Only a matter of time...

Man dies attempting wingsuit jump from California mountain

By Katie Dowd

A man died in Mono County during a BASE jump from Mount Morrison, the sheriff’s office announced in a press release issued Saturday.

According to the Mono County Sheriff’s Office, two men were performing BASE jumps on Mount Morrison on Aug. 31; BASE stands for buildings, antennas, spans and earth, the four stationary objects that jumpers typically leap from. The activity is considered highly dangerous and is banned in all national parks.

An on-duty deputy was found by one of the jumpers, who said his companion Leonardo Durant had failed to return after one of their jumps. Because of the remote, difficult terrain, a California Highway Patrol helicopter from the Fresno area was deployed for the search. “On the craggy slope of Mount Morrison,” searchers in the helicopter spotted Durant, the sheriff’s office said in the press release. From the helicopter, they could tell Durant was dead.

“Due to the altitude, location, slope angle, weather, and rock type, a hoist recovery” from the helicopter was deemed unsafe. Experts from the Yosemite Search and Rescue team were brought in to help, and on Sept. 2, multiple agencies went up the mountain for a recovery mission. “The team successfully recovered Durant’s body from Mount Morrison and transferred him to the Coroner’s Office,” the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office described Durant as an “experienced BASE jumper” who used wingsuits during his jumps. His Instagram account shows videos taken during jumps all over the world. In a jump posted in May, Durant wrote: “Poised. Dropping in. Catching that perfect angle. The wingsuit start can be a tricky thing. Unforgiving of flaws. But rewarding when nailed.”