Audio By Carbonatix
Harrison Fast went missing while attempting to speed fly the Jungfrau in Switzerland on March 26. A graduate of Cherry Creek High School and the University of Boulder, he was on vacation from his job as a mechanical engineer at Real D in Boulder and was set to meet a group of six other speed flyers who planned to ski off the mountain with parasails. But then a storm moved in — and Fast never showed.
“A few from the group were able to ski/hike out while two others were rescued by helicopter,” says Lauren Lipman, Fast’s best friend. “The local Swiss rescue team searched on Saturday and Sunday, but had to call off the search due to inclement weather. They send out one last helicopter this morning with no luck.”
While the official search has been called off, Fast’s family and friends are raising money for a private rescue effort on youcaring.com; as of early this afternoon, they’d raised double their $15,000 goal. They’ve taken some comfort in the saga of Dan Hunt, another speed flyer in a similar situation in the exact same area in 2012. The search for Hunt was also called off after three days, but his friends and family paid for a private search and he was found on the fourth day — battered and alive. They’re hoping the same will happen with Fast.
“He emulates every wonderful thing about Colorado,” says Lipman, “and now he needs the help of the Colorado community.”
Last year Fast posted this video of speedflying at Arapahoe Basin. “Can’t wait to get another lap on this line,” he added.
