Canyoning, Paragliding, and Hiking - Switzerland's Jungfrau Region Has More Than Just Skiing - Video

The 'Jungfrau' Region of the Swiss Alps, so named for the 13,669 ft. (4,166m) peak that looks down on the numerous lesser prominences and valleys spanning its base, is home to some of the best skiing in Europe. Yet, despite being home to what many consider the best skiing in the world - including this year and next year's Ski World Cup in Jungfrau's town of Wengen, the region refuses to be pigeonholed as just a "ski destination."

In addition to skiing, snow tubing, and sledging, the Jungfrau Region offers a perfect environment for numerous other mountain sport activities, including paragliding and BASE jumping, hiking, and canyoning.

The area's craggy landscape and deep valleys seem to posses an almost irresistible lure for folks who like to throw themselves off terra firma and into the secure embrace of a parachute harness. Watch in the video below as a band of BASE jumpers from the UK wax poetic while they tackle both the Eiger and the cliff face overlooking the valley between the villages of Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg, one of the deepest in the Alpine chain:

The Adventure Community Looks At Health Insurance

In a follow up to our post on the challenge of finding health insurance for those who engage in "high risk" adventure activities such as rock climbing, here we look at a case study involving one of the most high risk activities out there today: BASE jumping.

BASE jumper prepares to launch from Christ
the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro

On November 19, 2012, professional BASE jumper Jill Kuzman had just made her 4th jump from a towering sandstone cliff near Moab, Utah, when she experienced every BASE jumper's worst nightmare - her parachute opened backwards, causing her to plummet to the desert floor. Kuzman broke her leg on impact but was lucky to have the immediate assistance of medics and doctors who were jumping alongside her that day. Her competent companions treated her as they rushed Kuzman to the hospital, minimizing the consequences of a fall that could have turned out much worse. Today, Jill Kuzman is off crutches and moving toward a full recovery.

Unfortunately, like many athletes and adventurers, Jill Kuzman did not have health insurance coverage at the time of the incident and quickly racked up $120,000 in medical bills. Friends pitched in and Kuzman herself reached out on Facebook for donations to help offset her cost, bringing in close to $10,000 toward her bills, but a majority of her expenses still remain.

Not long after Kuzman's incident something of a firestorm, focused on uninsured BASE jumpers and adventure seekers, erupted on BASEjumper.com, with some contributors voicing support, others exasperation that someone would engage in such high risk activities uninsured, when accidents are so likely to occur. In his article The Adventurer's Health Insurance Conundrum on National Geographic's Adventure Blog, James Mills outlines the argument that unfolded on the site and examines some of the points that were brought to light, which adventure-seekers across a number of sports must grapple with.