A birthday weekend assembled by Esha
Rishi's Rainier Rendezvous
August 7–9, 2026
Mount Rainier National Park & Packwood, Washington
Rishi's Remarkably Resplendent Rainier Rendezvous: a restorative ramble replete with ridgelines, recreation, ridiculously responsible revelry, and really rather radiant relationships
Ridgelines, recreation, responsible revelry, and radiant relationships
Ten friends. Three cars. One mountain. A statistically significant quantity of vegan food.
An Esha Joshi production
A note from Esha
Rishi wanted to celebrate his birthday with some of his favorite people in one of the most beautiful places in Washington. I wanted everyone to know where they were sleeping, what they were eating, whose car they were entering, and whether they needed a swimsuit. Thus, this website.
We'll spend the weekend exploring Mount Rainier, taking scenic walks and hikes, sharing healthy vegan meals, soaking in the hot tub, playing pool, resurrecting a childhood game called Pronus, and subjecting one another to whatever board games survive the packing process.
The itinerary is intentionally flexible. We want to see a lot, but we also want this to feel like a birthday weekend rather than a military campaign disguised as leisure. We'll adjust for weather, road conditions, group energy, and any unexpectedly compelling wildflowers.
Organized with love, logistics, and an arguably unnecessary number of browser tabs.
The Revelers
The Remarkable Rainier Revelers
A carefully curated coalition of siblings, spouses, founders, friends, and people who have agreed to share bathrooms.
Rishi
Birthday boy, itinerary enthusiast, likely to propose “one quick additional stop.”
Esha
Fiancée, co-host, website builder, logistical ballast.
Sheel
Rishi's brother.
Amruta
Sheel's wife.
Amrit
Friend.
Arpana
Amrit's sister.
Kabir
Friend, rental-car captain, early Sunday escapee.
Stef
Kabir's wife.
Varun
Esha's cofounder.
Tarini
Varun's girlfriend.
The Rambling Plan
A relaxed itinerary, by Rishi standards
A thoughtful plan, not a minute-by-minute mandate. Friday through Sunday, with room to breathe.
Friday · August 7
The Sunrise Send-Off and Packwood Pilgrimage
The primary group leaves Seattle in two cars — Esha's Honda Accord (Havam) and Kabir's rental — for a morning on the Sunrise side of the mountain before rolling into Packwood.
Morning at Sunrise (primary plan + flexible alternatives)
- Sunrise Visitor Center area
- Sourdough Ridge
- A portion of the Burroughs Mountain route
- Tipsoo Lake
- Naches Peak Loop or another moderate scenic walk
- Picnic or packed lunch
- Scenic overlooks and wildflower stops
Exact route TBD on the day — one primary plan, one or two flexible alternatives.
Later arrival
- Varun and Tarini leave Seattle around 3:00 p.m.
- Airbnb check-in is after 3:00 p.m.
Friday night objective: successfully combine ten adults, seven beds, one kitchen, and several competing theories about the correct way to chop an onion. Settle in, cook a healthy vegan dinner together, hot tub, pool and Pronus, board games, and reasonably responsible revelry.
Saturday · August 8
Paradise, Picnics, Peaks, and Pool
The primary full-group park day, exploring the Paradise side of Mount Rainier — a moderate scenic hike is a real option, with shorter variants available.
Paradise & around
- Paradise and the Jackson Visitor Center
- Skyline Trail
- Myrtle Falls
- Nisqually Vista
- Reflection Lakes
- Narada Falls
- Christine Falls
- Box Canyon, if it fits the route
- Wildflower meadows and scenic overlooks
Food plan
- Optional healthy vegan breakfast at the house
- Pack a healthy vegan picnic lunch
- Eat together in or near the park where permitted and practical
- Return to Packwood in time to enjoy the house
Saturday dinner: a meticulously meal-prepped masterpiece, Packwood provisioning, or an opportunistic combination of both — decided based on group preference and how late everyone returns. Then: hot tub, pool, Pronus, board games, music, birthday dessert, and general merriment.
