It snowed the morning we climbed Grey Fang, and by the time we topped out the world had gone mute. Snow absorbs sound, so a fresh summit is as close to silence as most of us will ever get.

Not quite silent

It isn't silent — it's a hush. The wind dies, the snow keeps falling, and if you stand still long enough you can hear your own heartbeat in your ears.

Why it matters

The quietest summits are the hardest to leave, because the whole point of climbing is to find somewhere the world can't follow.