Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Jumping into the Snake River Canyon!
No not us.
We spent the night in Twin Falls, Idaho on our way home from Yellowstone.
After dinner at Elevation 486 – a restaurant overlooking the Snake River Canyon – we went outside and got to talking with a local.
What else should we see while we were in Twin Falls? We’d already been to Shoshone Falls – they were conspicuously absent though the canyon was beautiful.
Without any hesitation she asked if we’d been to the Visitor Center at the nearby Perrine Bridge. No, we hadn’t. There we’d find the best views of the canyon, she said. AND we could watch the BASE jumpers jump off the bridge!
BASE as in Building, Antenna, Span, Earth, the dangerous sport of jumping from a fixed object with a parachute. In fact, the Perrine Bridge is the only place in the U.S. where BASE jumpers can practice their ‘sport’ legally, year-round without a permit.
So the next morning we went to the bridge and found exquisite views of the canyon.
We also saw jumpers as they made their way up to the bridge.
Some climbed over the rail, flinging their parachute into the air before jumping. (Click on pictures in the gallery to enlarge.)
Others balanced on top of the rail for the big jump.
Thankfully all landed safely on the ground.
Crazy? Yes.
Extreme and dangerous? Yes.
But BASE jumpers come from all over the world to jump off the Perrine Bridge.
And it’s thrilling to watch.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
Stunning views, gorgeous photos and daredevils too!
The Canyon was gorgeous, and it was thrilling to watch those (crazy) BASE jumpers!!
Fabulous scenery, Susanne. I am not scared of heights, but could never do those jumps at my age!
Best wishes, Pete.
The scenery was amazing! I am afraid of heights and wouldn’t even think of walking out on the bridge, much less, jumping from it! But it really was thrilling to watch!
This is something my sister’s might do. She loves bungee jumping and skydiving but she would need to go tandem. Great pictures!
Oh wow! I can’t even imagine doing it! But it was sure fun to watch! 🙂
Same, last time they went skydiving I took pictures from the ground.
Beautiful photos, the bridge is amazing. It seems like the police would be putting a stop to the jumpers who are nutters! 😂
Thanks. Actually it’s legal. BASE jumpers come from all over the world to jump off this bridge!
Wow, thanks for telling me this. They are still crazy though! 😱
Yep, I agree!!
Incredible photos, loved the landscape, and that bridge! Wow, thanks, C
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it! It was fun to stumble across the BASE jumpers. I’d heard of that extreme sport but never expected to witness it!
Nice pictures, Susanne. Certainly a different kind of jumping than I did.
Thanks so much Don! So you were a paratrooper! You probably jumped out of planes a bit higher than this! 🙂
Yes, more time to enjoy the flight down.
Wow! Great pictures, Susanne. They are braver than I’ll ever be.
Thanks! It was fun to watch! Something I would never do in a million years! 😁
Great photos, Susanne. That’s such a beautiful part of the country and the base jumpers are a bonus!
Thanks Graham! Seeing the Base jumpers was special!
My 11 year old grandson keeps telling us that as soon as he is 18 and doesn’t need parental permission he is going to take up the sport. Let’s hope he has more sense by then.
Let’s hope so. Too dangerous for mere mortals, and especially precious grandsons.
He has many such ideas. I sure hope he outgrows them.
Oh my word! Talk about an element of risk! That bridge is beautiful, though I’m sure your photography skills have something to do with it. 😊 I would be scared to even watch someone doing that. 😱
The canyon, river and bridge were all beautiful! The sport of BASE jumping is extreme and dangerous, but it was thrilling to watch. I was happy everyone landed safely. I read later there have been accidents and deaths there! 😐
😬