I slouched down, ducking through the wooden doorframe of the Ger, stepping over the threshold and sinking into the muddy ground in front of the yurt. Even with a soft light, I squinted to adjust my sight from the darker, one room home without windows. The snowfall created an illusion of a sunny afternoon, but after closer inspection, the grey clouds moving in between the mountain peaks revealed otherwise. I took a few steps forward towards a large herd of goats. Several grazing without so much as even glancing up at me, while others cocked their heads to the side, their saucer shaped eyes focusing in on this large, foreign…

The snow crunched under the horses hooves as we gingerly trotted up into the foggy mist ahead. It was mid morning, but early enough that we were the only group riding up at that moment. Aside from a few dogs rolling around in the snow and chasing after our horse tracks, it wasn’t until we reached the glacier that we saw anyone else around.  I blew hot air out of my mouth, expelling my breath from the small space between where my hat, hood and scarf left a sliver of skin exposed to the elements. In the silence surrounding us, I could almost hear the cloud of air vaporize in…