Gray Skies and Blue Ice

Set on the beautiful yet challenging mountain of Mt. Forbidden, one of the highest peaks in the state of Oregon, this story explores the dangers of high-altitude climbing. Heavily glaciated with steep snow slopes and unpredictable weather, the summit of Mt. Forbidden is a coveted prize for mountain climbers worldwide.

Four climbers, accompanied by their guide Steve Ague, battled an incoming storm to reach the summit. They then experienced a horrifying accident while crossing a snow bridge over a crevasse. The snow bridge collapsed, resulting in the death of the guide and three climbers. A fourth climber, Charlie Bronson, survived the fall, but his escape was anything but luck or coincidence.

One of the climbers who perished, Ed Novak, was the CEO of a startup developing web-based applications. As a project leader, Charlie knew Novak was beginning to suspect him of fraud and anticipated being charged upon returning from the trip. To eliminate that threat, Novak had to be removed, and the others were considered collateral damage.

After the accident, Charlie felt confident when he descended to the mountain lodge, believing he had eliminated his main accuser. However, he realized he had left a crucial piece of incriminating evidence at the edge of the crevasse. As media and families of the deceased learned about the incident, friends Eric Jackson and Elizabeth Atterly decided to drive to Mt. Forbidden to collect personal effects and honor their loved ones.

They met at the lodge and, after much soul-searching, decided to attempt climbing Mt. Forbidden. Recognizing the need for training, they hired guide Curt Whitmeyer to teach them the necessary skills. Following their training weekend, they planned to meet again in two weeks for the climb.

Meanwhile, Charlie, haunted by the incriminating evidence he left behind, decided to retrieve it himself before anyone else found it. Learning that Elizabeth and Eric planned to climb to the crevasse, he convinced them to let him join their team to recover the evidence.

On the first day of the climb, their guide had to withdraw at the last minute, leaving Elizabeth, Eric, and Charlie to proceed alone. The guide warned of an approaching storm in two days, urging them to complete their ascent before it arrived.

They spent their first night at a campsite below a steep rock rib, navigating through a narrow gap to reach their high camp at around 9,000 feet. From there, they aimed to reach the crevasse and possibly the summit as a tribute to their loved ones.

On summit day, thickening clouds signaled an approaching storm. Despite the worsening weather, the group decided to attempt the crevasse and, if possible, the summit. As the storm intensified, they delicately crossed a snow bridge to reach the crevasse and paused to honor their friends entombed below.

With the storm growing fiercer, they pressed on toward the summit. Eric, tied into the front of the rope, noticed a small piece of metal protruding from the snow—the picket that Charlie...