During my second traverse of Colorado's Continental Divide Trail through the Weminuche Wilderness, I discovered a remarkable scene unlike any I had ever seen before. As I was hurrying to seek cover during a typical San Juan Mountains afternoon thunderstorm, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. This usually means I should stop and investigate. Sure enough, here was the most unusual setting for a wildflower I'd ever seen. A single columbine growing with its beard of leaves out of a crack in a granite rock!