In today’s newsletter,

• Joshua Tree tips

• Parasurf shenanigans

• Mt Laguna Trailfest

Guy with too much time on his hands

If you were wondering if it was possible to jump out of an airplane, fly your parachute to an artificial surf park, and catch a wave as you land…the answer is yes. At least for, Chilean wingsuite flyer, Sabastian Alverez. He pulled off this remarkably timed feat at the Kelly Slater-designed surf park in Abu Dhabi.

Move over fantasy football - the Fat Bear Contest is on

Red Bull Rampage, the extreme freeride mountain biking event held in Utah each year, is taking place today through Saturday. You can watch it streaming live on the Red Bull website or YouTube. This year, the event includes a women’s division for the first time.

Coastal erosion threatens campsites at San Elijo State Beach

The past couple of winters have been rough on California’s coastline, battering state parks up and down the coast. To keep campsites open, state parks officials are seeking approval from the California Coastal Commission to keep emergency repairs made last winter to a rock revetment at San Elijo State Beach in Encinitas.

Death Valley names new head park ranger

Death Valley National Park has announced Philip Johnson as its new Chief Ranger. Johnson will oversee law enforcement, fee collection, emergency medical services, structure fire response, and search and rescue operations across the 3.4-million-acre park.

Joshua Tree’s Black Rock Nature Center hosting art exhibit

Speaking of Joshua Tree, the park is hosting an exhibit by artist-in-residence, Jim Weaver, at the Black Rock Nature Center. The exhibit is free and will be open to the public from October 18, 2024, through January 5, 2025.

Five killed in plane crash on Catalina Island

Five people were killed on Catalina Island Tuesday night after their small plane crashed shortly after departing Catalina Airport. Catalina has seen a few aviation accidents over the years, including a 2002 crash that also resulted in five fatalities.

Comet visible from SoCal tonight through the weekend

An ancient comet is making its first close approach to Earth in over 80,000 years, offering skywatchers a rare celestial spectacle. Discovered in 2023, Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will pass within 44 million miles of our planet on October 12, and peak visibility is tonight and into the weekend. You can see it low on the western horizon at twilight, about 45 minutes after sunset each day.

Gear Deals:

Gobi Racks is offering $200 off its vehicle racks. Not sure how long the sale lasts, but it's a good deal if you are in the market. I’ve owned one of the racks for my Jeep and they are worth a look. The promo code is 200KGND.

REI is offering up to 50% off select gear.

Aventon: Adventure E-Bike maker Aventon is offering $200 off several models of bikes.