Power Kite Forum

Corliss: "...Only death or quadriplegia..."

lad - 23-2-2012 at 01:46 PM

ABC footage of accident and phone conversation

lunchbox - 23-2-2012 at 03:34 PM

That guys got balls of steel...I can admire someone like that...that truly does what he loves!

With him though, I don't think it will end pretty (I hope I'm wrong)...seems like its a drug and he's got to keep pushing himself to get that same 'fix'. Like the rush of flying through the air is not enough, now you have to see how close you can get to something without crashing! But I guess it's not a crime to die doing what you truly love and he seems willing to pay the ultimate price so more power to him.

Drewculous - 23-2-2012 at 04:06 PM

Him and bruce lee... My heroes

Awesome guy

dandre - 23-2-2012 at 05:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lunchbox
That guys got balls of steel...I can admire someone like that...that truly does what he loves!

With him though, I don't think it will end pretty (I hope I'm wrong)...seems like its a drug and he's got to keep pushing himself to get that same 'fix'. Like the rush of flying through the air is not enough, now you have to see how close you can get to something without crashing! But I guess it's not a crime to die doing what you truly love and he seems willing to pay the ultimate price so more power to him.


If you listen to him theres a very frank honesty that it's just what he does. I think if he tried to avoid it, or play it safe he could never face himself in the mirror and be proud of what he does.

lad - 23-2-2012 at 05:44 PM

Rock Center TV report on recent spate of deaths in Extreme Skiing

A Squaw Valley skiier and shrink there thinks it's the corporate money and the web / Youtube that is making extreme sports pros push themselves further. Could be something to that: in the past there were only a few well-known dare devils (or "Dare Evels") and only so much bandwidth to get worldwide publicity on.

rocfighter - 23-2-2012 at 06:42 PM

He's the guy if you all rember jumped from a plane with his best friend and flew through I believe it was the Golden Gate Bridge. But his friend hit one of the cables and was shreaded to peices. That didn't seem to faze him either. I think he's a bit out there!
But he's having fun and that's what counts I guess. And he isn't hurting amy one. Well except for himself.

dandre - 23-2-2012 at 07:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lad
Rock Center TV report on recent spate of deaths in Extreme Skiing

A Squaw Valley skiier and shrink there thinks it's the corporate money and the web / Youtube that is making extreme sports pros push themselves further. Could be something to that: in the past there were only a few well-known dare devils (or "Dare Evels") and only so much bandwidth to get worldwide publicity on.


I completely agree. We had a guy lost on the back side of lone peak for almost 7 months. Lost in Feb, found end of july. He was found with his skis completely delaminated and obliterated beyond sensible recognition.

He was trying to break into professional free-skiing(was getting there too but he "only" hucked 70ft cliffs), went off alone into lone peaks backcountry cirques...
They had a huge ad campagain this winter, "Don't go out alone"
We also lost jaime pierre(BS resident) in Utah, he fancied himself pretty highly and was known as one of the best cliff jumpers in the world.

It doesn't matter as long as people like warren miller are out there, breaking skiiers like a dime a dozen for one shot.

I never understood why people wanted to be "professional" anything.
You work 4-5 months a year with a decent job and you can take the rest of the year off....

It's cool to go hard but.. whatever man, as long as you have fun and push your limits when you can; it's not always about pushing yourself when deep down you're saying no.

Drewculous - 23-2-2012 at 07:12 PM

Not golden gate... I forget the exact bridge, but his buddy was supposed to go over the bridge, and hit the deck of it. Corliss was to go under, and did, and they were to land in the canyon below... That was a bad deal... Despite his demeanor in the interview im sure he was wrecked inside... But on the same token... Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Its all very sad, but at the same time, you have to admire them, and their unrelenting persuit of their passions. You miss your bud, but at the same time, you are happy he could do what he loved till the absolute end...


corliss isnt crazy in my book, just driven. we could learn much from him in that respect...

crazymanme2 - 23-2-2012 at 07:19 PM

I used to skydive & have 5 base jumps all off the New River Gorge Bridge.The jumps off the bridge where 10 times more of a rush than skydiving.I can only imagine what these guys experiance. :wee:

WELDNGOD - 23-2-2012 at 09:24 PM

A Man has got to know his limitations.... Finding them is the FUN part!(most of the time) Jeb is my Hero as well. He will die doing this, he has said that,in an interview.

lad - 23-2-2012 at 09:55 PM

Corliss is on the Nightline show now, saying how he was fascinated with birds as a little kid. He was later depressed as a teen, and decided that instead of suicide, he'd do something with his life and risk dying that way. He then found he enjoyed his life doing what he does.

Unsurprisingly, a doc comes on and says the brain structure of extreme risk takers resembles those of addicts.

I read how the notorious "Fan Man" who'd powerchute in on national sports events...and the guy who strapped weather balloons to a lawn chair and took off with them...both later committed suicide. I guess they couldn't get back into their passion legally anymore.

indigo_wolf - 23-2-2012 at 11:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rocfighter
He's the guy if you all rember jumped from a plane with his best friend and flew through I believe it was the Golden Gate Bridge. But his friend hit one of the cables and was shreaded to peices. That didn't seem to faze him either. I think he's a bit out there!
But he's having fun and that's what counts I guess. And he isn't hurting amy one. Well except for himself.


Reading the bio.... "a bit out there" is a bit of an understatement.

Props for the skills and all, but some of the biographic material/quotes are more that a little unsettling/disturbing.

ATB,
Sam

v-tek - 24-2-2012 at 03:05 PM

reminds me of a movie I saw as a kid. Didn't realize the squirrel suit has been around that long.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064397/

Drewculous - 24-2-2012 at 06:00 PM



From jeb himself...