BASE jumpers sentenced for illegal Yosemite National Park activity

National Park Service (NPS) It announced that three people had been convicted of illegal jumping in a national park, and the agency warned would-be outlaws that it was still enforcing the law despite the federal shutdown.

“We do not tolerate any 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. These convictions demonstrate the professionalism and dedication of Yosemite’s conservation team in upholding federal regulations and ensuring the safety of both visitors and first responders.”

Although Yosemite BASE jumping was once the center of the sport in the 1970s, and BASE jumping has been banned in national parks since the 1980s. This activity, an abbreviation for building, aerial, extension and ground, involves jumping from stationary objects using a parachute. It has been linked to numerous injuries, deaths and risky rescues, endangering both jumpers and emergency personnel.

Violators can face fines of up to $5,000 or imprisonment under federal law. Violators also risk losing their equipment and could be banned from the parks. Despite the ban, enthusiasts continued to jump in secret, often at dawn or dusk to avoid detection.

Squatters take control of Yosemite as closure leaves popular national park with few rangers: report

“We do not tolerate any illegal activity in Yosemite National Park,” Yosemite Superintendent Raymond McPadden said. (Reuters)

In recent weeks, several videos and photos circulating on social media appear to show BASE jumpers jumping off El Capitan, unauthorized campers occupying closed areas, and climbers scaling Half Dome cables without permits — all in Violation of park regulations.

While the number of federal employees working in Yosemite during the government shutdown remains unclear, NPS’s emergency plan states that essential employees will continue their law enforcement and emergency response duties.

The Department of the Interior (DOI), which oversees the NPS, told Fox News Digital that it is aware of reports of illegal activity and is investigating.

“We are aware of reports of BASE jumping in Yosemite and are investigating all reports,” a department spokesperson said. “BASE jumping is illegal in all national parks, including Yosemite, due to the significant risks it poses to the safety of participants, the public and first responders.”

The department stressed that despite the closure, the National Park Service will continue to keep the parks as accessible as possible during the lapse of appropriations.

Thousands of illegal hidden marijuana plants have been removed from the national park along with weapons and dangerous chemicals

A motorist passes through the Tioga Pass toll station at the east entrance to Yosemite National Park, empty of staff available to collect tolls that help fund the park on the first day of the government shutdown on Oct. 1, 2025. (David McNew/Getty Images)

“Critical functions protecting life, property and public health will remain in place, including visitor access to many sites, law enforcement and emergency response,” the spokesperson said. “We have 100% of our law enforcement guards on duty. They are highly trained and, as in any other year at this time, handle front and back country patrols as needed.”

The Interior Department said Yosemite is still seeing normal seasonal visitation levels and law enforcement rangers are responding to incidents as they normally would. Since the beginning of the shutdown, three substantiated complaints regarding BASE jumping have been reported, which remain under active investigation.

The department also indicated that the use of… Drones, or drones, Prohibited in Yosemite without a special permit. Violations can result in fines of up to $5,000 or six months in prison.

Officials said drone violations have increased in recent years, due to the availability of consumer models. In response, Yosemite has expanded signage at entrances and visitor areas to remind the public of these restrictions. During the current lockdown, there have been scattered reports of unauthorized drone use, and law enforcement marshals are responding as usual.

The DOI has disputed some recent claims circulating online about deteriorating park conditions.

A Yosemite National Park ranger has been reportedly fired after flying a huge flag across El Capitan

Visitors to Yosemite National Park catch a glimpse of the El Capitan rock formation and Bridalveil Waterfall from Tunnel View in Yosemite Valley, California. (Craig Culross/Fresno Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“Our field teams confirm that these reports do not accurately reflect current operations or visitor conditions,” the spokesperson said. “There has been no increase in vandalism, litter accumulation or visitor misbehavior during the closure period. Visitor cooperation and volunteer stewardship remains strong, and we appreciate the public’s continued patronage of these sites.”

The department added that it is “proud of the dedicated employees and partners who continue to serve the public during this difficult time” and said that teams are “working hard to keep the parks accessible, safe and welcoming.”

“Like many in the federal government, we look forward to a decision that will allow all employees to return to work in support of the park’s mission,” the statement added.

The latest convictions, announced Friday, stem from three separate cases between 2020 and 2024, including one involving serious injury.

• Christopher Dorrell admitted to jumping off the ceramic wall near the North Dome in July 2024. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation, fined $600, and ordered to complete 40 hours of community service. His primary parachute and wingsuit were confiscated.
• Joshua A. Iosue has also been identified as one of two people who jumped near the North Dome in the same month. He pleaded guilty and, earlier this month, was sentenced to two days in jail, 24 months’ probation and a $2,510 fine. He was banned from Yosemite while on probation.
• David A. Nunn jumped from El Capitan in July 2020 and suffered a serious equipment failure, hitting the rock face before landing at the base, according to the park service. He was rescued by park staff and later sentenced to two days in jail, 12 months of unsupervised probation, fined $760 and ordered to pay $458.77 in restitution for the cost of his rescue. He was also banned from the park while on probation and had to surrender his umbrella and belt.

This was Nunn’s second conviction for illegal base jumping. He previously pleaded guilty to a similar crime in 1998.

The Department of the Interior adopts a zero-tolerance policy for homeless camps in Washington, DC

Yosemite is one of the busiest parks in the country each year. (AP photo)

Conservationists say these incidents reflect a larger pattern of chaos that can arise when national parks operate without full staff.

During the 2018-2019 closure, Yosemite and other parks were vandalized, and illegal off-roading and trash accumulation took months to repair, according to park advocates.

“This is exactly what we warned about. This is why national parks must close until the government reopens,” Emily Thompson, executive director of the Alliance to Protect America’s National Parks, said in an earlier statement. “This closure makes an already bad situation in our national parks and public lands much worse. The situation is dangerous and reckless for our parks, public lands and the visitors who love them.”

The coalition, made up of more than 40 former NPS leaders, urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to close all 433 park sites during any interruption in federal funding, citing ongoing staffing shortages.

Click here to download the FOX NEWS app

“Leaving national parks open without National Park staff to help protect visitors and resources is not only irresponsible — it is dangerous,” Thompson wrote. “We do not leave museums open without curators, or airports without air traffic controllers, and we should not leave our national parks open without NPS staff.”

Yosemite Park typically welcomes about 4 million visitors each year, with nearly three-quarters of them arriving between May and October. According to the National Park Service. During the current funding cut, the Interior Department’s contingency plan says the parks will only provide essential services using withheld recreation fees, while law enforcement and emergency operations continue.

Fox News Digital has reached out to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office for comment on the convictions.

Stephenie Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and immigrant crimes. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.