Sunday · August 9
Soaking, Strolling, and the Seattle Return
Checkout is before 10:00 a.m. Kabir departs early for a 10:30 a.m. flight to Spokane; the rest of the group lingers for one more scenic stop before heading back.
Early departure
- Kabir's flight to Spokane departs at 10:30 a.m.
The rest of the group
- Breakfast if time permits
- Pack and check out before 10:00 a.m.
- One or more scenic stops
- Silver Falls
- Grove of the Patriarchs area, only if accessible
- Box Canyon
- Reflection Lakes
- Narada Falls
- A short forest or river walk
- A Packwood coffee or lunch stop
- A scenic route back toward Seattle
Sunday's ambitions will be calibrated to checkout logistics, collective sleep levels, and the lingering effects of competitive Pronus.
This plan will evolve based on weather, park access, traffic, trail conditions, parking, and whether Rishi finds a scenic overlook that Google Maps has somehow failed to adequately document.
The Residence
The Rainier Rendezvous Residence
Charming Packwood Home Away from Home
View the Airbnb listing- Entire home in Packwood
- Accommodates 10 guests
- 3 bedrooms
- 7 beds
- 2 bathrooms
- Approximately 30 minutes from Mount Rainier National Park
- Check-in
- After 3:00 p.m.
- Checkout
- Before 10:00 a.m.
- Parking
- Free parking on-site.
- House rules
- House rules from the listing will be summarized here once finalized. PLACEHOLDER — see README.
Exact address and door-code access instructions are shared with the group privately, not published on this site.
Amenities
Private hot tub
Ten adults will enter. The laws of displacement suggest some water will leave.
Pool table
Future site of the Pronus rematch.
Full kitchen
Wi-Fi
Free parking
Self check-in via smart lock
Access details shared privately with the group — not published here.
Community pool available for a fee
Walking access to the Gnome Trail
Barbecue facilities
Per the listing.
Sleeping arrangements
Assignment status: Coming after diplomatic negotiations
Bedroom 1
1 queen bed
Bedroom 2
1 king bed
Bedroom 3
1 king bed and 4 single beds
Bedroom assignments will be determined through a transparent, equitable, and entirely controversy-free process.
A miniature sports broadcast
Pronus: Pool, but with lore
Rishi grew up playing Pronus, a game whose rules will be confidently explained, selectively remembered, vigorously disputed, and possibly amended during play.
The Packwood house has a pool table, which means this obscure childhood institution can finally return to the grand stage it deserves.
- Basic rules
- PLACEHOLDER — to be dictated, disputed, and revised on-site.
- Teams
- PLACEHOLDER — TBD
- Tournament bracket
- PLACEHOLDER — TBD
- Reigning champion
- PLACEHOLDER — vacant, pending litigation
- Disputes and appeals
- PLACEHOLDER — see Rules Committee
The Pronus Rules Committee currently consists of Rishi and whichever witness most closely remembers events from approximately two decades ago.
The Rides
The Rolling Rainier Roster
2000 Honda Accord
Havam
Older than several tech companies, more reliable than many of them.
- Driver
- Esha
- Friday departure
- Friday morning
- Sunday departure
- Sunday afternoon
Owned and driven by Esha.
Rental car
Kabir's Rental
Rental-car captain, mission: 10:30 a.m. flight to Spokane.
- Driver
- Kabir
- Friday departure
- Friday morning
- Sunday departure
- Early Sunday (TBD)
Final rider assignment and airport timing TBD.
Subaru
Varun's Subaru
The fashionably-late arrival vehicle, carrying Varun and Tarini.
- Driver
- Varun
- Friday departure
- Friday, ~3:00 p.m.
