FAST FACT
BASE jumping, not to be confused with base jumping, is an acronym referring to four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump — building, antenna, span, and Earth. The term was originally used by Carl Boenish in the late 1970s when he and another group of men began jumping and filming jumps made off El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
When a jumper has completed all four categories, they receive a BASE number. The system began in 1981 with Phil Smith being BASE #1, Phil Mayfield BASE #2, Jean Boenish BASE #3, and Carl Boenish BASE #4. These four are considered the pioneers in BASE jumping. There are currently over 2,000 people with a BASE number, and 444 have perished while BASE jumping as of January 2023.
