Climber is First to Jump off South America’s Highest Peak
Tim Howell is one of the world's most experienced BASE jumpers with leaps from famous mountain around the world
Tim Howell has become the first climber to jump from Argentina’s Aconcagua (6,962 m) and to fly to the valley using a wingsuit. Due to conditions, Howell could not jump from the summit instead launching from near the second camp.
Howell said the jump was a big deal because it had never been done before. His flight lasted three minutes. In the past decade, Howell has completed nearly 1,000 jumps from mountains around the world, including the six famous north faces of the Alps.
About having a checklist before he jumps, the former Royal Marine Commando said, “Every time. All there, all fastened and good to go. Leg straps, chest straps, pull! But the checklist for a jump is really hundreds of points. Some are so important that you couldn’t jump if you didn’t check them off. Some occur when you pack your parachute. Others happen during the jumps and many are probably subconscious or built into muscle memory. The point of no return is the biggest commitment, the split second where you have leapt out and there is no going back. This could be the heartbeat spike, and I may have to test that at some point!”
Howell plans to continue jumping from high-altitude peaks in 2023 with an expedition to the Himalaya taking place soon.
Howell’s Matterhorn Jump
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