This summer, I had the opportunity to go skydiving at Skydive Zion in Hurricane, Utah. For those of you considering the jump, I hope my experience will encourage you.

Skydive Zion

Skydive Zion is a small operation run by Rick Eddy, the owner and skydive instructor. He was a fantastic teacher because he walks through each part of the parachute with you, and ensures you have a great understanding of everything before ever getting on the plane. This was my first jump; however, I have observed others jump with other companies who didn’t give near as much attention to their students. My boyfriend jumped with at least 20 others who were herded around like sheep, efficient, but impersonal.

Another huge pro for Skydive Zion, you have full control of the jump including spins, flips, pulling your own ripcord, and flying your parachute. Of course, if you don’t want as much responsibility, Rick will do everything for you. Buy, these are fun options for someone who wants to experience as much as possible. I took full advantage of these and have no regrets.

The Jump

We boarded the plane, a 4-seater Cessna, which just fits the pilot, and one tandem pair. We took off from Hurricane Airport and Rick pointed out all kinds of sights as we ascended including The Subway, Sand Hollow State Park, and of course, Zion National Park. As we neared 11,000 feet (14,000 above sea level) we scooted to the front of the plane and Rick reviewed everything I needed to do. Then with the distraction of a thumbs up, the door was opened and wind came rushing in. The metal step outside the plane seemed much smaller than it had during our lesson on the ground. I mustered up the courage to stand on that small platform, looking around at the clouds and down at the blur below. But I did it, and on Rick’s signal, fell forward into the abyss.

Immediately the wind caught me, and the feeling of falling went away. Instead, it was as if I was laying on a flat table of wind. The world began to get closer and the beautiful Utah topography came into focus – another pro of Skydive Zion. Being from Texas, I knew there was no better view than 11,000 feet about the red canyons of Zion.

We were in free-fall for about 45 seconds before he gave me the signal that we were now at 5,000 feet, which meant it was time to pull the ripcord. The parachute opened without a hitch, something I wasn’t worried about in the slightest with the adrenaline of the moment, but nevertheless important. From here on, I enjoyed flying the parachute, learning how to spiral and stall. We took our goggles off for a clearer picture of the mountains and listened to the quiet, a nice contrast to the violent wind noise just before.  We came in for our landing, which was perfect despite there being no wind at the moment.

Pricing

The jump as a whole was thrilling, and I felt safe the entire time.  They were very accommodating, and the pilot even took a selfie of us all around 9,000 feet up. I paid an extra $40 for a Go Pro video, an expense I assumed necessary for your first jump, and I’m so glad I did. I used the footage to make a short recap video, and love reliving the memory. In total, the tandem cost $255, a great price not only for what you get but also in comparison to the many other companies. Skydive Zion was perfect for my first jump.

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