Richard Layne takes four solo treks into Glacier's backcountry in near-lethal winter conditions. He is irresistibly drawn to a traverse of the remote high cirque named Hole in the Wall despite the risks of sheer cliffs, howling storms, hungry grizzly bears, and raging avalanches. Park rangers warn that Hole in the Wall is inaccessible in winter, Only fueling Layne's determination to go there.