UK Man Jumps 18,753 Feet Off Himalayan Peak, Sets World Record

A British man has set a new Guinness World Record for the highest altitude skiBASE jump, leaping 18,753 feet from a Himalayan mountain. Joshua Bregman, 34, skied off a cliff on Mera Peak in Nepal and parachuted to the ground, exceeding the previous record by more than 4,000 feet.

The record for the highest ski-BASE jump was previously held by Matthias Giraud of France, who set the mark in 2019 with a jump from 14,301 feet.

Ski-BASE jumping is an extreme sport where a single completed jump involves skiing off a cliff or mountain, then free-falling through the air and finally deploying a parachute to land.

It combines the adrenaline rush of skiing with the daring of BASE jumping. Performing feats such as Bregmen’s world record-breaking jump is a test of mettle and resilience 

For his attempt, the daredevil spent two weeks on Mera Peak, hiking, skiing, and camping to acclimate to the high altitude. He and his team faced challenges like lack of oxygen and constant headaches. They even had to clear debris and create a suitable jumping site. Bregman recalled that their initial jump spot was disappointing, and they almost gave up. It wasn't until the next day that they found the right slope and prepared it for the jump.

“That night we were blessed with a 2 cm dusting of snow – not much, but it helped,” Bregmen said. “The dream was to do several nice S-turns and ski elegantly off the cliff, but in reality, all we had was just a humble rock-filled runway at an exit height of nearly 6,000 m.” Bregman was able to complete the stunt, which he staged to raise awareness about Nepal’s human-trafficking problem and help thousands of child victims with the money raised, safely.