Ebenalp, Appenzell — Elevation 1,644 m
I started from Wasserauen. The valley floor was still cool, half in shadow.
The trail climbed fast. My legs burned. My breath came short in the morning air.
Then the grade eased, winding through forest and pale limestone.
Above me, the cliffs of the Alpstein rose, sheer and quiet.
I turned a corner.
Gasthaus Aescher sat in the rock face.
Wood pressed into stone. Windows open to mist.
The wind ran along the cliff, carrying a faint smell of rain.
I had seen the photos, like everyone else.
Here, the scale was different.
The rock was damp to the touch. The building creaked once, then went still.
On the terrace, one table was free.
Of Dust and Light 