Yosemite National Park, one of America’s most iconic wilderness preserves, is in the spotlight once again—but not for its stunning vistas or record visitor numbers. Instead, the park is grappling with a surge in illegal BASE jumping, a high-risk sport that has been banned in all national parks since the 1980s. The issue has reached a boiling point during the ongoing 2025 federal government shutdown, with enforcement stretched thin and thrill-seekers becoming increasingly brazen in their exploits.
According to CBS News, BASE jumping activity has spiked dramatically in Yosemite as park staffers have been furloughed, leaving gaps in enforcement. Jumpers are now launching themselves off the park’s sheer granite cliffs, including the legendary El Capitan, in broad daylight—sometimes even landing in public gathering spots like El Capitan Meadow. “Thrill seekers in parks like Yosemite are getting more daring,” CBS News reported on October 26, 2025, highlighting the growing sense of lawlessness as the shutdown drags on.
The National Park Service (NPS) announced on October 24, 2025, that three individuals had recently been convicted for illegal BASE jumping in Yosemite, in cases spanning from 2020 to 2024. The convictions, prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, underscored a long-standing tension between extreme sports enthusiasts and federal officials. The jumpers—Christopher I. Durell, Joshua Iosue (also referred to as Losue in some reports), and David Nunn—each faced significant penalties for their actions.
Christopher Durell admitted to jumping from the Porcelain Wall near North Dome in July 2024. He pleaded guilty and, as reported by KSEE/KGPE and the National Park Service, was sentenced in September 2025 to 18 months of unsupervised probation, a $600 fine, 40 hours of community service with an organization supporting the NPS, and forfeiture of his BASE canopy and wingsuit. Durell’s case serves as a stark reminder of the risks and consequences associated with illegal BASE jumping in federal lands.
Joshua Iosue, who was arrested the same day as Durell, initially fled on foot but was later identified and cited on July 17, 2025. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced in October to two days in jail, two years of unsupervised probation, and a $2,510 fine. He is also banned from entering Yosemite during his probation. The NPS’s Friday announcement emphasized the seriousness with which these cases are being handled, even as enforcement resources are stretched thin by the shutdown.
David Nunn’s story is perhaps the most harrowing. On July 21, 2020, Nunn jumped from El Capitan but suffered a severe equipment malfunction, colliding with the wall before crash-landing at the base. He was rescued by NPS personnel, and, given his prior conviction for the same offense in 1998, the penalties were severe. On September 16, 2025, Nunn was sentenced to two days in jail, one year of unsupervised probation, $760 in fines, and $458.77 in restitution to cover the cost of his rescue. He is also banned from Yosemite during his probation and was ordered to forfeit his parachute and harness.
“We do not tolerate illegal activity in Yosemite National Park,” Superintendent Raymond McPadden stated unequivocally in the official announcement. “These convictions demonstrate the professionalism and dedication of Yosemite’s protection team in upholding federal regulations and ensuring the safety of both visitors and first responders.” McPadden further emphasized, “Our law enforcement rangers remain efficient, effective, and vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
Despite these assurances, the reality on the ground appears more complicated. During the current shutdown, with many park employees furloughed, jumpers have become bolder, leaping from cliffs in full view of daytime crowds. According to reports from CBS News and Newsmax, the frequency and audacity of these jumps have alarmed both former park officials and conservation groups. The activity has prompted warnings that keeping the parks open during the shutdown is "dangerous and reckless," as enforcement struggles to keep pace with the surge in prohibited behavior.
Superintendent McPadden acknowledged the challenges but remained resolute: “Despite staffing challenges, Yosemite’s law enforcement presence is steady. Our rangers remain vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed this sentiment in a series of social media posts, assuring the public that "the park remains fully staffed to ensure visitor safety and protect natural resources. Law enforcement rangers and campground personnel are on duty and actively monitoring activity." Burgum added, "Unauthorized camping, squatting, and illegal activities like BASE jumping are being addressed with firm, appropriate law enforcement action."
The crackdown comes as BASE jumping advocates continue to push for legal access to national parks. Brendan Weinstein, president of the nonprofit advocacy group BASE Access, told the San Francisco Chronicle that “Yosemite is very important as it is one of the best places in the world for beginner and intermediate jumpers to learn and regain currency” in the sport. He criticized the longstanding ban, arguing, “It’s nuts that folks are getting locked up for wingsuit flights today because a National Park Service official made up a rule out of thin air in the 1980s.” The group has even filed a lawsuit in federal court, accusing the NPS of "arbitrary government overreach."
But federal officials remain unmoved, citing safety concerns for both participants and rescuers. Yosemite’s granite walls are unforgiving, and the park has seen tragedy before—in 2015, renowned climbers Dean Potter and Graham Hunt died in a fatal jump from Taft Point. The risks, officials say, are simply too great to permit the activity, especially in areas as busy and resource-limited as national parks.
The recent convictions are just the latest in a series of enforcement actions. According to park officials, three additional BASE jumping cases reported since the shutdown remain under investigation. Meanwhile, park observers like Elisabeth Barton of the Echo Adventure Cooperative have noted a broader uptick in illegal activities, including a spike in unauthorized drone flights, which are also banned on federal lands.
Yosemite, the sixth most-visited national park in 2024 with over 4.1 million visitors, finds itself at the crossroads of recreation, law enforcement, and resource management. As the shutdown continues and enforcement resources remain stretched, the park’s ability to balance public enjoyment with safety and conservation is being put to the test like never before.
For now, the message from Yosemite’s leadership is clear: the park will not become a playground for illegal thrill-seeking, no matter the pressures of the moment. The ongoing crackdown on BASE jumping stands as a testament to the park’s commitment to upholding the law and protecting all who enter its storied gates.
