UW students to climb Rainier for charity

Graduate student Brice Maryman said what first attracted him to the American Lung Association's (ALA) expedition to climb Mount Rainier was a chance to take on Washington's highest mountain.

Yet Maryman's attitude changed when he learned that the association is involved in not just helping people with lung cancer, but also children with asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.

Now, one of the reasons for making the climb is to help children with severe cases of asthma pay for the medical care necessary for them to enjoy activities that most children do, such as summer camps.

His partner, Craig Skipton, is joining the climb in honor of his uncle, who passed away in February from lung cancer.

"One of the ALA's goals is to help people to quit smoking. That was one of the major reasons I got involved."

Maryman, Skipton and Tristan Heberlein are each raising $3,500 to join the 14th annual Climb for Clean Air. Although none of these landscape architecture students has any experience with mountain climbing, they hope to reach Rainier's summit in July.

According to event manager Paul Payton, Rainier is the perfect symbol of clean air in an increasingly polluted Puget Sound. The goal for the expedition is to raise a total of $350,000, which will be used to provide aid for people suffering from lung diseases, as well as the funding of educational programs about smoking and the effects of pollution on the environment.

"The majority of money that's raised gets returned to the program," Payton said. "They're doing a lot of good while getting a chance to climb Rainier."

The program provides climbers with training and guides from the Rainier Mountaineering Guide Service. Professional climbing legend Lou Whittaker, who has 50 years of experience on the mountain, will lead the expedition.

However, the students must raise the $3,500 and rent equipment from local shops like REI. Maryman and Skipton said that they have sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts, organized a yard sale and approached family and friends for donations.

"We started late, actually, " Maryman said. "People raise money for a 12-month period, but we started in April."

The training consists of rigorous hikes up local trails like Tiger Mountain.

"There are several training climbs at the base of Rainier," Skipton said. "There's also a list server among the climbing community that shows regular hikes."

When the trio begins their adventure in July, they will hike most of the first day to reach their base at Camp Muir. After a few hours rest, the group will begin again, following the Ingraham Glacier to the summit. The final ascent to an altitude of 14,411 feet will take 12 hours.

On the plus side, this year's heavy snows will be hard-packed by mid-summer, meaning that the group probably won't have to crawl up dangerous steep crevasses. Yet the recent deaths of three climbers on Rainier a few weeks ago weigh heavily on both Marymoor's and Skipton's minds.

Marymoor said his fiancee and family remain supportive, but worry about him climbing across an area called "cadaver gap."

"It does give a moment to pause at how serious this undertaking is," said Skipton.