Late one night — two days behind schedule — the enigmatic Dmitry Zorin arrives at the climbers' base camp, immediately rubbing everyone the wrong way. No one knows who he is or what brings him there, yet as part of a ten-person amateur group, he is set to ascend the mountain peak under the supervision of three guides. The seasoned guides know that the weather is taking a turn for the worse and the expedition ought to be called off, but the desire for financial gain proves stronger. On the treacherous path to the 5,200-meter summit, blizzards, avalanches, wild animals, extreme cold, and internal conflicts await them. Yet danger is not the greatest obstacle facing Zorin and the others; for the closer they draw to the summit, the more starkly evident it becomes: one cannot escape oneself—the time has come to face one's fears and past mistakes head-on.