I’ll tell you what happened soon after this photograph was taken: Man in blue almost broke his arm; we walked and camped for days in torrential downpour, route all crag and mud, roots wet, him slipping on one, me also slipping on one (swollen wrist), and in this photo: rope leading down from ledge (chains later), along this ridgeline for days and days, expansive valley views always steps away, expansive valley drops similarly close, a wild route, a hard route, almost no walking, almost all like this image — imbricated scales of earth, prelapsarian landscape, spindly trees, raw land, variegated rock but, huh, look closely, man in black cap holding walking poles out, placid face, our friend who guided, kept us from a certain death, every gesture suffused with kindness and concern, total lack of judgment, viewing path with equanimity, holding our gear when needed, walking backwards, lithe like snow leopard, metempsychosis for reals, forever checking on us trundling gorillas.