After ascending to an altitude of 12,500 feet, first-time skydivers are fitted into specially designed harnesses with their instructors—this is called a tandem jump. When the door opens, jumpers and their instructors push off into the open air. What follows is the ultimate thrill, aside from hearing your name read off a teleprompter for any reason: a free fall of more than 40 seconds.

It's no surprise that such an exhilarating experience might attract return customers. Those who want to repeat this rush, as many do, can enroll in Skydive Big Sky's skydiving school, where, beginning with ground school, they'll set out on their way to becoming a certified solo jumper. From there, they'll rack up jumps, perhaps by taking part in more challenging jumps for seasoned skydivers.