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Ski the Nisqually Glacier
I don't remember the details but there was a promotion for retail employees in the outdoor industry. Maybe it was selling a certain number of skis during a winter season. I was working that year at REI in the winter sports department. I did win a ticket to "Ski the Nisqually", hosted by Peter Whittaker, the famous mountaineer/skier dude. His families business (RMI) on Mount Rainier was looking to expand into more guiding than just climbing the mountain. They thought this would make a good test run for leading a large group of skiers and boarders on a tour that they could some day charge to paying clients.
Starting at the RMI Ashford Base, they shuttle bused us up to Paradise. We then carried our gear up to Glacier Vista. We then dropped down onto the Nisqually Glacier. The glacier goes around halfway down to the Nisqually crossing of the Paradise road but during spring, the snow extends beyond the glacier to the highway. After reaching the road, we were shuttled back up to Paradise to do it all again. We did this two or three times during a day. A 2,400 foot vertical drop each time.
The Route:
Looking down to the Nisqually Bridge far below
Everyone lined up above to take this jump
Everyone arriving near Glacier Vista for the drop into the Nisqually
On the edge of the Nisqually Glacier
One of the drops on the Nisqually
Jumping off a lip
Another drop on the Nisqually
Dropping of Glacier Vista
Looking down the Nisqually Valley
Another line of skiers