Dean Potter: Fly or Die.

He's not a bird, nor a plane, and certainly not a superhero, that man flying among mountains is called Dean Potter: American, climber, mountaineer, tightrope walker, jumper, highliner; a true extreme sportsman. Potter was born on January 18, 1972, and is globally known for his feats in adventure sports.

Photo: cdn1.lockerdome.

Dean grew up in New Hampshire, where he discovered his passion for climbing and made his first ascents. In Yosemite, precisely on the mountain "El Capitan," he established a new climbing route called "Easy Rider."

Photo: eybl.at

In 2006, he undertook one of his most controversial climbs. The chosen location was Delicate Arch in Utah, located in the midst of a religious area for the Navajo Indians. This caused great outrage among the population, who even dedicated the song "Not all roses" by rapper Odub to him. That day, Potter ascended in SOLO mode, without any assistance or additional equipment, a high-risk technique.

Photo: parkerlab.bio.uci.edu

Two years later, Potter made the highest Base Jump to date. The jump took place on the legendary Eiger Mountain (Switzerland) at 3970 meters high, ascending once again, without any assistance or safety gear. He covered 6.4 km in 2 minutes 50 seconds, the duration of his fall before opening his parachute. The magnitude of this feat led him to be named the Adventurer of the Year in 2009 by National Geographic. As expected, Potter wouldn't take long to surprise us with another great challenge. This time, he would cross the waterfall at Yosemite National Park on a tightrope (very similar to a 'tightrope'). By completing this challenge, he set the record for the longest traverse ever made on a rope at a height of 739 meters. Dean's latest adventure shared was his Base Bump jump accompanied by his dog Whisper, securely fastened in his backpack. After getting to know a bit about this adventure legend, it's worth remembering that adventure is not just about feeling the adrenaline rush through your body, but, as Potter says: "It's about enjoying all its beauty."

Face your fears and start living a new adventure every day.

See also:

• Slackline: The Aerial Acrobats
• Mike Horn: An Adventure Legend
• Adventures of the Adventurous Community