by Russ Haas
When people talk about winter in Wisconsin, skydiving usually isn’t a topic of a sports’ discussion. Skiing? Yes. Ice fishing? You betcha. Skydiving? Not a chance! But when you’re asked to jump over your state’s capitol and land on a two hundred square mile frozen lake, the response of a few is to hitch up their thermal underwear and ask, “When do we take off?†That day happened to be February 13, and although the idea of winter jumping isn’t new, doing it for a demo at a Big Ten university was something of a first for many Seven Hills’ skydivers. And as such, it was very alluring.
The idea got started with a proposal put forth by newly-licensed skydiver Caroline Rose. As a UW-Madison student and member of the university’s Hoofers club (an organization for outdoor adventure seekers) and head of the UW Badger Skydiving Club, Rose thought it only natural to showcase her hobby by asking her skydiving club to put on a demonstration at the UW for a day. Valentine’s weekend was chosen as it coincided with the Hoofers Winter Carnival. Who better to invite to a carnival than a bunch of clowns jumping from airplanes?
Despite the promise of a good time, though, this was a serious endeavor. Once Rose received permission from the university to allow skydivers facility access, and convinced the Hoofers to pony up the money for demo insurance, the responsibilities of organization fell onto the shoulders of a Seven Hills senior member Jim Rasmussen. As a seasoned organizer and veteran of state, national, and world canopy events, Rasmussen was up to the challenge of putting together the pieces for the show. One of his first jobs: to find people interested in jumping onto the ice and ensure their qualifications for doing so. As an Open Field demo (as stated earlier, it’s a BIG lake), jumpers who wished to participate in the event needed to have a minimum of a USPA C license with two hundred jumps, fifty of those jumps having occurred within the previous twelve months. Unfortunately, this meant Rose, being an A-licensed jumper herself, didn’t qualify for the demo. Many others did qualify, however, or least they would if they fulfilled the final demo requirement of having logged five jumps within sixty days of the demo (using the canopy intended for use in the demonstration jump). Had the demo been in Florida, Arizona, or California, then no sweat. But it wasn’t. It was in Wisconsin, where in the winter you don’t sweat, and therefore seldom skydive. Consequently, very few people were current, which meant for Rasmussen that organizing currency jumps became a priority.
So the call went out: Are you interested in this demo, and if so, are you willing to meet within the preceding weeks to get current? Sixteen people answered the call, and by the weekend leading up to the Carnival – despite conditions of single digit temperatures, twenty-five hundred foot ceilings, and gusty winds – sixteen people qualified to make the jump. Come the Saturday of the event, weather conditions couldn’t have been more ideal. Blue skies and light breezes were forecast for a day that promised temperatures reaching the mid twenties. Jumpers and ground crew met early at the student union, where they were shown their quarters for the day: a carpeted packing area with lounge chairs and a roaring fire. But no sooner had everyone checked in that it was time to head out into the cold for the pre-jump briefing. Once outside, a thorough safety review was conducted and everyone had the chance to see just how big five hundred thousand square feet of plowed ice really was.
Once formalities were taken care of, jumpers grabbed their gear and boarded the shuttles to Madison’s airport, where awaiting them were Seven Hills’ two C-182s and the dedicated pilots to fly them. It must have seemed odd – and maybe even a little alarming – to airport passersby to see a small crowd of people in the concourse equipping themselves with parachutes and helmets. Odd to some, curious to others, which is why more than a few folks took the opportunity to ask questions and watch dirt dives. Jumpers relished in the attention and took the time to explain the sport and show off their “carry-on luggageâ€.
Eventually the skydivers made it to the airplanes, and after a brief delay with mechanics, flying commenced. A total of twelve loads were flown throughout the day, with four of them being two-plane formations for larger RW and CRW attempts. The scenery was breathtaking, with panoramic views of Lakes Mendota and Monona and the Madison Isthmus setting the backdrop for each jump. Famous landmarks such as the Wisconsin Badger’s football stadium (Camp Randall) and the state capitol building were clearly visible from altitude, as were the myriad of fisherman and skaters who were using the lake ice for their own recreational purposes.
The crowds of spectators who came out onto the lake to watch the skydiving stayed clear for the landings, however, and were treated to a wide display of techniques used by canopy pilots to steady themselves upon touching down on the slippery ice. More than a few landings were successful, but there were plenty of others that were greeted with cheers and laughs when feet flew out from underneath. Consummate professionals that they were, jumpers stood and waved to the crowd afterward. The day’s events followed into the evening as the large crowd of demo participants wrapped up their performance at light’s end and wandered out onto the UW campus in search of food and entertainment. One lucky establishment was chosen to host the jolly group late into the night as stories of the day’s events unfolded and the promise of a sequel to the demo was issued.
