Jeff Maggilla Christman

This is the second El Capitan fatality and Yosemite's fourth BASE fatality overall.

He is nicknamed after the cartoon character Maggilla Gorilla and is one of those warm and fuzzy people who are a joy to be around.

I knew him from working at his DZ for a time in Buckeye, Arizona.
One night he asked if I'd like to see a video of his one and only BASE jump.
The jump is from El Capitan, and from looking at the video, and from what he told me later, the jump spooked him so bad he swore, he'd stick to the DZ and never go BASE jumping again!
So it is with some surprise, I learned a few months later, he did indeed return to El Capitan for another jump.

Witness accounts differ with some saying he did a short, out of control delay, deployed unstable, and hit the wall.

Others thought his parachute is hooked up to his harness backwards.
A timely rigger's investigation into the state of the gear is prevented by Park Service officials.

If you have a picture, or more details of this jumper, please contact us.