Index isn't for everyone, which is more than a small part of why I like it. Most of the conga line of tourist cars that plods up and down the scenic Highway 2 corridor each weekend don't even realize the place exists. In the rare case that a particularly inquisitive traveler gets a wild hair up their ass to actually exit the highway and check Index out on a whim, they generally won't know what you're supposed to do there. The wireless signal's not great, there's a noisy train that comes through a bit too frequently for their tastes, and there are only two places to spend money in the whole darn town. The only apparent thing to do there is look at the river, go into the forest and look at the trees, or walk up to any of the massive walls of sheer granite and look at the stones. No fudge shops, no ice creameries, no beer gardens. No point.
Of course, if you're a rock climber those walls of granite are the equivalent of a set of keys to a Ferrari. Index, as most of you know, is the best crag in the world. But it's also a uniquely difficult form of climbing that is hard on the fingers and toes, harder on the brain, and harder still on the ego. So even most climbers stay away from Index. (I know, it doesn't seem like it on a busy summer day... but climbing is growing everywhere in the US, and trust me, other places have much bigger overcrowding issues).
I spent five summers in Washington, mostly because of Index. It's not just the stone, truth be told. The forest is like something out of a fairy tale. I've been out to the Olympics--the Hoh rainforest, the quietest place on Earth, yada yada--and it's got nothing on this special valley. The Skykomish is one of the cleanest, prettiest rivers I've ever seen. It also happens to be one of the few rivers in the lower 48 that is entirely undammed-- headwaters to outlet. Salmon spawn on the Skykomish in the fall, mushrooms of all shapes and colors (including many choice edibles) grow throughout the year, Bobcats prowl the woods, Banana slugs pepper the forest floor. It's a lovely place to sit, think, and disconnect from the so-called "real" world for a while.
That said, I often found Index to be a less than perfect location for a romantic getaway between myself and my fiance. Don't get me wrong, I love the camping. But a pot of ramen and glass of wine only go so far when the folks in the RV next to you are smoking meth out of what seems to be a lightbulb, and coughing and cursing loudly.
Well, the days of dumpster diving my dinners and living in an old plumber's van down by the river are behind me now. I'm a married man (or I was to be, before COVID postponed our wedding by a year). My fiancé and I live in Flagstaff, Arizona-- not a bad place itself, if a little dry for my tastes. Since we didn't get to have our wedding this summer, Megan and I hemmed and hawed for a long time about taking a vacation. We finally decided to come back to Washington (where it all began for us almost a decade ago) on a last minute whim. Of course we would spend part of our trip at Index... but in what capacity? The point of our sojourn was not to climb, but to connect. Romantic candlelit dinners, showers, beds, peaceful mornings drinking coffee by the river. That's what we were looking for. What if Index could be all the things it never was for us?
It was that question that brought us to the Wild Sky Ranch. And the answer to that question, to both of our elation, was nothing short of an epiphany. "Maybe we could live here some day," are words I never thought I'd hear Meg say. And yet, there she was saying it. Almost every morning and every evening as we sat in our cozy cabin listening to the river, and watching the moss grow. Maybe it was just the sheer relief of being in humidity again (something sorely lacking in Arizona), but I honestly can't remember the last time I saw Meg looking so relaxed. Hell, I can't remember the last time I felt so relaxed myself.
So, this is just a very longwinded shoutout to the Wild Sky Ranch. I can't believe it took me almost ten years to finally book a stay at that lovely place. Just like Index, I'm sure it's not for everyone. But if, based upon what I've said, you feel like it may be for you, I couldn't recommend staying there more. Looking back, it's one of the loveliest vacations Meg and I have ever had together. I'm sure that when we come back to Index, we will spend at least a night or two there again. read more
