Afamilysaga:InastunningmountainvalleyranchsettingnearAspen,complexanddangerousfamilydynamicsplayoutagainstthebackdropofthefirstbigsnowstormofwinterandanenormouspantherwithseeminglymythicalqualitieswhichiskillingcattle.Anarrogant,pitilessson(RobertMitchum)andarigidpharisaicmothersideagainstamoraleldestsonandandadefeatedalcoholicfatherwhiletheyoungestsontriestolaylow,hopingagainsthopetopersuadehisfamilytoallowhimtomarryagirlhehasbroughttovisit.Thegirlhoweverdrawsvenomouscondemnationandthetwoelderbrotherssetoutinthemidstofaviolentsnowstormonadangerousmissiontokillthedeadlypanther.