Dawn was just breaking when Jake and I broke camp. The mountain air was cold as we hiked upward, our packs heavy on our backs. Our goal was to reach the summit by noon. But an hour later, the sky was gray, and heavy clouds threatened to spill snow. "I can hardly tell that it’s morning" I said.

"Matt, should we turn back?" Jake asked. "Getting stranded in a blizzard wasn’t part of our plan."

I hesitated. This was the fifth day of the climb, and I hated to give up. "We may never have this chance again. We can make it in another two hours; I know it."