There are 25 glaciers on Rainier. Carbon, the thickest glacier on Rainier is
700', Nisqually is 400' thick. Carbon is much longer hike and would require
some technical climbing. Nisqually is flat, close and easy. What is the
minimum thickness for testing?
Leonardo DiFrancesco, M.S., P.E.
About 250' thick should be minimum, considering that at the lower depths, the ice will be fractured, and contaminated with boulders and tree trunks. It must have at least 250' of pristine or semi-pristine ice.
Rainier is the best hope, as it is reachable by just about everyone.
Note that even though the model is projected for a 500' test run, it can't go straight down. It's not a drill, it's a self-contained ice submersible, capable of semi-lateral movement.
-- John Harlow Byrne
