Probably the most dangerous extreme sport of them all, base jumping is the art of jumping from a cliff, building, bridge etc with a parachute. Extreme low altitude and late canopy deploys are, as any skydivers will tell you, very dangerous. Only the best and most qualified skydivers attempt this sport!

"Base" stands for the for catergories that you can jump off:

• Building
• Antenna
• Span
• Earth

Base jumping was developed from skydiving and is thought to have started in the 1960s (although the exact date is not known) but carries a much higher risk than traditional skydiving.

It is believed that the first base jump was performed by two parachutists from the top of El Capitan in the Yosemite National Park California in the middle of the 1960s. You have to be crazy, really know your stuff or have some big kahonas to be the first to try that. Or, perhaps just a bit of all three!

While base jumping isn't illegal in itself, the use of buildings and land marks without permission is. This can carry heavy penalties for offences such as trespassing, breaking and entering, reckless endangerment, vandalism and many more. Due to the high risk in this extreme sport, if busted, the charges will carry the full penalty for the jumper and crew involved. Do your homework about locations before attempting this sport!