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
Eleven friends. Three cars. One mountain. Vegan food in dangerous abundance.
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.
Esha
Fiancée, co-host, website builder, logistical ballast.
Sheel
Brother.
Amruta
SIL.
Amrit
Last Reveler to arrive in Seattle.
Arpana
Namesake.
Kabir
Ex-Rental Car Captain
Stef
Camp Mom.
Kiran
Cutest cutiepie ever
Varun
Esha's first roommate in Seattle.
Tarini
Arpana's best friend.
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 at 2:00 p.m. in two cars — HVM and Eli's car — with a grocery stop and an Amrit pickup at SeaTac along the way, then a possible detour to the Sunrise side of the mountain if daylight allows, before rolling into Packwood.
Afternoon: departure and SeaTac pickup
- Leave Seattle around 2:00 p.m. in HVM and Eli's car
- Pick up Amrit from SeaTac Airport, ~2:50 p.m.
Sunrise side of the mountain (time-permitting)
- 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
This is a maybe — with a 2:00 p.m. Seattle departure, groceries, and the SeaTac pickup, it depends on how much daylight is left. One primary plan, one or two flexible alternatives, or straight through to Packwood.
Later arrival
- Varun, Tarini, Esha, and Amruta 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 a birthday toast of ambitious length.
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 breakfast at the house
- Pack a 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, board games, music, birthday dessert, and general merriment.
Sunday · August 9
Soaking, Strolling, and the Seattle Return
Checkout is before 11:00 a.m. Kabir, Stef, and Kiran depart early in HVM (Sheel driving) for Kabir's 10:45 a.m. flight to Spokane out of SeaTac; the rest of the group lingers for one more scenic stop before heading back in Eli's car and Boozaru.
Early departure
- Kabir, Stef, and Kiran leave together in HVM, Sheel driving
The rest of the group
- Breakfast if time permits
- Pack and check out before 11:00 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
129 Sherwood Lane, Packwood, WA 98361, United States
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 11:00 a.m.
- Parking
- Free parking on-site.
Smart-lock 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.
House rules
- Self check-in with smart lock — no key hunt, no drama
- 10 guests maximum (a number we intend to hit exactly)
- No pets (HVM does not count, and yes, someone asked)
- Quiet hours: 10:00 p.m.–8:00 a.m. — Pronus disputes to be conducted in whispers
- No parties or events (this is, legally speaking, a quiet gathering of friends)
- No commercial photography (personal chaos only; no swimwear campaigns)
- No smoking (mushrooms, similarly, stay in the FAQ)
Before you leave
- Start a load of laundry — towels or a set of sheets
- Take kitchen trash out to the dumpster
- Turn off any wall heaters that were used
- Shut and lock all exterior doors, including the front door
- Load the dishwasher and start a cycle (pods are under the sink)
- Close the hot tub cover
A miniature sports broadcast
Pronus: Pool, but with lore
Pronus is a fast, mildly chaotic pool-table game from Rishi's childhood. It belongs to the same strange family as games sometimes called Crud, Spaz, or Splash: no cue sticks, only two balls, and a surprising amount of running around furniture.
The rules were passed down orally, which means they are both sacred and open to occasional reinterpretation. The Packwood house has a pool table, which means this obscure childhood institution can finally return to the grand stage it deserves.
- Format
- Free-for-all. Every Reveler for themselves.
- Reigning champion
- Vacant, pending litigation.
- Disputes and appeals
- The Pronus Rules Committee (see House Rules).
What you need
- One pool table
- The white cue ball
- One other ball, ideally the 8-ball
- At least four players
- No cue sticks
- Reasonable footwear
- An unreasonable level of confidence
The objective
Keep the object ball moving and hit it with the cue ball before it stops. Every mistake earns you the next letter in P-R-O-N-U-S. Spell the whole word and you are eliminated. The last player standing wins.
Pocket rule
If you sink the 8-ball, the next player gets a letter. This is not merely survival. It is strategy.
How to play
- Remove every ball except the cue ball and the 8-ball.
- Choose a player order.
- Start the 8-ball moving across the table.
- The first player retrieves the cue ball, moves to a short end of the table, and rolls it by hand toward the moving 8-ball.
- Once the balls make contact, the next player takes over immediately.
- Play continues without pausing until someone commits a foul.
You earn a letter if…
- The 8-ball stops before you hit it.
- You completely miss it.
- You touch the 8-ball with your hand, body, or clothing.
- You shoot from the long side instead of a short end.
- You interfere with another player.
- You knock the 8-ball off the table.
- You argue about the rules for longer than the actual rally.
House rules
- A visibly spinning ball still counts as moving.
- No pushing, blocking, tackling, or “accidental” body checks.
- The cue ball may be retrieved from anywhere.
- The 8-ball must move a meaningful distance after contact.
- All disputes are referred to the Pronus Rules Committee, chaired by Rishi and whoever agrees with him least.
Pronus is part sport, part oral tradition, and part constitutional crisis. We will be playing it at the house, where the pool table awaits.
The Rides
The Rolling Rainier Roster
2001 Honda Accord
HVM
Older than several tech companies, more reliable than many of them.
- Driver
- Sheel
- Friday departure
- Friday, 2:00 p.m.
- Sunday departure
- Sunday morning
Owned by Esha, driven by Sheel this trip. Sunday morning, HVM makes the airport run — Kabir, Stef, and Kiran headed to SeaTac.
2013 Toyota Highlander
Eli's Car
Six seats, zero rental-car drama.
- Driver
- Kabir
- Friday departure
- Friday, 2:00 p.m.
- Sunday departure
- Sunday afternoon
Kabir drives out Friday with Stef, Arpana, and Kiran. Sunday afternoon, Sheel takes over as driver for the trip back to Seattle with Rishi, Amrit, and Arpana.
Subaru Impreza hatchback
Boozaru
The fashionably-late arrival vehicle, carrying Varun, Tarini, Esha, and Amruta.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVM (Honda Accord) | Sheel | 2:00 p.m. | Morning (airport run) | 5 | Friday: Sheel, Rishi, Amrit | Sunday morning, Sheel drives Kabir, Stef, and Kiran to SeaTac for their 10:45 a.m. flight to Spokane. |
| Eli's car (Toyota Highlander) | Kabir (Fri), Sheel (Sun) | 2:00 p.m. | Afternoon | 6 | Friday: Kabir, Stef, Arpana, Kiran | Sunday afternoon, Sheel drives Eli's car back to Seattle with Rishi, Amrit, and Arpana. |
| Boozaru (Subaru) | Varun | ~3:00 p.m. | Afternoon | 5 | Varun, Tarini, Esha, Amruta | Departs Seattle later than the main group. |
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
For Pronus
- Competitive composure
- Respect for oral tradition
- Reasonable footwear
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.
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 HVM?
A 2001 Honda Accord, a distinguished elder stateswoman of the American road, and one of our three vehicles.
What is Boozaru?
Varun's dark blue Subaru Impreza hatchback. The name predates this trip and is, as far as we know, unrelated to its cargo.
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.
Eleven Confirmed. Rainier Remains Unconsulted.
No RSVP needed — everyone below is already in.
- Rishi
- Esha
- Sheel
- Amruta
- Amrit
- Arpana
- Kabir
- Stef
- Kiran
- Varun
- Tarini