Tandem BASE Moab to raise funds for veteran suicide awareness and traumatic brain injury research
4.3.2.1…Are you ready to base jump? With feet standing on the edge of Tombstone Rock, overlooking the vast expanse of Kane Creek, a moment of time stops and next a woman is free-falling through the sky with her tandem base jump guide attached to her back. Suddenly the parachute expands, and they slowly drift toward stable land with smiles, laughs, or tears.
Tandem BASE Moab is coming up on its first anniversary as one of the few tandem base jumping guide services in the country. Moab is unique in having more than one BASE jumping company in town; another company called BASE Jump Moab also provides a unique experience among the red rocks and cliffs.
Moab resident Matt LaJeunesse started Tandem BASE Moab in November 2022, along with two other local guides: Katie Hansen LaJeunesse, the first female tandem BASE jumping instructor in the world; and Ryan Katchmar, who has completed 1,700 BASE jumps, according to the company’s website.
Operating a new business involving this type of activity is not an easy feat. LaJeunesse said the most difficult process has been incorporating the “bureautic and paperwork side, insurance, and permits.” He spent time taking it slow and figuring out all the puzzle pieces.
“I wanted to do it methodically, that made sense for the bigger picture, keeping it professional and safe,” he said. “I never expected it to grow as fast as it has and never expected to achieve this type of support or success. I love what I do and hope the business keeps growing and makes tandem BASE jumping another awesome reason for people to visit Moab.”
The BASE jumping community of Moab is vibrant and filled with passionate and intelligent people, LaJeunesse said.
“We are super fortunate to have the community rally behind us,” he said. “Local professional photographers, drone pilots, and other local guides inspire others to be a part of the experience, and everyone brings each other up.”
Tandem BASE Moab also chooses to buy parachuting equipment, backpacks, and rigging manufactured locally here in Moab from Blacksheep Rigging owned by local Nick Wright.
Tandem BASE Moab strives to bring a personal and emotional experience for the client. They focus on what the client wants, go over how the jump works, put a harness on, practice walking together while safely away from the edge, and then prepare the client to BASE jump.
“Truly getting to know the clients and sharing deep, motivational moments with people is a beautiful experience,” LaJeunesse said. “I don’t know if it’s the state of the world that makes people want to jump off a cliff—but an overwhelming majority come here because something in their life is going on.”
It could be the monotony of a job, a birthday, loss, grief, hardship, or a terminal diagnosis, he said: incredible stories are shared and base jumping allows one to be “truly present in the moment.”
“Standing on the edge of a cliff goes against every primal instinct you have, and it has a funny way of making all the other human brain things not matter. It makes everything else go away, the noise is turned down and nothing else matters, ” he said.
LaJeunesse is known around town to be “the guy for BASE jumping and fundraising.”
What started as grassroots fundraising for local organizations evolved into the Moab BASE Association, a nonprofit organization founded in 2020. The goal is to promote BASE jumping positively in the community and to protect the sport for the foreseeable future.
Fundraising donations have supported Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County EMS, and many other local non-profits, and have helped to fund projects such as installing bathrooms at the top of Mineral Bottom and kiosks on surrounding BLM land.
Tandem BASE Moab is taking on a new challenge this Veterans Day Weekend, November 9 to 12, by teaming up with “22 Jumps,” a nonprofit focused on preventing veteran suicide and supporting research on traumatic brain injuries. The number 22 in the name represents the number of veterans taking their lives by suicide each day. During the fundraiser, military veterans are invited to come to Moab for an adventurous weekend to promote the nonprofit’s mission.
This year, 10 to 12 veterans will each commit to trying to raise a minimum of $2,200 each, to donate $22K directly to veterans support groups.
“It’s a huge honor and we look forward to seeing them through the best possible positive experience knowing the veterans have dealt with high levels of grief, stress, and depression. I’m excited to see people smile who need to smile,” LaJunesse said.
For more information on Tandem BASE Moab, go to tandembasemoab.com and 22 Jumps at 22jumps.org.
