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I saw a random YouTube video that revealed a forest service road with views. We decided to make the trek and explore this area to see what we could find. We drove miles up the less traveled path, which consisted of a magical waterfall lush with vibrant moss, a tricky S turn around large boulders and overgrowth that snatched and grabbed at our vehicle for most of the way up. It was a rainy, foggy morning and the clouds hung low.

As we got higher, we pulled over where the view opened up and made Aeropress coffee, continuously looking out in hopes that the mountains would reveal themselves. With no luck, we decided to drive a little higher and make breakfast at a different spot. The view opened up even more with the road dropping off to present a panorama of seemingly tall mountains.

After a couple of hours, the clouds briefly thinned out and the view was glorious. I sat on the edge of the road/dropoff mesmerized as I watched different peaks reveal themselves one at a time, as the clouds grew and evaporated. This is known as the Orographic Effect, which occurs when air is forced to flow over high topography.