Chalet in the Snow

The emergency alpine cabin was a sturdy, weathered sanctuary of thick pine logs and rough-hewn stone, built decades ago to shelter stranded mountaineers from the deadly Grisons blizzards. Inside, the air was dry and smelled of seasoned cedar, dried herbs, and old wool. A heavy cast-iron stove sat in the corner, with a stack of split birch logs resting in an iron cradle beside it. Matteo carried their packs through…