Hollywood stuntman Eddie Braun climbed into a steam powered rocket on the canyon’s north rim, near the Hanson Bridge and soared hundreds of feet into the air and landed successfully in a farmer’s field on the south side.
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To complete the 1,400 foot-wide jump and, um, stay alive, Braun’s rocket reached speeds estimated at 400 miles per hour before the parachute was deployed.
Mr Braun deployed a parachute after the jump to land safely on the ground.
September 8, 1974: Knievel makes Twin Falls the center of the universe for a day by attempting to launch his X-2 Skycycle, designed by Robert Truax, over the Snake River Canyon.
He walked away with minor injuries.
Truax followed his father’s blueprints down to the last bolt and deviated only by updating the parachute system.
He’s been preparing for the past three years and spent about $1.6 million of his own money on the jump.
When asked before the stunt why he was doing it, Braun told GQ Magazine, “I figure this: I can tolerate just about anything for a couple of minutes”.
He looked at the stunt as a way to pay homage to Knievel, who inspired him to become a stuntman. He failed to reach the other side. “How many people get to finish the dream of their hero?” Knievel promised a weeklong festival complete with celebrities, a golf tournament and fun.
Knievel also allegedly left town without paying certain business debts.
Other daredevils have proposed similar jumps across the canyon in recent decades – including Knievel’s son Robbie.
“I like to say I’m not doing something that Evel Knievel couldn’t do”, Eddie told reporters.
Stuntman Eddie Braun has recreated Evel Knievel’s Snake River Canyon rocket bike stunt in every technical way but one-Braun actually succeeded.
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Braun’s sole motivation for attempting the jump was because of his childhood hero.
