Pierre hucks 245ft
Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:06 pm
JACKSON, Wyo. - A Utah skier says he has set a world-record cliff jump at the Grand Targhee Resort in Wyoming, dropping 245 vertical feet off the back of Fred's Mountain.
Jamie Pierre, 32, of Salt Lake City, said Friday he made his record-breaking jump on Wednesday as a way to spread the Christian word. He has previously dropped 180 feet and said he had been calculating this jump and waiting for perfect conditions for years.
"It wasn't some yahoo stunt," Pierre said. "I chose to do it so it would open up doors so I could witness my faith in Christianity."
Pierre said he had evaluated the jump for at least seven years before determining that his ability and conditions were right. Teton Gravity Research, a company that specializes in filming radical ski feats, measured the distance from the cornice to the landing hole with a range-finder to confirm the world record, he said.
The previous world record was set by Paul Ahern of New Zealand, who jumped 225 feet in 1995, according to an article in Skiing Magazine that mentions Pierre's jumping exploits.
Five photographers and three cinema shooters recorded the event, said Josh Nielsen of Teton Gravity Research.
"It was a really, really heavy and intense experience for all of us," Nielsen said.
He said Pierre managed the event and that the others were "kind of along for the ride."
Observers were solemn before the jump, Nielsen said, adding that Pierre said a prayer before taking off and clocked four full seconds of air time.
About 100 feet into the jump, Nielsen said, Pierre couldn't keep his skis under him and went upside down. He landed headfirst and blew a hole 6 feet deep into the snow.
Nielsen said a photographer rushed in and dug Pierre out of the snow.
"Jamie pretty much walked away with a cut lip," he said.
Pierre said he was lucky to be alive.
"I'm lucky I didn't get hurt," he said.
Pierre said he landed in the perfect spot.
"I hit the nail on the head," he said. "The fact that I came out unscathed and landed where I planned - faith played a role in it."
Pierre said he took grief from his wife and parents for his jump. He was born in Minnesota and moved first to Crested Butte, Colo., and then to Salt Lake City to ski.
Pierre works with his father as a custom-furniture maker and for a lawn irrigation business.
Susie Barnett-Bushong, spokeswoman for Grand Targhee, warned anyone against trying to duplicate Pierre's jump.
"This is nothing that an average recreational skier or snowboarder should consider doing," she said Friday. Even for elite skiers, she said, "we would never recommend anybody try this."
In January 2005, skier Brent "Newt" Newton died after jumping off a 50-foot cliff at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Paul Ruff, a former world-record holder with a cliff jump of 110 vertical feet, died in 1993 on a 160-foot attempt.
Jamie Pierre, 32, of Salt Lake City, said Friday he made his record-breaking jump on Wednesday as a way to spread the Christian word. He has previously dropped 180 feet and said he had been calculating this jump and waiting for perfect conditions for years.
"It wasn't some yahoo stunt," Pierre said. "I chose to do it so it would open up doors so I could witness my faith in Christianity."
Pierre said he had evaluated the jump for at least seven years before determining that his ability and conditions were right. Teton Gravity Research, a company that specializes in filming radical ski feats, measured the distance from the cornice to the landing hole with a range-finder to confirm the world record, he said.
The previous world record was set by Paul Ahern of New Zealand, who jumped 225 feet in 1995, according to an article in Skiing Magazine that mentions Pierre's jumping exploits.
Five photographers and three cinema shooters recorded the event, said Josh Nielsen of Teton Gravity Research.
"It was a really, really heavy and intense experience for all of us," Nielsen said.
He said Pierre managed the event and that the others were "kind of along for the ride."
Observers were solemn before the jump, Nielsen said, adding that Pierre said a prayer before taking off and clocked four full seconds of air time.
About 100 feet into the jump, Nielsen said, Pierre couldn't keep his skis under him and went upside down. He landed headfirst and blew a hole 6 feet deep into the snow.
Nielsen said a photographer rushed in and dug Pierre out of the snow.
"Jamie pretty much walked away with a cut lip," he said.
Pierre said he was lucky to be alive.
"I'm lucky I didn't get hurt," he said.
Pierre said he landed in the perfect spot.
"I hit the nail on the head," he said. "The fact that I came out unscathed and landed where I planned - faith played a role in it."
Pierre said he took grief from his wife and parents for his jump. He was born in Minnesota and moved first to Crested Butte, Colo., and then to Salt Lake City to ski.
Pierre works with his father as a custom-furniture maker and for a lawn irrigation business.
Susie Barnett-Bushong, spokeswoman for Grand Targhee, warned anyone against trying to duplicate Pierre's jump.
"This is nothing that an average recreational skier or snowboarder should consider doing," she said Friday. Even for elite skiers, she said, "we would never recommend anybody try this."
In January 2005, skier Brent "Newt" Newton died after jumping off a 50-foot cliff at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Paul Ruff, a former world-record holder with a cliff jump of 110 vertical feet, died in 1993 on a 160-foot attempt.
Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:10 pm
OMG!!!
Do you have to land on the skiis or just have to land?
Do you have to land on the skiis or just have to land?
Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:22 pm
quote from article: "It wasn't some yahoo stunt," Pierre said. "I chose to do it so it would open up doors so I could witness my faith in Christianity."
Um, Cuckoo, Cuckoo
Um, Cuckoo, Cuckoo
Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:24 pm
apparently just have to hit something.
Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:28 pm
By the sounds of this article, I guess you just have to go the distance and survive to tell the story.Originally posted by CreepingCharlie
OMG!!!
Do you have to land on the skiis or just have to land?
Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:41 pm
Originally posted by Sabres
By the sounds of this article, I guess you just have to go the distance and survive to tell the story.
So I guess some idiot could jump a few feet higher and live, gets the record.
Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:04 pm
Correct. If you were to go and ski off of a 256ft. cliff and live, you would hold the record till someone else breaks it.Originally posted by CreepingCharlie
So I guess some idiot could jump a few feet higher and live, gets the record.
Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:25 pm
Originally posted by cavalierlwt
quote from article: "It wasn't some yahoo stunt," Pierre said. "I chose to do it so it would open up doors so I could witness my faith in Christianity."
Um, Cuckoo, Cuckoo
MORE POWER TO THIS GUY!
Darwin has to thin the herd somehow.
Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:51 am
He think he should try for 250. 
Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:28 am
He think he should try for 250
Chacal... You are TOO funny!!
That guy is an idiot. I'm glad he survived and all, but what a moron! I'd be willing to be he doesn't survive the next one!
Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:01 am
wowzers that is high!
Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:26 am
I love that he spent at least 7 years calculating and waiting for the perfect conditions and before he could determine that his ability was just right.
Yet, he attributes his survival (since that's what this really is) to faith.
Yet, he attributes his survival (since that's what this really is) to faith.
Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:51 pm
Originally posted by Major SONAR
That guy is an idiot. I'm glad he survived and all, but what a moron! I'd be willing to be he doesn't survive the next one!
My point exactly
Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:57 pm
Thats amazing!...