Dean Potter: Baselining Video

Climber Dean Potter's exploring a new high, baselining. In this New York Times video he walks a taut line 900 feet above a red rock canyon in Utah and then basejumps off to the desert floor beneath.

The 6'5, 180-pound, size-14-foot Potter trains by climbing at a fast pace for hours at a time - the way most people jog - and by practicing yoga. His hands are more calloused than most people's feet. His motivation? Read about it in Climbing at the Speed of Soul, Outside's December 2002 cover story.

For this extreme stunt, Potter told the Times his motivation was control, over death. Before, if he fell while walking without a safety line, prospects we're fatal. Now, with a parachute on his back, he can look forward to a rush. Though it's a rush that would make the average man's heart stop, for Potter it's just a small step up from his average high.

Comments

[Jen]

Yes its quite true that death can be controlled by yoga and meditation. At least people can be helpful in many ways.

[David Williams]

Obviously, we can have control over death by doing yoga and also by meditating. Yoga is helpful in all aspects. It keeps the person fit and fine.