Hi Brewmonk,
I grew up in Rochester and went to public schools, but I know a lot of people that went to School where you did. I've been growing Cascades for years. I also have Hallertau, Sterling, East Kent Golding and Willamette.
I didn't bother mulching my hops. I have daffodils and other Spring plants that are a lot taller and I'm sure they are fine also. I guess snow is a mulch in a way. The Cascades are hard to kill. I gave some to my neighbor in a pot. He was too lazy to plant them and threw them out by his house. Now I get hops from him every year from the plants that grew from that pot that he threw out!