Fall 2022

Best friends Becky and Hunter embark on an adventurous climb, accompanied by Becky’s husband, Dan. Tragically, Dan loses his footing and falls to his death during their ascent. Fast forward a year, and Becky has become a recluse, grappling with her grief and battling alcoholism, particularly after becoming estranged from her father, James Conner, due to his doubts regarding Dan’s suitability as a partner.

As the anniversary of Dan’s passing approaches, Hunter devises a plan to help Becky confront her loss by inviting her to ascend the abandoned B-67 TV Tower, which stands ominously tall at 2,000 feet (600 m) in the desert. The goal is to scatter Dan’s ashes as a form of closure. Initially resistant, Becky eventually agrees, hoping this climb will help her heal.

Upon their arrival, Hunter and Becky ascend a dangerously corroded ladder to reach a precarious platform at the top of the tower. After Becky scatters Dan’s ashes, a sense of relief washes over her; however, their plans go awry when the ladder suddenly breaks, leaving them stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Moreover, their backpack—containing vital supplies like water and a quadcopter drone—has plummeted onto a nearby communications dish, beyond the reach of their rope.

Despite being in such a desolate locale, Hunter remains hopeful that emergency services will respond to the commotion caused by their predicament. Unfortunately, help fails to arrive. Their attempts to contact the outside world are thwarted by radio interference. In a desperate move, Hunter attempts to send a message for help by dropping her phone in a shoe, but it meets a tragic end upon hitting the ground.

As night falls, the duo spots two men camping in an RV close by. They fire off a flare gun found in an emergency box, only for the men to notice and then steal Hunter’s vehicle, leaving them completely helpless. During the long, harrowing night, Becky learns of a tattoo on Hunter’s ankle—“1-4-3”—a code that Dan once used to express his love for her. In a moment of vulnerability, Hunter confesses to having had a four-month affair before Becky’s wedding, which deepens the rift between the friends.

Driven by guilt, Hunter attempts to retrieve the backpack the following day but nearly falls to her death. Despite injuring her hand, she perseveres and manages to secure the bag. Compelled to act, Becky uses the aviation warning light atop the tower to charge the drone, sending it out with a written plea for help, only to have it tragically destroyed by a passing truck.

As time passes, hunger and dehydration take their toll on Becky, causing her to hallucinate. In a moment of clarity, she realizes that Hunter has actually succumbed to her injuries after falling onto the communications dish. Desperate, Becky climbs down to where Hunter’s body lies and discovers a way to text her father for help. Determined, she places the phone in Hunter’s shoe, protects it with her friend’s deceased body, and sends it plummeting off the tower, knowing it might cushion the impact.

Ultimately, her message gets through, leading to a rescue. As emergency services arrive, Becky is reunited with her father, James Conner, at last able to confront her past and the trauma of her loss.