Ogden ranked among nation's most 'death defying' cities

Ogden ranked among nation's most 'death defying' cities


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

OGDEN — Looking to defy death? Then Ogden is the place to jump in — having been named one of the Top 10 cities in the country to stare down death and walk away.

Livability.com released its rankings Monday, with Ogden coming in at No. 6 among the top "death defying" cities in the country to experience thrills, chills and among the best places to live for those who prefer to be on the edge.


Livability.com says Ogden was ranked No. 6 among the top "death defying" cities because it is among the best places to live for those who prefer to be on the edge.

Twin Falls, Idaho, was ranked No. 1 because it is the only place in the country where people can BASE jump without a permit, while Savannah, Ga., was at No. 9 for being the "Most Haunted City in America."

"If you choose to live life to the extreme, then these cities will keep your adrenalin rushing! Livability.com scoured the U.S. for the best adventure cities we could find: extreme sports cities, surf cities, rock-climbing cities, even haunted cities."

Noted as a growing center for skiing and other adventure sports, the firm acknowledged Ogden as a gateway for such destinations as Powder Mountain, Snowbasin and Wolf Mountain ski resorts. But it is its presence as a skydiving hub that earned Ogden placement on the list, with the organization noting that skiing is just not "death-defying enough."

Livability.com, which routinely ranks cities on everything from the best places to kiss to the most pet-friendly, said the city can offer take-your-breath-away moments at the Ogden Skydiving Center, as well as the world's only city-purchased wind tunnel at the Salomon Center.

Top 10 Cities to Defy Death
  1. Twin Falls, Idaho
  2. Bend, Ore.
  3. Glasgow, Ky.
  4. Rock Springs, Wyo.
  5. Traverse City, Mich.
  6. Ogden, Utah
  7. Stillwater, Okla.
  8. Corpus Christi, Texas
  9. Savannah, Ga.
  10. Fayetteville, N.C.

Brian Wallace, owner of the Ogden Skydiving Center, said there were more than 12,000 jumps in the last season. The business is in its 19th year and is gearing up for weekend jumps to start, weather permitting, on March 5.

"I've jumped all over, and Ogden is one of the prettiest places to jump," he said.

It helps too, that experienced skydivers can polish their skills at iFly's vertical wind tunnel, which simulates the rush of a free fall at 150 mph. The tunnel, Wallace said, is the only one in the world purchased by a municipality and one of only 10 in the nation.

The tunnel employs three members of the Rockwell Airtime Team, which took No. 1 at nationals last year in vertical formation skydiving, advanced category.

Dusty Hanks, one of those team members who works at iFly, said the center is a magnet for top skydivers from all over the world and an equal draw for the more timid.

"It's a great way for people to experience skydiving without having to jump out of an airplane. Not everybody wants to experience that," he said.

E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com

(Photo: Brian Nicholson/Deseret News)

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Amy Joi O'Donoghue

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast