Shane McConkey, JT Holmes, Miles Daisher and Jesse Hall kick off 2007/08 ski season with BASE jumps from Reno’s Silver Legacy Casino
A competitive ski racer who also has 730 BASE jumps under his belt, 38-year-old Shane McConkey has traveled around the world to jump off some of the highest cliffs on Earth. The latest challenge brought the Squaw Valley resident to downtown Reno, where he made history as the first athlete to accomplish an urban ski BASE jump at approximately 1:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.
Serving as a kick-off to the upcoming Reno-Tahoe ski season, a crowd of approximately 1,000 spectators watched from the streets as McConkey skied off the roof of the 38-story Silver Legacy Resort Casino, where a ramp packed with 6,700 pounds of shaved ice was custom-build for this event. After completing aerial tricks, McConkey pulled the cord of his parachute over Fourth Street, safely landing in the parking lot of the Eldorado Hotel Casino.
Minutes after McConkey’s jump, ski BASE jumpers JT Holmes of Olympic Valley, Calif., Miles Daisher of Twin Falls, Idaho and Jesse Hall of Niwot, Colo. accomplished the same feat one by one.
Billed as “Shane McConkey’s Jump of Joy,” the BASE jumps are a part of BoboFest OhSeven — a full day of ski-themed events benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Nevada. Other events included a screening of Warren Miller’s “Playground”, an after-party with Sol’Jibe, and a wine, cheese and chocolate pairing party with ski legends.
Video courtesy of our friends at Reno.com
Comments
Very cool Written by mikesathome on 2007-11-20 08:19:33Nice way to start the ski season, but where the *uck is the snow?
I hope he didnt land on a bum ;-)
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