Ebenalp, Appenzell — Elevation 1,644 m

I start from Wasserauen. The valley floor is still cool, half in shadow.
The trail climbs fast. My legs burn. My breath comes short in the morning air.
Then the grade eases, winding through forest and pale limestone.
Above me, the cliffs of the Alpstein rise, sheer and quiet.

I turn a corner—

Gasthaus Aescher sits in the rock face.
Wood pressed into stone. Windows open to mist.
The wind runs along the cliff, carrying a faint smell of rain.

I’ve seen the photos, like everyone else.
Here, the scale is different.
The rock is damp to the touch. The building creaks once, then goes still.

On the terrace, one table is empty.
I stop.