Murren is an attractive place for base jumpers because the village lies on the edge of a sheer cliff, a perfect place for them to dive off. The morning we left Murren we got to see them in action.
As we were exiting the Stechelberg gondola station, toting our bags to the bus, I saw this guy carefully preparing his parachute. It was just after 8 am and he had already jumped once. I spoke to him for a few minutes then left him alone and watched - there is no room for error in this process.
We were watching the cliff top, hoping to see someone jump, when suddenly we heard a whishing noise and then three parachutes popped open. Then there was silence, and we all held our breath, hoping they would land safely.
They floated down gracefully over the powerlines...
...and landed in a clearing near the parking lot.
Then, their faces covered with grins, they carried their gear over to where the other base jumpers were, and began the process of preparing their parachutes so they could jump again. Crazy - but cool. YOLO!!