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MOAB: Magnificent
by Bryan Burke


Brian Burke, Chris Quaintance, Ken Jobsky, Trina Lee and Julie Wentz fly streamers over Castle Valley, Utah, during the MOAB.

Skydive Moab hosted the second annual MOAB —Mother of All Boogies—September 29-October 2. Those who have never been to Moab might wonder why more than 200 jumpers from as far as Virginia , Maine , Montana and California would make the journey to this remote outpost in the canyon country of eastern Utah . Those who have been know the answer: great skydives over one of nature’s most beautiful works combined with incredible outdoor adventures off the DZ.

DZ owner Clint MacBeth and his wife, Shelley, arrange the amenities and check in the skydivers. Co-host Skydive Arizona provides turbine aircraft, organizers and manifest expertise. This year, Skydive Arizona sent a Skyvan and a King Air A-100, and organizers included Craig Girard for formation skydiving and Steve Curtis for freeflying.

Girard organized a three-point 18-way for Friday’s sunset load, and jumpers claimed an unofficial Utah record with the jump. It was only natural to take up a 20-way on Saturday’s sunset load to beat it.

As another attraction of the boogie, jumpers take excursions to sites off the drop zone, such as skydiving into nearby scenic locations and making legal BASE jumps. On Friday evening, a dozen skydivers made a jump into Castle Valley , one of the most spectacular locations in an area renowned for scenic beauty. Several Cessna loads flew to rock formations near the DZ for swoops over the rolling sandstone.

Sunday afternoon, the skydiving dropped off. As skydivers drifted away for their long trips home, nearly everyone added, “See you next year!” to the goodbyes. Skydive Moab is already planning the 2006 MOAB for September 28-October 1.