Smoke Jumping

[steve1 5]

I talked to one smoke jumper who said the worst part of a tree landing was getting your chute out of the top of whatever tree you landed in. Not sure exactly how that is done, but it doesn't sound like fun...

I think smoke jumping would be a great life. It is hard on marriages though. Most smoke-jumpers I know have been divorced....

You would be traveling all over the country during a good fire year. Often that includes Alaska.

I've heard you have some very long plane rides in Alaska, before jumping. If you look at the size of that state you can see why.

I'd think all that smoke in your lungs, year after year, would be a good way to die. I remember some fires where everyone was coughing like hell after of few days of breathing smoke and dust. I'd think that would take it's toll after a while....

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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I talked to one smoke jumper who said the worst part of a tree landing was getting your chute out of the top of whatever tree you landed in. Not sure exactly how that is done, but it doesn't sound like fun...

When I did it in Yukon we used a chainsaw.

[kfreeman 0]

Not sure where you're at right now... but if you want to come out to Montana to check it out I might be able to put you up for a bit (get some hot shot work tho... SmokeJumping is competative... Not impossible just competative).

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Thanks for the offer, but I am a little long in the tooth for smokejumping (besides not being legal to work).

[steve1 5]

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Thanks for the offer, but I am a little long in the tooth for smokejumping (besides not being legal to work).

Being young and fit is important for a job like that. I new a few who smokejumped in their fifties, but not many.

Mark Wright was smokejumping a couple years ago. He was around 55 then. He since had a fight with cancer, so maybe he is done with jumping. I haven't seen him skydiving either.

Chinook Swindel was around 55 when he could no longer make the runs within minimum time.

Bill Newmiester quit when he was in his fifties. I heard it was because injuries forced him out.

Jack Nash claimed to be the oldest Smoke-jumper to ever train to smoke jump. He was in his forties when he started jumping. He was assistant jump master on the Man Gulch fire near Helena. Luckily he didn't jump with them that day. All but a few died on that fire....

Jack later became a master rigger and trained several skydivers some of his craft..... Jack went to the big DZ in the sky, many years back....