Our trip to Mt. Tahoma

This blog post was authored by Alex G., a member of the Tivnu 11 cohort from Baltimore, MD. They intern at Alliance High School as the Manufacturing Department’s shop assistant. They enjoy 3D printing, playing piano, hiking, and welding. After Tivnu, they will attend the University of Maryland: Baltimore County.

It was time to leave. We packed the previous day and were about to leave for our trip to Mount Tahoma (the name the Puyallup tribe gave to what we call Mt. Rainier). Everyone from our house stepped into the Tivnu van we affectionately call “Karl” and made our way to Mount Rainier National Park. In addition to our cohort, both Resident Advisors Josie and Harli and Construction Coach Erik were there to drive and supervise us. I was quite nervous. We hardly knew each other, and we were already going on a trip to a mountain? Despite that, I was still excited. I had never been camping in the Cascades before, and I was excited to experience new environments. As we got closer and closer to our destination, the scenery grew more beautiful. I already knew this would be like no other camping trip I had been on before. 

Before we got to our camping site, we made a stop in Ike Kinswa State Park, where we ate lunch. Some people swam in the water, others played on the playground. We weren’t even at our destination yet and we could only hear the sounds of the water and the occasional car passing by. It was beautiful, serene, and quite pleasant! But, there was more yet to come.

Before too long, we were on our way again for the final leg of the journey to Tahoma. 

Once we arrived in Mount Rainier National Park, we immediately had no idea where we were going. The drive was beautiful, but it was so long that it felt like we were going nowhere. Despite there being no cell service and only a confusing map to follow, we finally found our campground. Everyone started making small groups to pitch and share tents with. As we waited for dinner to roll around, people started mingling, forming groups, and getting to know each other. Being thrust into this camping trip with people we have really only known for a week was quite awkward at moments but we all bonded over a game of Texas Hold’em.

Eventually, dinner time came and we had stir fry cooked by fellow Tivnoodles (Tivnu Participants). Immediately we ran into a problem: We did not have enough vessels to eat out of. Our chief kitchen packer forgot to pack plates or bowls, so people ate out of used tofu containers, jars, or cans. After dinner, it was dark enough that we all went to bed. 

The first night was quite rough for most people since we were not used to camping yet. Sleeping effectively on the hard ground with only a thin mattress was tough, and sleeping so close to other people in the tent was uncomfortable. The morning was foggy and cool, which was not the best conditions to wake up to but it was far from the worst. However, waking up to the sounds of nature was pleasant.

We had a breakfast prepared by other Tivnoodles, and afterwards another set of Noodles set out some food to pack for lunch. We had the option of doing two different hikes: A shorter, flatter, less interesting hike or a longer, steeper, more interesting hike. Originally we had planned to do the shorter hike first and the longer hike next, but the weather indicated it would rain the next day, so we decided to do the longer hike first.

We set out in our vans for the main trails of Mt. Tahoma. We got lost a little but found our way eventually. 

As we stepped foot on our first trail, it became immediately clear that the scenery and wildlife here would be nothing like I have experienced before on the East Coast. Nearly all trees were evergreen, the bushes were vibrant, moss hung from branches– It was all so magical and alive in a way I have never experienced. Every step of the way felt like a new Windows 10 screensaver and every stop we took allowed us to bathe in the beauty of the mountain. 

The mountain itself only came into view out of the clouds later in the day, but we were still able to get gorgeous views of the other scenery, wildlife, and plants. We took regular breaks to soak in the scenery, let people catch up, and drink some water. At roughly the halfway point, we stopped for lunch and saw some chipmunks trying to steal our food. 

We continued along the trail, getting higher, colder, and more tired, until finally, we reached the highest point of the trail. We touched some sweet summer snow, marveled over some bugs, and slowly but surely the whites and grays of the snow and rocks turned into the browns and greens of grass, trees, and plants. As we descended the mountain, we finally got to see the peak without any clouds obscuring it, and we saw some beautiful creeks and waterfalls. 

As we ended our hike, we gathered in a cozy lodge where someone was playing piano, there were comfy couches, and places to buy things. We were given $5 to get whatever food item we wanted, so I got a cup of ice cream. Eventually, we all headed back to camp as evening approached. We had dinner, hung out, and headed to bed.

That morning, we woke up to the sounds of rain. We set up a canopy over the cooking and eating area and had breakfast, prepared lunch, and set off on our second, shorter hike. It was cloudy and raining on and off, but the hike was easy and short. We did a small activity of trying to experience nature as a way to connect with G-d, which was nice despite not being a religious person. We visited a couple lakes, explored areas beyond the trail, and had some lunch.

After the hike, part of our group went back to Portland, but those who stayed at Tahoma one more night enjoyed the amazing dinner I prepared: a Beyond burger bar. It was nice having extra food for us and having a smaller group. We all stayed under the canopy and I tried a peanut butter burger which was… something. No one else wanted to join me in my experimentation. Some of us learned how to make dolls out of corn husks. Eventually, darkness, and we went back to our tents to sleep. 

In the morning, we ate breakfast, packed up our campsite, and headed back to Portland. Scenery passed, from forests, to farms, to highways, and eventually, cities. We made a quick stop at a Burgerville where Erik treated us to some shakes which were delicious! We then got back in the van and finally got home.

This trip was quite an experience. The views were beautiful, and really made me feel the scale of the planet in a way I have never experienced. Despite the weather challenges, I still enjoyed my time at Tahoma. The cooked meals were nice, the hikes were fun and gratifying, and getting to know all the other people I would be spending my gap year with was fun. I will never forget my experience there!