Silhouetted Cairn in Autumn Snowstorm Near Kathmandu

Soft, diffused light from a late morning sky washes over a rugged mountain pass where snow falls in a steady, swirling rhythm. A pile of stacked stones, a traditional cairn, stands silhouetted against the bright, low-hanging clouds that obscure the distant peaks. The stones are dark and rough, their edges softened by fresh snow accumulation. Bare branches of hardy shrubs poke through the drifts, their brown hues muted by the gray-white atmosphere. The ground is uneven, covered in a layer of packed snow and loose ice crystals that crunch under unseen weight. Wisps of mist curl around the base of the cairn, blending the rock into the white void. One flat stone at the cairn's peak catches a faint, cool gleam from the overcast sky.