To the tops of the world

By Zach Urness of the Daily Courier

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Brian Dickinson is planning to climb the "Seven Summits," which are the highest peaks on each of the world's continents. He is seen here, in the foreground, training on Washington's Mount Rainer.

Like so many Southern Oregonians, Brian Dickinson spent his childhood exploring the vast playground of mountain ranges from the Cascades to the Siskiyous to the Oregon Coast.

The 1992 Rogue River High graduate first experienced the thrill of outdoor adventure on trips to places such as Crater Lake, Rainy Falls and all the nameless hills and mountains in between.

But Dickinson's next adventure will make even the most ambitious mountain climb in Oregon appear to be an ascent up an anthill.

The 34-year-old is planning to climb the fabled "Seven Summits," an epic journey that, if successful, will take him to the highest point on each of the world's seven continents.

Beginning in May, Dickinson will attempt to climb Mount McKinley's peak Denali, which at 20,320 feet, is North America's highest point. He plans to claim at least one summit per year, although it could be more or less depending on planning and funds.

"I've always had a driving sense of adventure," said Dickinson, who lives in Snoqualmie, Wash. where he works for Cisco Systems. "I'm pretty sure I was born with it."

Taking risks is nothing new for Dickinson, who spent six years in the U.S. Navy, where he worked as a helicopter rescue swimmer.

During the past few years, he climbed Mount Rainier (14,411 ft.) and Mount Adams (12,281 ft.). He participated in the Big Sur Marathon, and he swam in the Escape from Alcatraz in 2008.

Those experiences have given him all the confidence in the world that he's physically up to the task.

In fact, Dickinson said the toughest part of mountain climbing for him is mental.

He has two small children at home, Emily, 5, and Jordan, 2, and leaving them behind to explore some of the most dangerous places on the planet can be unsettling.

"I've had a lot of survival training where you live off the land and don't eat for a week, and I can handle even very uncomfortable situations," Dickinson said. "The toughest thing for me is leaving behind two young kids and a great wife ... you miss them when you're sleeping up on a mountain in the freezing cold at 10,000 feet."

And regardless of his physical abilities, Dickinson knows he'll be facing an array of dangers.

He'll travel through oxygen-depleted atmosphere in driving snow, wind and ice where the weather can change rapidly from blue sky to rip-roaring blizzards and avalanches.

The former Chieftain has spent plenty of time preparing for these dangers, but it's still something his wife, JoAnna, will have to think about every time he's scaling a new summit.

"I do worry, and I try not to think about it too much," JoAnna said. "He's extremely motivated and goal-oriented ... but I know he's also level-headed and makes good choices."

And while it'll be Brian doing the climbing, JoAnna found her own way to contribute to his trips.

JoAnna is a social worker and suggested he use the opportunity to raise money for those in need.

Her idea was to use the climbs to help raise money for charities and people in need. In that sprit. Dickson has worked to get businesses to donate money for each summit he climbs with the goal of rising $140,000 by the time he's done.

"We were talking about the trip and I think that I made him feel a little bit guilty," JoAnna said. "We both thought we could do more, and in these tough economic times I said 'Why don't we come up with a plan to raise money for people who might need it?'"

The plan is to raise the money during his hikes and then use Universal Giving to help determine the best uses of the funds, though he said among the charities he's considering involve AIDS and cancer research, along with the Homeless Children's Education Fund.

The next couple of years should be among the most exhilarating and nerve-racking of Dickinson's life, as he ascends to places almost high enough to provide a view of Southern Oregon.

"It's a big challenge," he said. "But I'm excited. I feel ready."

The Seven Summits

Summit Elevation (feet) Continent

Everest 29,035 Asia

Aconcagua 22,841 South America

McKinley 20,320 North America

Kilimanjaro 19,340 Africa

Elbrus 18,510 Europe

Vinson Massif 16,050 Antarctica

Carstensz Pyramid 16,024 Australia-New Guinea