Join an ‘Ultimate Hike’ to fight childhood cancer

Does raising money to fight children’s cancer and hiking 20.7 miles in one day through the Dolly Sods Wilderness sound like something that interests you?

You can learn more about the CureSearch Ultimate Hike in the Monongahela National Forest at two meetings this week — from 7 to 8:30 tonight at REI at SouthSide Works and from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at REI at Settlers Ridge, Robinson.

The Bethesda, Md., charity holds participants’ hands through the whole process, in which each hiker pays $100 and agrees to try to raise $2,400 in donations. The group also helps participants with training, and they can join local teams for the hike, which is set for June 10 in this rugged part of West Virginia. Five other Ultimate Hikes are happening this year in other areas.

To sign up for one of the local meetings, visit rei.com/learn.html and search Pittsburgh PA. For more on the group, visit curesearch.org. If you can’t make a meeting, the group offers online and phone support, and there are other events throughout the year, such as a 10-mile hike in North Park in July.