Regardless of what next year holds, everyone agreed that this year’s event was a success due to solid team leadership, incomparable group effort, and the willingness of individuals to make sacrifices for the good of the program. Who cares if one of those sacrifices happened to be warmth? It’s February! Who expects to be warm in Wisconsin?
Capitol Performance
March 8th, 2010The Hills are Alive – 7 Hills PAC Boogie in Madison, WI
July 17th, 2009The Hills are Alive
Posted by Lara On 9 July 2009
by Russ Haas
photos by Eric Bernetzke
…with the sound of skydiving! I’m talking about Seven Hills Skydivers, located near Marshall, WI,
which is just a hop, skip and—dare I say, a jump—from Madison. But as the locals will tell ya’, it’s in
the smack-dab-middle of the purtiest country you ever did see right there in the heart of Wisconsin.
Not too long back, a friend of mine invited me to visit this club DZ for their annual “Head for the Hillsâ€
boogie June 18-21, and if I’d like, I could even help out with tandem instruction and shooting video.
Never one to forgo a normal weekend of jumping at home (located near Green Bay), I responded, “I
don’t know, it’ll cut into my summer jumping.†And then it dawned on me…this was summer skydiving! “And did I mention,†he cooed, “they’ll have a PAC?†Sold! I didn’t need to hear anything
else. Coming from a dz where Cessna 182s rule the roost, I didn’t need much more of an excuse to
head for the hills, and that’s just what the wife and I did.
The first thing we noticed when we got to Seven Hills was the distinct shortage of seven hills. For a
lack of a better description, the land is pretty flat, and even from the air I had a hard time
distinguishing mounds of any sort (unless you count the hot brunette I took for a tandem, but that
was my wife, and I’ll save that story for another time). Turns out that the DZ gets its name from the
seven hills of Rome, but what exactly those were I haven’t a clue ‘cuz I didn’t dig any deeper into the
origin. I never was much of a history buff.
What I am a fan of is skydiving, and there was plenty of that to be had. Chicago Skydiving Center was
kind enough to lease their PAC 750XL to the DZ for the long weekend, and when it arrived, it flew at
every opportunity. Sure, there were your occasional weather holds, ‘cuz what’s a Wisconsin summer
weekend without at least a thunderstorm and a tornado warning or two? But the rain and the
warnings passed, and when they did, we jumped. Honestly, you had to, because if you didn’t jump,
you’d have to suffer the consequences and be forced to graze on the acres of food that were supplied
pretty much from sun up to sun down. And the food was goooood!
Let me ask you something—how much did you pay in registration for your last boogie, and what did
that registration fee entitle you to? I don’t know about you, but I’d have to search far and wide to
beat the goodies my $25 registration fee got me for my three days of attendance. I know I already
mentioned the food, which not only tasted great, but was homemade (thanks to the generosity of club
members). In addition to the food was the beer—all you could drink! And let me tell you, it went down
well after a day of sweating it out in the sun. It wasn’t the only relief, though, because even when
jumping was on, you could always pack in the air-conditioned clubhouse, grab a free bottled water,
take a cool shower in the DZ washroom, lay in the shade of the wooded camping area or relax and
chill out to the tunes played throughout the day and night. All this for little more than the cost of a
jump ticket! If there were complaints, they didn’t come from me, ‘cuz I was too busy chasing the Mrs.
away from all the free JELL-O shots! Damn, woman, quit hoggin’ ‘em all!
What the registration couldn’t buy, though, was the hospitality, generosity, and friendship the people
of Seven Hills provided to those of us who were visiting for the weekend. I’ve been in this sport long
enough to know what to expect from drop zones and skydiving events of various shapes and sizes. I
didn’t expect to be treated quite so well, however. To be asked to get on a jump, to be thanked for getting involved, to be invited to share in a story or joke…these are the small things that make or
break a boogie, and it all boils down to one thing: the people. And like the food, the beer, and the
vibes, the people of Seven Hills are good.
