As temperatures rise, ice-top flowers (Crocus alatavicus) are blooming at the foot of a mountain in Emin County, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. At sunrise, clusters of delicate white flowers emerge through the melting snow, braving the lingering spring chill. These blooms open on sunny days and close during overcast or snowy weather, quietly heralding the arrival of spring in northern Xinjiang.