Three men were convicted for illegal BASE jumps in Yosemite after stunts between 2020 and 2024 endangered visitors, wildlife and rescuers. The National Park Service confirmed the incidents and said sentences were recently handed down. Officials emphasized that BASE jumping is banned in national parks and that rescue operations strain resources and risk lives. The convictions have renewed debate over social media-driven risk-taking in natural areas.
Illegal BASE Jumps in Yosemite Lead to Convictions — Officials Warn ‘We Do Not Tolerate Illegal Activity’
Three men were convicted for illegal BASE jumps in Yosemite after stunts between 2020 and 2024 endangered visitors, wildlife and rescuers. The National Park Service confirmed the incidents and said sentences were recently handed down. Officials emphasized that BASE jumping is banned in national parks and that rescue operations strain resources and risk lives. The convictions have renewed debate over social media-driven risk-taking in natural areas.
03:08 AM, 11/16/2025Environment
Three convicted after illegal BASE jumps in Yosemite that endangered visitors, wildlife and rescuers
Three men have been convicted for carrying out illegal BASE jumps in Yosemite National Park after a series of stunts between 2020 and 2024 that put park visitors, wildlife and rescuers at risk, officials and news reports say. Videos and photos of the incidents resurfaced online, drawing widespread condemnation from the public.
The National Park Service confirmed the jumps occurred over a multi-year period and that sentences were imposed in recent months. Users who saw the resurfaced footage criticized the jumpers for flouting long-standing park rules designed to protect both people and fragile ecosystems.
“We do not tolerate illegal activity in Yosemite National Park,” Yosemite Superintendent Raymond McPadden said. “Our law enforcement rangers remain efficient, effective, and vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
Federal law prohibits BASE jumping — an acronym for Building, Antenna, Span (for example, a bridge) and Earth (for example, a cliff) — in all U.S. national parks. Despite the ban, rangers respond to dozens of illegal attempts each year. Rescue operations for jumped or stranded BASE jumpers can divert critical resources away from other emergencies, put rangers in danger, and disrupt wildlife habitat while consuming fuel and other limited supplies.
Those convicted include:
- Christopher I. Durell — sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation and community service.
- Joshua A. Iosue — received two days in jail and a two-year ban from the park.
- David A. Nunn — a repeat offender who crash-landed at El Capitan in 2020 after a parachute malfunction; he was also convicted in the recent proceedings.
Officials say the convictions underscore the park’s commitment to safety and stewardship. The case has reopened a broader debate about how far some visitors will go for viral attention and whether national parks can adapt to a social media culture that sometimes prizes risk over respect.