RILEY J ROAMS

I’ve always dreaded growing old until I spent time in the Pacific Northwest. There’s something about the lush remoteness that made me excited to settle down in a little house with a big garden and a few goats. Being surrounded by muggy fog next to the ocean had me dreaming about the future—setting goals and making investments. Washington is home to three National Parks: Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades. While spending two weeks in the state I was able to visit two of them.

On a stormy Saturday I headed to Mount Rainier from Kent with three friends. The rain quickly turned into snow once we got into the park and drove higher in elevation. We pulled into the parking lot of Paradise and were greeted by plump snow falling from the sky. We bundled up – mask and all – and started down the trail. The ground was slippery but the snow caressing the red and green pines felt like a snow globe. We hiked until the first waterfall and then headed back to the car.

For the next few hours we chased waterfalls inside the park. We marveled at some of the many waterfalls inside the park including the vast Narada Falls to the fairytale-like Christine Falls.

We found a random trail that took us over a rushing river via log and then into a forest lined with fall foliage. Mushrooms popped out of the dead leaves covering the ground while wandering around the forest. We inspected every mushroom we encountered and picked the ones that intrigued us—making sure to check online if they are poisonous or not. Others on the trail would pass us carrying wicker baskets and knowledge of the different fungi; these people were much more prepared to forage than us.

The next morning we drove to Sequim, a small town on the peninsula along the bay. We rented a cabin that was right on the lake. The spacious, funky cabin was perfect for a week stay in the Pacific Northwest remoteness.

We woke up moments before sunrise to start our jobs that were based in eastern and central time zones. Before starting our day we walked along the water with the smell of salt in the air and seagulls flying nearby. We spent slow, chilly days relaxing at the cabin as fishers boated past and the fog rose from the water’s surface.

We tried to drive into Mount Olympic immediately after work but we were denied entry due to a storm, so we drove along a huge lake before heading back to our cabin to watch Haunting of Bly Manor together. After watching the first episode I felt uneasy in the remote cabin and struggled to fall asleep.

The next afternoon I drove into the park for a solo hike and was amazed by the amount of snow covering the mountains and pines. I had been waiting my whole life to experience snowy mountains like this, and I was lucky I got to go into the park the day after the storm. I hiked around Hurricane Ridge and the untouched snow was surreal. Frigid winds flew from the peaks, but once the clouds moved there was an ocean view beyond the green mountains.

The sun was shining high in the sky when I got back to Sequim. I laid outside until my friends were ready to head back into the park. When we got to the park all the snow had melted. We parked at the Hurricane hike and walked along the mountains in the brisk air. The higher we got the stronger the wind blew. We walked until we were consumed by a cloud and could no longer see anything around us. As we walked back the sky turned into pink and purple as the clouds hugged the mountains.

The next morning we drove two hours from Sequim to Hoh Rainforest. Wandering through the lush forest when there was a slight drizzle was a dream. We admired moss and lichen hanging from trees and mushrooms growing along the forest floor.

After spending a few hours in the forest we headed to Ruby Beach to watch the sun set over the the ocean. We found a spot to park along the street then made our way down to the water. The water was chilly, but we still took our shoes off and hopped around the waves as the sky turned pink to dark gray.

We enjoyed our last morning at the cabin on the lake while slowly packing up our car. Fog was resting upon towering evergreen trees as the sun rose higher and higher above the water. After sitting by the lake we got into our car and drove back to Mount Rainier for one more Washington sunset.

The clouds were disappearing as we arrived at the park and Mount Rainier loomed over us as we drove higher towards Paradise. We arrived at the same parking lot we had come to earlier this week, but this time there was no snow and we could see mountains in the distance. We made our way down the trail—amazed by the majestic view we could not see a week ago. The fields were sprinkled with red and yellow leaves among deep green pines trees stretching up towards the snow-covered Mount Rainier resting among drooping hills. As we arrived to the waterfall the sky turned a soft blue while sounds of rushing water ran around us. We were enjoying the serene view as a large, pink cloud swept across the mountain reflecting pink light along the horizon while all the foliage erupted in color. It’s always the moments right after the sun sets that shine the brightest.

We made our way back to the car while screaming about how incredible the sunset was. As I drove back down the mountain in the desaturated colors before complete darkness, I couldn’t help but be excited for what’s next. I hadn’t has something to look forward to in a while, but all of the sudden I was excited to settle down in certain places. I thought of having a home in Washington with a garden and a few goats, and a studio in Joshua Tree where I could take photos and stretch, and a desert paradise in southern Arizona where I can write, draw, cook, and relax in the sun. I started to think about what I want my life to look like and what I need to work on in order to reach those goals. I know the future can only get more peaceful, and while I steer towards that I now get to enjoy the chaos and camaraderie that comes with being young.