Stars Beyond the Cold

Nightfall came quietly on Lassen Peak. The cold settled in fast, seeping through the tent and rising from the frozen ground. Wrapped in layers, I could still feel the chill reaching for my bones. It was the kind of cold that made you long for home—for warmth, for comfort, for anything familiar. I almost stayed inside. But something pulled me out. I unzipped the tent and stepped into the night. Above me, the sky opened in silence—stars scattered across black velvet, sharp and infinite. In that moment, the cold faded. Beauty like that makes you forget everything else. It was worth it.