Preserving the Wild Places

Sometimes in life, you are engulfed by a strong desire to do something challenging and feel like the stars have just aligned in your favor. You only feel at rest when you have found the right challenge… The moment you find it, know that this desire and alignment is precious—channel it to things that truly matter to you.

Hello! This is my story.

Teeming with excitement for a new job in a new city, I moved to the west coast in 2020. It was the year of the pandemic and everything felt gloomy, grey and stock-still in Seattle. I had spent the previous two years in the heart of NYC, studying, exploring and navigating life in a new country. New York was full of life - It had a fast pace, a very accessible subway system, there were cafes and restaurants on every street corner and people had come there from many different parts of the world. I missed a lot of that in the initial months after the move to Seattle.

Months quietly passed by and the cultural landscape shifted in Seattle. As COVID-19 restrictions eased, people slowly started venturing out and places opened up again for public use. I visited the famous gum wall at the Pike’s Place Market, sipped on the delectable coffee at Espresso Vivace and gawked at the sea planes gracefully landing in South Lake Union. And then.. soon enough in the summer of 2021, I was introduced to hiking and it changed everything.

I fell in love with the rugged beauty of the Sahale Arm Loop, the wildflowers on the Paradise Trail, and the turquoise waters of Colchuck Lake. With every season, I saw the landscape dramatically change. Larches turned a brilliant golden-yellow in the fall, wildflowers danced in the spring and moss laid down a velvety carpet in the winter. The wildlife became my favorite part of the hikes. On some hikes, Pikas scurried up to my shoes hoping to either make friends or assert authority over their home, while on some, Garter Snakes hurriedly crossed my path, either shying away from paparazzi or chasing down their prey. On some, Marmots curiously peeked from bushes, completely unbothered by humans, while on others I caught a glimpse of squirrels nibbling at nuts and hanging around hikers probably hoping to get their hands on some good old granola.

Seattle wasn't just a new city anymore—thanks to the mountains, the intriguing wildlife and the community I found on the trails, it became home. Seeing the animals and these beautiful landscapes filled me with a deep sense of gratitude - but it also made me realize that these wild places don’t stay protected by accident.

Why I’m Climbing Rainier

Since 1993, these national parks have been maintained by Washington's National Park Fund who ensure the trails are safe & accessible for everyone and the ecosystems are healthy. It is the boots-on-the-ground non-profit that funds critical, underfunded projects across our parks.

They make trails accessible, they patrol the backcountry and fund privys. They create opportunities for youth in the parks and enable wildlife conservation. Some of their impactful projects include organizing Bear Safety Programs, monitoring Marmot populations, surveying Pika populations, and enabling meadow restoration.

This year, I was consumed by a feeling of taking action on something challenging. The search stopped with an email in my inbox that read - Climb for a Cause 2026 is here. It ticked all of the checkboxes. To give back to the parks that have given me so much, I am taking on the biggest physical challenge of my life. I am training to summit the majestic Mount Rainier to raise funds for WNPF so that they continue to protect these wild places.

At 14,410 feet, Rainier is one of the most grueling endurance climbs in the United States. Along with seven of my co-workers, I am committing to five months of training to tackle this behemoth. I am currently on my 10th training hike of the season, and with every training hike, I feel better equipped to tackle Rainier.

How You Can Help

I’m putting in the miles and the sweat. I’d be grateful if you’d join me by supporting these parks that give us so much and ask so very little in return. Your donation to the Washington National Park Fund makes a real, immediate difference in preserving the parks for today and for generations to come. Please support his cause and help keep wild places wild.