A California man faces federal charges after allegedly BASE jumping from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park during last year’s government shutdown, while later claiming artificial intelligence was used to fake the video evidence.
Jack Matthew Propeck of Mission Viejo has been charged with one count of delivering or retrieving a person or object by parachute, helicopter or other airborne means, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
The investigation began when someone reported an Instagram video to the National Park Service tip line showing a man making the jump on October 8, 2025. The video, posted to an account bearing Propeck’s name with the caption “track like you mean it,” shows a person running off Glacier Point and deploying a parachute over Yosemite Valley.
When commenters questioned the legality of the jump, the account owner replied, “I have a permit.” However, Yosemite National Park does not issue permits for BASE jumping, which is prohibited in all national parks except in emergencies or with valid permits.
Park ranger Cody Hays, who filed the complaint on December 12, identified landmarks in the video including Glacier Point, North Dome, and Washington Column. License plate reader data showed Propeck’s vehicle entering the park on October 7 and leaving late morning on October 8, with photos showing him wearing the same distinctive purple mirrored sunglasses seen in the video.
When contacted by phone on October 20, Propeck denied being the jumper. After Hays pointed out that the jumper’s face was visible, Propeck allegedly claimed artificial intelligence had been used to superimpose his face onto the footage.
“There is no evidence to suggest that AI was used to make or alter the video,” Hays wrote in the affidavit, noting that the footage was consistent with other videos posted to Propeck’s account.
The alleged jump occurred during the federal government shutdown that stretched from October 1 to November 12, 2025, a period when reduced staffing and enforcement coincided with an uptick in risky behavior inside the park.
“Engaging in such illegal activities endangers both visitors and National Park Service first responders,” said Scott Carr, spokesperson for Yosemite National Park, in a statement. “Yosemite’s grandeur is a treasure that everyone should experience responsibly.”
Propeck is representing himself in court, according to court documents, and is scheduled for arraignment on April 7. If found guilty, he could face penalties including fines and up to six months in jail.
BASE jumping, an acronym for buildings, antennas, spans and earth, became popular after Brian Schubert and a friend made parachute-assisted leaps from Yosemite’s El Capitan in 1966, unwittingly inspiring the worldwide extreme sport.
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