Derek

The ascent from Glacier Gorge Trailhead had gone smoothly enough, despite lingering patches of ice and snow. Tomas, a seasoned alpine guide from Boulder, always led with confidence, joking and chatting easily about future climbs. I, on the other hand, was typically quiet, ever cautious from my military training, a trait that had served me well.

The ascent from Glacier Gorge Trailhead had gone smoothly enough, despite lingering patches of ice and snow. Tomas, a seasoned alpine guide from Boulder, always led with confidence, joking and chatting easily about future climbs. I, on the other hand, was typically quiet, ever cautious from my military training, a trait that had served me well.

Our camp was tucked neatly into a shelf of rock, sheltered beneath the shadow of the shark's tooth, a jagged pinnacle that stabbed dramatically upward into the Colorado sky. After setting up our bivvy sacks and heating water from melting snow, we'd settled in early, the wind drumming steadily against our modest shelter.

Our camp was tucked neatly into a shelf of rock, sheltered beneath the shadow of the shark's tooth, a jagged pinnacle that stabbed dramatically upward into the Colorado sky. After setting up our bivvy sacks and heating water from melting snow, we'd settled in early, the wind drumming steadily against our modest shelter.

The sky was a crisp black, stars brittle and sharp overhead, distant and indifferent. Sleep found me quickly. I woke at dawn, stirred awake by the creeping chill that always settled around first light. I sat up slowly, tugging at the zipper on my bivy sack, and then paused, my eyes adjusting to the stark brightness of fresh morning sun reflecting off scattered patches of snow.

The sky was a crisp black, stars brittle and sharp overhead, distant and indifferent. Sleep found me quickly. I woke at dawn, stirred awake by the creeping chill that always settled around first light. I sat up slowly, tugging at the zipper on my bivy sack, and then paused, my eyes adjusting to the stark brightness of fresh morning sun reflecting off scattered patches of snow.

A strange sight greeted me. Around our bivy area, where there had definitely been snow last night, I remembered melting it myself, there now stretched a perfect circle of bare, dry earth, about twenty feet in diameter. I climbed fully out, pulling my down jacket tighter against my chest, examining the boundary closely. The line between snow and dirt was impossibly crisp.

A strange sight greeted me. Around our bivy area, where there had definitely been snow last night, I remembered melting it myself, there now stretched a perfect circle of bare, dry earth, about twenty feet in diameter. I climbed fully out, pulling my down jacket tighter against my chest, examining the boundary closely. The line between snow and dirt was impossibly crisp.

No footprints, no disturbances of any kind, just dry, crumbly soil encircled precisely by frozen terrain. Hey Tomas, I called quietly, not wanting to sound panicked, but unable to keep a note of urgency from my voice. He emerged groggily from his sleeping bag, rubbing at his eyes. What's up? I gestured wordlessly. His expression slowly shifted from confusion to amusement.

No footprints, no disturbances of any kind, just dry, crumbly soil encircled precisely by frozen terrain. Hey Tomas, I called quietly, not wanting to sound panicked, but unable to keep a note of urgency from my voice. He emerged groggily from his sleeping bag, rubbing at his eyes. What's up? I gestured wordlessly. His expression slowly shifted from confusion to amusement.

That's just Windscour, man, he finally said, chuckling softly. We get weird microclimates up here. I shook my head slightly, unconvinced. I've seen Windscour before. This isn't it. Thomas shrugged easily, already rummaging through his pack for food. Well, it's weird, sure, but nature does strange stuff. I knelt again, pressing my palm against the cold soil. It felt dry, utterly devoid of moisture.

That's just Windscour, man, he finally said, chuckling softly. We get weird microclimates up here. I shook my head slightly, unconvinced. I've seen Windscour before. This isn't it. Thomas shrugged easily, already rummaging through his pack for food. Well, it's weird, sure, but nature does strange stuff. I knelt again, pressing my palm against the cold soil. It felt dry, utterly devoid of moisture.

Curious, I took out my compass, noting immediately the needle's faint quiver, like it was hesitant about where north might be. I glanced up at Tomas. He didn't notice. He was busy boiling water and talking about which routes we should avoid because of avalanche risk. We should go for Taylor soon, Tomas suggested cheerily.

Curious, I took out my compass, noting immediately the needle's faint quiver, like it was hesitant about where north might be. I glanced up at Tomas. He didn't notice. He was busy boiling water and talking about which routes we should avoid because of avalanche risk. We should go for Taylor soon, Tomas suggested cheerily.

Weather looks stable enough, I agreed absentmindedly, still studying the circle. It made my skin prickle in a way I'd experienced only rarely, that deep-seated intuition that something was subtly but profoundly wrong. Finally, I photographed it, the stark circle of dryness glaring at me from the screen of my phone. Perhaps documentation would reassure me later, somehow normalize this oddity.

Weather looks stable enough, I agreed absentmindedly, still studying the circle. It made my skin prickle in a way I'd experienced only rarely, that deep-seated intuition that something was subtly but profoundly wrong. Finally, I photographed it, the stark circle of dryness glaring at me from the screen of my phone. Perhaps documentation would reassure me later, somehow normalize this oddity.

We packed quickly, eager to put distance between ourselves and the unexplained circle. The early sun shone bright but cold, a typical alpine morning where every breath crystallized in front of us. We ascended higher, navigating carefully across patches of frozen scree and scattered snowfields. The terrain was rougher here, demanding attention.

We packed quickly, eager to put distance between ourselves and the unexplained circle. The early sun shone bright but cold, a typical alpine morning where every breath crystallized in front of us. We ascended higher, navigating carefully across patches of frozen scree and scattered snowfields. The terrain was rougher here, demanding attention.

As we approached a steep ridge leading toward Taylor Peak's final scramble, something tugged at my attention. High above, silhouetted starkly against the bright sky, was a dark figure. A lone climber, maybe. But who else could be out here so early in the season? Tomas, I murmured, nudging his shoulder gently. You see that? He squinted upward, shading his eyes with a gloved hand. Where?

As we approached a steep ridge leading toward Taylor Peak's final scramble, something tugged at my attention. High above, silhouetted starkly against the bright sky, was a dark figure. A lone climber, maybe. But who else could be out here so early in the season? Tomas, I murmured, nudging his shoulder gently. You see that? He squinted upward, shading his eyes with a gloved hand. Where?