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Slackliner takes solar eclipse in stride over Wyoming abyss

Slackliner Alex Mason  took advantage of the first US solar eclipse in 38 years with a stunt walk through Corbets Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming.
 (Keith Ladzinski / Red Bull Content Pool)
Slackliner Alex Mason took advantage of the first US solar eclipse in 38 years with a stunt walk through Corbets Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. (Keith Ladzinski / Red Bull Content Pool)

Slackliner Alex Mason of the San Francisco Bay area walked through totality today with nothing but a ribbon between him and the rocks far below in the brief eclipse of darkness in Wyoming.

According to the Red Bull Content Pool, Mason rigged a line through the famous Corbets Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming with the help of fellow slacking legend "Sketchy" Andy Lewis.

"Crossing the couloir was the most amazing and surreal experiences of my life," said Mason, a World Slacklining Champion (2013). "Highlining is already so out of my comfort zone, so it was really intimidating to take this on during total darkness... But I'm so glad I did. Such an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience."

“The line that Alex walked is 23m long, or roughly 75 ft,” said rigger and mentor, Andy Lewis. “ It was 150 feet high off the deck directly, with 10,000 feet of exposure, and at 10,450 feet elevation, so it truly feels like you are walking in the sky. I’m really glad we were able to get a memorable shot today.”

“Sketchy” Lewis made international fame by performing with Madonna in the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

Images of Mason's slackline display for the eclipse, which lasted roughly two and a half minutes, were made by National Geographic photographer and explorer Keith Ladzinski.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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