- Sunday departure
- Sunday afternoon
Departs Seattle later than the main group.
| Car | Driver | Fri. departure | Sun. departure | Seats | Riders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havam (Honda Accord) | Esha | Morning | Afternoon | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Kabir's rental | Kabir | Morning | Early (10:30 a.m. flight to Spokane) | TBD | TBD | Exact departure time and airport logistics TBD. |
| Varun's Subaru | Varun | ~3:00 p.m. | Afternoon | TBD | Varun, Tarini | TBD |
The Repasts
Responsible Rainier Repasts
The food will be vegan, healthy, substantial, protein-conscious, communal, and suitable for active days in the park.
Friday
- Packed food or lunch while traveling and exploring
- Healthy vegan dinner cooked together at the Airbnb
- Snacks and birthday-weekend provisions
Saturday
- Optional breakfast available at the house
- Packed vegan picnic lunch for the park
- Dinner: cooked at the house, eaten out, or a combination of both
- Birthday dessert
Sunday
- Simple breakfast at the house
- Road snacks
- Optional lunch stop on the way back to Seattle
- Yes, everything will be vegan.
- Yes, there will be enough protein.
- No, iceberg lettuce does not constitute dinner.
- Dietary needs may be submitted to Esha before the procurement spreadsheet achieves sentience.
The Required Stuff
The Required Stuff
For Rainier
- Comfortable hiking shoes or trail runners
- Daypack
- Reusable water bottle
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Rain shell
- Warm layer
- Hiking layers
- Snacks
- Portable battery
- Optional trekking poles
- Personal medications
For the house
- Comfortable clothes
- Swimsuit for the hot tub
- Sandals
- Pajamas
- Toiletries
- Board games
- Drinks or snacks to share, if desired
- A towel, only if the listing or host instructions indicate one is needed
For Pronus
- Competitive composure
- Respect for oral tradition
- Willingness to accept that the rules may evolve after Rishi begins losing
Alpine conditions can be cool, windy, rainy, or dramatically different from Packwood even in August — layers are not optional.
Ridiculous Questions
Ridiculous Questions
Are we doing real hiking?
Yes. We intend to explore meaningful portions of Rainier rather than simply admire it from a parking lot. Exact routes will depend on weather, trail access, parking, and group interest. There will usually be a shorter option available.
Is this a highly regimented Rishi itinerary?
It is a lovingly moderated Rishi itinerary. There will be plans, alternatives, estimated departure times, and at least one moment when Esha says, “We are not adding another stop.”
Can I arrive Friday evening?
Yes. Varun and Tarini are already planning to leave Seattle around 3:00 p.m. and meet the group at the house.
What is Havam?
A 2000 Honda Accord, a distinguished elder stateswoman of the American road, and one of our three vehicles.
What is Pronus?
A pool-table game from Rishi's childhood. Its rules are part sport, part oral history, and part constitutional crisis.
Will the food be vegan?
Yes. Healthy, hearty, vegan food will be available throughout the weekend.
Is there a hot tub?
Yes. Bring a swimsuit. Whether ten people should enter simultaneously is a separate question for fluid dynamics.
Are we repeating last year's mushroom incident?
No. This year, mushrooms will remain culinary, consensual, and proportionally represented in dinner.
How firm is the “no mushroom incident” policy?
Hospital-grade firm.
Will there be any magical forest experiences?
Yes: wildflowers, ancient trees, glacial views, and friendship. That is the complete list of planned magic.
Should I bring recreational substances?
Bring sunscreen, water, layers, and perhaps a board game. We have already completed the uncontrolled clinical trial.
Is this FAQ legally binding?
Only the mushroom provisions.
What if the weather is bad?
We will adjust the hiking plan, enjoy scenic drives and lower-elevation walks, spend more time at the house, play games, use the hot tub where safe, and deploy a statistically excessive quantity of snacks.
Will there be cell service?
It may be limited or absent in parts of the park. Download maps and essential information in advance.
What time are we leaving?
Final departure times and rider assignments are still being determined — check back closer to the weekend.
Ten Confirmed. Rainier Remains Unconsulted.
No RSVP needed — everyone below is already in.
- Rishi
- Esha
- Sheel
- Amruta
- Amrit
- Arpana
- Kabir
- Stef
- Varun
- Tarini