Nancy Jackson (climber)

Nancy Jackson (1955 – March 27, 1990) was an American mountain climber. She was known for her expertise on Mount Rainier and as a climbing guide. She died while taking part in the 1990 American Manaslu Expedition when she was caught in an avalanche.

Background

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Jackson grew up in Moscow, Idaho, graduating from Moscow High School in 1972.[1] After university studies in engineering she gave up her job at Weyerhaeuser to devote herself full time to climbing. She moved to Federal Way, Washington where she became a mountain guide for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. on Mount Rainier.[2] She climbed Rainier more than 50 times during the 1980s and reached the summits of Denali in Alaska, the highest peak in North America, and Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in South America.[3]

Final climb and legacy

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Jackson was participating in the 1990 American Manaslu Expedition when she was killed in an avalanche with Charles Schertz and sherpa guide, Nima Wangchuk.[4] The accident occurred when the climbers had reached a level of 15,510-feet on Mt. Manaslu and a 400-foot slab avalanche gave way, entirely covering the climbers.[5][6] They were found buried in the snow March 27 by other team members.[3]

After her death, her hometown congregation at the First Methodist Church (Moscow, Idaho) founded a hand bell choir in her memory. The Nancy Jackson Bell Choir now includes 5 complete octaves of both bells and chimes and two adult, one youth, and one children's bell choir.[7]

See also

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  • Deaths on Manaslu
  • Mazamas, the Portland mountaineering club that sponsored the 1990 American Manaslu Expedition
  • Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 5th Edition (1993) includes a chapter written by Nancy on winter and expedition climbing, with Kurt Hanson[8]

References

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  1. ^ "SERVICE TODAY FOR NANCY JACKSON, MOSCOW GRAD KILLED IN HIMALAYAS". The Lewiston Tribune. 1990-04-08. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  2. ^ "Recalling The Day Of Fatal Avalanche: It 'Grabbed US' | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  3. ^ a b "Federal Way Climber Dies In Himalayan | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  4. ^ "AVALANCHE KILLS 3 IN THE HIMALAYAS". Deseret News. 2024-01-28. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  5. ^ "AAC Publications - Asia, Nepal, Manaslu Tragedy". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  6. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (1990-04-05). "2 U.S. Climbers Die in Himalayas : Avalanche on Nepal-Tibet Peak Also Kills Sherpa Guide". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  7. ^ "Church History". moscowfirstumc.org. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  8. ^ "AAC Publications - The Mountaineers". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-06-13.