On that note, I’d like to offer my thanks to all the people who made the 2009 Head for the Hills boogie
a blast. For fear of getting names wrong or worse yet, forgetting them entirely, I’ll just pay thanks as
anonymously as I can. Thanks to the dude who first greeted us and continuously checked in to see
how we were doing. We’re still doing great, but I’m a little hurt that you haven’t called to ask me once
more. Thank you, manifest gals; your job is tough, I get that, but you always made me feel
appreciated all the same. Thank you to the guy who packed nearly fifty tandem rigs on his own. It’s
probably not a record, but it kept me and the other TIs in the air without delay. Thank you, Mr. Pilot;
you fly airplane good! Thanks to the ground crew, who ensured the plane stayed tied down, the
packing tent stayed up, and all the other behind-the-scenes stuff fell into place. Thanks to the guy
who ran with his head cut off making sure communications were kept up. To the video guys and
editing producer: you made the students look good! I didn’t fare so well, but honestly, if three plastic
surgeons can’t help me, neither can you. Thanks to the Tandem Examiner who provided that extra
instruction; I hope to make you proud, chief! Food providers, you know how appreciative I am of you
(and that includes the chef who grilled in the rain)! For all the players who contributed anything to
make this event a success, props to you! Thanks to everyone who made my wife happy – Giggles/Jell-
O Shot Girl thanks, you! Number 2, thanks for inviting us. And finally, to the guy who went around ziptying all the tents shut and somehow missed mine, I thank you the most! You would not have wanted to be in that tent if I couldn’t have made it out for one of those frantic nature calls!
There’s more to say that I could go on about, but who wants to read about 9-way CRW formations,
off-field cemetery landings, or pants-less tandem students? Those are topics to be discussed around a
roaring campfire with good friends and a cool beverage in hand, something you’ll easily be able to find
the next time you visit Seven Hills Skydiving Club. So if you’re ever in central Wisconsin, and you feel
the need to drop in on one of the flattest yet most scenic drop zones of the upper Midwest, the folks
there will be sure to welcome you. As for me, I’m not sure the next time I’ll be able to pop in for a
visit, but if someone asks me if I’m returning to this boogie again next year, I’ll tell you what my
answer will be: Hill yeah!
Middleton’s Big Demo
July 2nd, 2008Middleton’s Big Demo
By Kim Schuette
This year Middleton decided they wanted to start the summer out BIG.
What better way than to have fun events all day, followed by live bands,
fireworks and of course SKYDIVERS.Middleton’s organizers contacted us. Thru great sales skills of our scheduler/PR person, Rich interest
in Seven Hills was set. Our crack Demo committee Chairman, Jim aka Razz negotiated the deal. We
were selected to be the Skydivers for the event. With a flurry of print and radio advertisement,
Middleton promoted the event.
June 14, started out to be a beautiful day however by 4 pm dark ominous clouds loomed the area
looking very threatening. But our weather wise Demo leader, Jay assured everyone that it was just
an edge of a storm to the south and it would clear in time.
The crew gathered at Middleton-Morey Field FBO. The Daredevil Demo team consisted of Jay, Bill,
Dave and Dean. The support ground crew consisted of Brent, Greg, Kurt, Nathan and I.
We waited out the rain and hail to pleasantly blue skies. The event was still on. Next we needed to
make sure the plane would be able to get from Juneau to Middleton for the event. The rain caused
enough delay in the events that the Demo teams ride arrived right on time. Our fearless Demo team
boarded the plane, waved and off they flew into the blue skies.
With communications from the event planners, the ground crew and demo team 8:25 was selected as
the exit time. Jump run, the sun and clouds all provided the perfect backdrop for our Demo Team.
The crowds could see the team as they exited at 7, 000 feet. They cheered with delight. As the
canopies opened, streamer unfurling and finally the Flag unveiled the crowd roared even louder. As
the demo team approached the landing area one by one in their calculated flights one could hear the
amazement of the crowd as they each artfully landed back on the ground. Seven Hills membership
completed another well done demo.
website: Seven Hills Skydivers of Madison, WI
Bi-plane weekend
July 2nd, 2008Bi-plane weekend
June 21-22, 2008
By Diana Kruchten
Hi everyone, I was inspired to write a little note about my first jump
from a bi-plane. By the way, thanks to Greg Porter for arranging for
the plane to come. Good job Greg.
The ride in the plane was fun and exciting. I requested “The full Monty†as it was called, ride,
aerobatics, jump, and pictures. I did request “light†aerobatics being a little concerned that I might
get sick. It was actually just right. The nosedives were great but my stomach didn’t like pulling out of
them too much.
