missann1320 0 #1 June 11, 2007 Hey there!!! Happy Monday!! I am heading to Whistler this weekend to do some glacier skiing, bungee jumping, and zip lining. So I'm curious if the closest DZ to that area is Skydive Vancouver? Does anyone jump there on a weekly basis and will be there this coming Sunday June 17th? Is the DZ worth the drive from Whistler? Any input would be appreciated!! Thanks in advance!Smile! http://www.399FirstDates.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 37 #2 June 11, 2007 http://www.whistlerskydiving.ca/"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #3 June 11, 2007 The closest DZ to Whistler is at Pemberton, maybe half an hour north of Whistler. I have done a couple of dozen tandems at Pemberton, by far the prettiest DZ in Canada! Exiting a Cessna (at 10,000 feet above the airport) level with snow-capped mountains provides thrilling scenery! Even better was knowing that glacier "X" was exactly 5,000 feet above the airport, making it easy to remember when to pull. The utlimate was jumping the King Air, which climbed to 12,000 feet - above Pemberton Airport - revealing hundreds more snow-capped peaks. Pemberton's landing area is tight at best. The first couple of times we went up there, we merely landed on the grass between the runway and taxiway. The grass was firm, but smooth. The last time we jumped in Pemberton, we landed in the soccer-field sized field to the East of the terminal. Talk about ankle-turning furrows. I sure hope they have levelled that field! Pemberton is not a safe DZ for junior jumpers with a river flowing fast along the North side of the airport. If you spot badly to the North, there are plenty of "outs" in the Mount Currie indian reservation. To the south, there is only a steep slope, try 10,000 feet of heavily wooded, steep slope. Fortunately there are a few decent alternate landing areas off the east end of the runway. There is a gold course off the west end of the runway, followed by dozens of hay fields farther to the west. Just remember to exit over the MIDDLE of the valley. Last thing I heard, Skydive Whistler was still recruiting tandem instructors and trying to rent/lease/purchase a Cessna. ... not sure how far they have progressed. There are also two other DZs serving the Vancouver area: Abbottsford and Pitt Meadows. Both DZ s are in the Fraser Valley, east of the city of Vancouver. Pitt Meadows is the closest, barely an hour from downtown Vancouver. Public buses drop commuters a kilometer form Pitt Meadows Regional Airport. PM employs a fleet of Cessnas, a King Air and by far the handsomest, most talented and humble - heavy on the humble - rigger in all of skydivingdom! Skydive Vancouver flies from a private airstrip between Abbotsford and Mission. They also operate a fleet of Cessnas and a Pilatus Porter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
missann1320 0 #4 June 12, 2007 Thanks for the info folks... I just called Skydive Whistler and they actually are not opening until mid July... Thanks for the help though- I'll probably try Pitt Meadows. Have a great week!Smile! http://www.399FirstDates.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
