What’s in a name?

Cloud Inversion - A cloud inversion, or temperature inversion is when the normal temperature distribution of air – warm at the bottom, colder as you go up – becomes inverted or flipped upside down.

In my time outdoors on trail systems, I have been entrenched within, and have observed from afar, a number of climate conditions. The next time we meet for a coffee, remind me to tell you the story of running down a hike in Mount Rainier NP in the middle of a lighting storm.

A cloud inversion is something I’ve had on my heart for a while. I have only ever seen them online; mostly on some hiking influencer page. I don’t know if you can ever really know you’ll see one; maybe there is something they know that I don’t. Or perhaps, like many wonderful things in this life, you may happen upon it at the right time. A hiking meet cute if you will. But, you still have to put yourself in the position to see, or be seen, in the first place. What do you do to put yourself in a position to be seen?

For us, it’s … coffee. The coffee ritual instills within us a sense of action. We know this can be grandiose. It can sound melodramatic, and truthfully, maybe it is. But it comes from a place I believe all of Altitude’s actions should originate from. A place in us that craves for adventure and authenticity in the face of all of our internal doubts, debts and struggles. I used to believe we needed to sacrifice the experiences we need in favor of the illusion that we will — one day — be removed from monotony. What if, on some occasions, we took the opposite approach to our time?

What do you do after you are motivated to take action? That choice is, and forever will be, up to you. For us, it means leveraging the benefits of the outdoors to manifest clarity. A clear mind affords a clear path of action toward your goals. After coffee, we packed up and set out into the woods. Our goal — hike up a mountain that if we were lucky, would reveal five of the white caps who have claimed the North Cascades as their home. It was about 2:30 pm by the time we made it to the trailhead. The truck rattled and creaked as it meandered up the old forest service road. In my head, I kept playing the Indiana Jones themsesong over and over as I was thrashed in the cabin. It was impossible not to do so as Elly (my truck) traversed 9 miles over the rooted earth beneath. Finally on the trail, the afternoon rays snuck under the brim of my hat as we approached the mountain from the east. A couple hours in, and some bear calls later, we discovered what would be our camp. A quiet and secluded area surrounded by years of dense pine and cedar. The air was chill, the sun was setting and her glow masqueraded between fallen trees to the west. This would do.

Morning arrives quicker in the outdoors. And for someone prone to indulging in comfort (me), it can make a morning jaunt up a mountain rather challenging. Yet embracing a touch of discomfort is good for us. One calculated step after another, the summit began to reveal itself. The night before, a dense haze covered the east and with it, the Cascades. Although the crisp morning air gave me hope for an inversion, there would be no guarantees of a view regardless of putting ourselves in the best position to see it; a beautiful life lesson to learn. Even if we engage in all the right actions, the outcome may still not be in our control. Life doesn’t owe you shit just because you’ve put the work in. So that way of thinking needs to be eliminated. It takes clarity of mind to actively free ourselves from the illusion of control. You are not in control. Just because I roast great coffee doesn’t mean you’ll buy it. Just because you exercise and eat healthy doesn’t mean you’ll live cancer free into your 80’s. And just because you feel motivated in an instant doesn’t mean you’ll take action to actually do something about it.

But, if you are successful in gaining mental clarity — if you’re steadfast in giving up the illusion of control — you just may surprise yourself with what you can see.

The Cascades gifted us the mental space to appreciate and connect with them despite never promising they would. Sometimes, the action you take to achieve a position rewards you; and sometimes it simply does not. Life does not care about our plan, but we can always choose to take the actions we have dedicated the time to believe in.

“Even if we take all the right actions, the outcome may still not be in our control.”

Atop the summit, my eyes were transfixed on the eastern horizon as I scanned to the north first. Helens, Rainier and Adams stood proud as the red sun peaked at them from the east. Never blinking out of the fear of waking up, we gazed upon an ethereal blanket covering the valley. A cloud inversion. The intensity of the light increased as the clouds reflected rays toward Hood and in the distance, Jefferson to the south.

There are moments in this life that will stay with you despite their fleeting nature. It may be a conversation with your favorite person, a view by yourself, or even a great cup of coffee with a friend. Despite their fleeting nature, they inspire us to venture, to believe, and maybe even take the action necessary to eliminate old ways of thinking in favor of something more supportive. These moments have power to turn your life upside down, or maybe, depending on your perspective, rightside up.

There will be times when the results of your actions, even the ones you believe in, do not reflect the work you’ve put in. Believing we are in full control of our coffee roasting, our adventuring, and that we have the time to ‘get to’ our lives eventually are the lies we tell ourselves because we are afraid of what may happen if we do everything right and it still does not work out.

I want Altitude to be there to help you flip your fear on its head. Not taking a positive action out of the fear of the outcome has no place in your life. No matter where you are on your journey, we’ve got your back. At the very least, we can help you start your day the way it is meant to be started; with intention. With action.

From now on, our Espresso Blend will be called Cloud Inversion. Flip fear on its head. A new name is a fitting end to an old way of thinking, and an actionable step in believing, if only for a moment, a little more clearly.