The exit from the bi-plane was the easiest I have ever had. The plane would slowly roll over and
dump you out. The pilot described the exit as “floating out†which is pretty accurate. I wanted so
badly to hold on for a while but I just don’t have the upper body strength for that. I fell away and
watched as the plane spiraled down in front of me. It was great.
Another reason I really enjoyed the bi-plane was my father. I have mentioned that my father was a
pilot, learned to fly during World War II. He never flew in combat but he always loved to fly. My
father and his brother George I’m sure flew planes like this in their younger days. My uncle George
was a barn stormer and I remember many times flying out to the farm with my father when I was a
child. I think I got my skydiving genes from my father and uncle. My bi-plane dive gave me a chance
to be a little closer to my family for a little while and imagine my father and uncle enjoying the ride
with me. Thanks for the memories.
website: Seven Hills Skydivers
Seven Hills Skydivers of Madison, Wisconsin Philosophy
May 1st, 2008When you come to Seven Hills Skydivers you can expect a warm friendship from and amongst the members. We each have our own reasons for jumping. We come from all walks of life and come at least every weekend to experience once again the thrill of freefall and to escape the routine of daily life.
We come to be with our friends, our fellow jumpers. In our club we have come to know each other well. We know each other’s capabilities which are so vital in advanced sport parachuting. You will get to know us as we get to know you. We strive for perfection through cooperation, teaching, and practice. You can expect pleasure from the Seven Hills Skydivers organization because that is one of our primary purposes. Jumping is a sport and it should be enjoyed.
The Seven Hills Skydiving club is an organization for people who are interested in good safe sport parachuting and friendship. We are a group with close ties out to better ourselves in every way, every day, to attain the supreme pleasure of skydiving. The organization is the vehicle for us attaining this goal. The organization helps the individual as the individual helps it.
Seven Hills Skydivers jump into Rhythm and Booms in Madison, Wisconsin – July 2007
April 16th, 2008For the past 12 years Seven Hills Skydivers of Madison, WI demo teams have jumped into their largest venue, the Rhythm and Booms fireworks event at Warner Park in Madison, Wisconsin. As many as 250,000 people view the fireworks with tens of thousands viewing in and around the park. Each demo jump has come off flawlessly with all skydivers landing safely and amazing the crowd each year with their accuracy and mostly stand up landings. This year we received a nice sized sponsorship from Culver’s Corporate and Culver’s of Sun Prairie to help defray our costs. Our ground crew of Kim, Greg, Linda, Sara, April, Sheila and Frank worked the incoming crowd with a booth offering info on the club and how to make a first jump. They continued their team efforts by securing the landing area and providing ground to air communications. Greg got us some pub on WOLX during the jump while April and Frank took some great photos which made a local paper and have also found their way into the office of Craig Culver himself. He loved ‘em!! Who knows where they may be seen next. Razz, Bob, Jay and Rich made the jump from around 7,500. Razz dutifully reminded the three of us to “don’t funnel’ the exit which ‘we’ of course did. You might want to ask Rich for an explanation but don’t expect a good one. After a masterful recovery we all deployed at the appropriate altitudes with Bob flying the American flag and Jay red, white and blue streamers. Razz, doing video, came to the rescue at 3,500 feet, yelling at the guy with the large Culver’s banner that it wasn’t fully deployed. One quick check of the belly bag with the tail of the banner snagged on the zipper fixed the problem quickly.
Demo jumps done properly, especially close to and on the ground, are a great way to promote our sport and our club. More than jumpers are needed to make it a successful event. Hopefully, there are many members in our club who have made making or being a part of a demo jump one of their goals. Though they can be filled with pressure, like any jump well done they bring a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Work on your skills (especially accuracy) and you too may have the chance to funnel an exit in front of thousands of people. I don’t think anyone saw except Razz – and his camera.
Winter Jumping at Seven Hills Skydivers
January 14th, 2008Safety: From your S&TA at 7 Hills Skydivers
First let’s talk about winter jumping. Summer is gone, fall is here, the leaves are falling and winter is near.
Following are a few reminders for everyone:
No 1. Don’t over dress. The more bulk you have on the harder it’s going to be to maneuver in the aircraft and the
slower you are going to be in freefall. It’s also going to slow your reactions in case of an emergency. The most
you should wear is a thin set of long Johns, a turtle neck and a sweatshirt. Also the more bulk the more likely you
are going to work up a sweat while packing and that means the cold blast of air is even going to be colder
when you open the door at altitude. Also keep the heat in the clubhouse at no more than 60 degrees. It not only
saves the club money, which we don’t have much of but it keeps you from over heating. While climbing to altitude
keep the heat in the aircraft to a minimum so when the door opens there’s not that huge change in temperature.
