Climbing for a cause

Climbing a mountain isn’t anything out of the ordinary for married couple Julie and Tom Hull. But the next trek they make will be their first time climbing for a cause.

On July 27-29, the Shoreline parents of three will head for the summit of Mount Adams as part of a group participating in the 10th anniversary of the Climb to Fight Breast Cancer, organized by Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

“Climbing Mount Adams by itself is not that unique of an accomplishment,” Tom, 50, said. “It’s more than just climbing a mountain … that we’re climbing for a cause and in memory of others gives this climb very special perspective and meaning.”

The Hulls each had an aunt die of breast cancer and they know others who have been affected by the disease. It is their hope that the climb will not only raise funds but will also raise awareness.

“Hopefully it inspires cancer patients to fight the good fight and inspires researchers to find a cure,” Tom said.

This summer’s Climb to Fight Breast Cancer includes more than 100 climbers and six mountain peaks throughout the Pacific Northwest, Eastern Europe and Africa. The Mount Adams climb is guided by Portland Parks and Recreation.

The Hulls first learned about the fundraiser when Julie, 49, saw an advertisement in the Seattle Times announcing the Climb to Fight Breast Cancer. Remembering how she found participating in a fundraising marathon in 1999 rewarding, Julie said she “wandered down to REI and listened to a presentation.”

“I thought it was great to combine a goal with something like getting up a mountain,” she said.

The couple, who has been climbing together since their first weekend date led them up Mount Mansfield — the highest peak in Vermont — in July 1985, aren’t strangers to the outdoors. They’ve been up Mount Rainier twice, went trekking in the Andes Mountains in Chile and Peru in 2004 and went hiking in Bhutan last fall. Tom climbed up Glacier Peak with his parents and two younger brothers when he was in college and climbed up Mount Adams once before during the summer of 1974.

“I spent two weeks hiking all around the mountain,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on (the mountain) but I’m certainly familiar with it.”

The Hulls have been responsible for their own training, consisting of many day hikes ranging up to 4,000 vertical feet at Granite Mountain and including a recent nine-mile round-trip hike at Melakwa Lake, near Snoqualmie Pass. They also find hiking at Alpine Lake to be “wonderful” and enjoy completing their day trips by stopping off in North Bend for a milkshake.

According to Tom, the most efficient training is accomplished by “carrying a heavy load and climbing as vertical as you can.” It’s not unusual for the couple to hit a trail head by 7 a.m. on a weekend, carrying backpacks weighed down with various items such as steel weights, gallons of water or kitty litter.

“I like hiking with the gallon of water because I can empty it when we reach the top,” Julie said.

In order to climb, every participant must reach an individual fundraising amount that varies according to the particular mountain choice. Julie and Tom were responsible for raising $3,000 apiece. Supportive family members and friends helped the couple raise almost $15,000.

Before they climb, the Hulls will rent glacier boots, helmets, axes and crampons — spikes worn on boots to help with traction on snow and ice. While they will be ready, a lot of being able to climb is still contingent on the something they cannot control. Groups of climbers at Mount Hood and Mount Baker who participated in the Climb to Fight Breast Cancer earlier this summer weren’t able to reach the summit due to bad weather.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Julie said.

While they don’t have a desire to climb Mount Everest, Julie said she would like to climb Mount Elbrus in Russia someday.

For now, Tom said there are a lot of great, available climbs to enjoy near home.

“Climbing mountains is a good way to stay young,” he said.