, not. Her husband was filming the event too. Very sad, and traumatic to onlookers.

And there are many others, of course. About a decade ago there was a fellow with one of those flying/gliding suits who died.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

4. So tragic