No. 2 When it comes to gloves they should be as thin and pliable as possible while still giving you protection
against the cold. Do not wear any bulky ski gloves or hooks. Make sure you can feel and take hold of all of
your handles. An S& TA or an experienced jumper should look at all gloves.
No. 3 Helmets and goggles fog up, especially helmets with a full-face mask. Keep them off until just before the
door opens.
No. 4. When flying relative, don’t plan as many points as you would on a nice summer day. You are going to be
slower and you will not execute as smoothly. Take your time and keep aware of altitude.
No 5. Make sure there is a ground crew so if you land out or get injured there is some one there to pick you up.
No. 6. When jumping in the wintertime and if the ground is completely covered with snow, be aware of the fact
that your depth perception is going to be way off. In other words it is going to be more difficult to judge your flare altitude.
Try to use buildings, trees, the windsock or other obstacles (if you are landing out) to help judge your flare
altitude. It is better to flare a little high than too low. Just remember, if you flare to high hold it at 3/4 brakes and
do a PLF.
No. 7 Equipment check. If there is snow on the ground, part of your packing procedure should be to check your cut away housings and your reserve rip cord housings for ice and snow and any other kind of debris. The last thing we want or need on a cold winter day is a hard pull in an emergency situation.
Let’s talk about RSL’s. For those of you who like to push the limit and jump in high winds, especially if you are doing a cross
country, you should think about disconnecting your RSL after you have done your primary canopy check. It’s easy to land out (and we all do) because of a bad spot, again, especially if you are on a cross-country. If you are getting dragged and no one to help collapse your canopy and you have to cutaway and your RSL is still connected you are in big trouble.
Remember the rule of firsts, always limit yourself to one new thing per skydive, and keep that skydive simple. If it is your first skydive with thicker gloves, layers of clothes, and a face mask keep the dive simple,
include a practice touch, and plan to pull a little higher. Most skydivers don’t fly as well when they’re dressed like the “Michelin Manâ€, so plan your dives accordingly.
Generally most people lose interest in skydiving when the temperature dips below about 20 degrees. If it’s cold out, and you can’t find people to jump with, it’s probably a good day to visit your travel agent. If we get a big snowfall, make sure the runway has been plowed before heading out to the airport. If the temperature gets much above freezing, then our runway
may become unusable, so stay in contact with you fellow members to find out where they may go to jump.
Other things to remember:
It’s always a good idea to have at least one person on the ground to watch when jumping in the winter. Landing out or injures become a little more critical when the cold is a factor. Snow covered ground provides fewer altitude references. Do not rely solely on the ground as your reference in freefall, use your altimeter. Canopy’s flare better in cold weather, so
anticipate this when you land. Frozen ground does not give, frozen furrows break ankles, frozen corn stalks break toes, it’s hard to run in the snow, a good PLF can make the difference between walking away sore and not walking away from a landing.
Website : Seven Hills Skydivers of Madison, Wisconsin
Seven Hills Skydivers Halloween Party
November 5th, 2007Hey All,
Here are some rules/guidelines for the party. I felt I could write these up, since I am supplying the prizes 
Any input from you will be appreciated, otherwise….
                     Â
                                                Rules/Guidelines for 7-Hills Skydivers Halloweenie Party: Sat.Nov. 3rd
                                             Â
                       *COSTUMES ARE REQUIRED* (birthday suits are not allowed–unless you are female)
—If you don’t wear a legitimate costume (not: “I’m a skydiver” costume), once the party starts (after jumping), you will pay the pig $2.00 at the party.
—-Secret ballots will determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for best costumes. Secret ballot will determine worst costume “penalty” (discounting those who paid the pig)
—-The drunken obstacle course, held much later in the evening, will have 1st, 2nd, 3rd place prizes according to best times finished w/o cheating. Worst time to finish determines worst time “penalty”.
—–1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be the same for costume & obstacle course, as follows:
               1st place: Seven Hills full-altitude jump ticket.(supplied by me, not the club)
               2nd place: 6 pack of beer (what I supply), soda for non-drinkers (what I supply)
               3rd place: small goodie bag (what I put in it)
—-Worst costume & worst obstacle course time penalties are: Must do 2 shots of Early Times & death by silly string outside..at LEAST four cans emptied on you. If we know you don’t drink, shots aren’t required.
Any questions, or comments let me know.
Black Skies,
April