Timberwolf Mountain preparation/strategy

[bush_amb]

Hi,

So I'm not very skilled at TLD  I tried to start a Stalker run on TM and survive without leaving the region, but mi skills are not good enough for now. On my fourth run I spent a week or so in the lower regions of TW and went to Desolation Point to stock up and prepare. I've got +24C clothing (expedition parka ftw) and 12 arrows (revolver and  rifle...) and I'm currently in DP. I'd like to head back to TM to reach the summit and get myself more acquainted with the region. 

• any advice what else should I prepare for TM?
• any advice how to stay alive? strategy? base locations?

Also I figured - once I have some arrows I could go and practice bow shooting in some safe way (preferably near the forge if I loose some arrows...). I figured out that hunting for rabbits with a bow should be the easiest way to learn how to use the thing quickly (I mean actually learning to shoot, not exping bow skill). Usually when I hit a deer it runs away with my precious arrow - this is very cool and adventurous to track it down, but it makes repetitions risky and tedious. Rabbit should not run away with an arrow in it's, err, head? Right? Any rabbit locations away from wolves, bears and (God forbid!) mooses?

[peteloud]

My advice is to leave the guns at base, because they do almost nothing that a bow and arrows can't do, and they weigh a great deal.  You would save a load of weight therefore you would be able to move faster, be able to carry more food, and other supplies, and bring down from TWM more of the interesting resources that you might find in the crashed aircraft.

Make a load more arrow heads while in DP, and take a dozen with you, as well as your dozen arrows.

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by peteloud

[Serenity]

There is an archery target at the PV barn

Bring a hacksaw just in case. Though there is probably one there

[nicko]

If you get to frustrated try an easier play style such as Pilgrim, no wolf attacks. but yeah you still need to find resources to survive. Clothing being number one for TWM.

[Rashad82]

TWM long term it’s good to bring all your coffee grounds, a hacksaw, and a quality tools (and some spare scrap if you have it).  With your bow and jacket you should be all set.

I’d bring a revolver though- it’s noise is good for wolves.

[TheUnknown]

Go on the easiest setup under custom but make sure wolf spawns are set to interloper. Learn how to move around twm while sleeping. If anything make multiple trips. Bring full supplies and find a place to drop them that way when you are comfy getting around you can have a spot with backup supplies either on your way up or back down as a pitstop.

only carry the bare min when going up. That spot you have as backup there you can grab on the way down. But make sure stuff that you place there is stuff that you dont mind losing or is at the bottom of the list for being needed.

[ajb1978]

Keep an eye out for footpaths that let you bypass rope climbs.  Spending 2 minutes taking the long way around, is much more efficient on your fatigue than taking a rope climb.  However some of those footpaths are very steep, and you risk a sprain...so weigh your options carefully.

Never attempt an upwards rope climb if you're at half fatigue or below.  You might not have enough to make it to the top.  Climbing down on the other hand, is much more forgiving.  If you expect to do any climbing, try to top off your Fatigue somehow, either with rest or coffee, prior to climbing.  You will go up the rope more quickly, and the sooner you make that climb the less fatigue you burn up.  Carry at least one emergency stim, in the event you get stuck and need to make an emergency rope climb to safety.  Those Go energy drinks are very helpful here too.

And lastly, under no circumstances use a hacksaw that's at or below 20%.  There is a chance it can spontaneously break on you, and if that happens, there is also a chance you can ruin the container you are attempting to open, and the contents will be forever lost to you.

[Comet777]

I have played plenty of stalker on TM and I love the region, my favourite longterm base. I live out of the Mountaineers Hut and with +24C clothing you will have no issues surviving in the hut at night without a fire. To be safe though, I make a habit of sleeping in 4-5 hour stints just in case there is a crazy cold blizzard outside, but on stalker I have never experienced any weather than +24C clothing plus bed warmth in the hut hasn't overcome. Like peteloud said, leave the guns - well definitely leave the hunting rifle cos that is damn heavy, and if you aren't confident with the bow then bring the revolver with you just in case. I have started playing loper now but like you I am hopeless with the bow, more of a lazy hunter, push the deer into wolves and then take the kill. But yes practicing on bunnies has been really helpful for me, and if you hit them then they definitely aren't going anywhere, they die instantly haha! 

I find TM the best place in the game to live. Outside the mountaineers hut you have fishing (so make sure you bring some metal for hooks, as there isn't heaps in the region), plus plenty of cattails; two very safe food options. On the lake there will likely be 1-2 wolves patrolling (which you can easily see), but there is normally a deer to the right of the fishing hut (looking out from the mountaineers hut), so you can hook around and push that into one of the wolves to kill, then shoot the wolf and harvest both the deer and wolf together. There are also 2 bunnies near where the deer is which are relatively safe, you can kill them and then run to mountaineer hut in a single sprint if need. There are also two bunnies between mountaineer hut and path the PV which are totally safe. So all that hunt with fish makes the mountaineers hut a very livable place, food at your doorstep with the close wolves all visible from distance. 

In terms of climbing the summit. I did it for the first time a couple of weeks ago (in a TM stalker run where I stayed at the mountaineers hut for 45 days from start no issue - the save is still open). In a new run I got to the summit second day (this was custom, stalker with interloper resources), so all I needed was a bedroll, a little wood, and some water and food. Decent clothing isn't even necessary as there are two indoor caves that you can sleep and warm up in if you have the bedroll. None of the climbs are hard, including the final one to the summit, as long as you stop on the ledges. You don't even need coffee. If you have done the ravine climb then you will be sweet as, because the ravine rope climb is way harder then the summit climb on TW. Of course you need to have a hacksaw or it is a whole lot of effort for nothing! 

Keep trying at surviving in TM, it is definitely worth it!

[Carbon]

Having all of the weapons in the game makes TWM (and any other location) a breeze. Wolves, deer, possibly and moose and rabbits pretty much within sight from the hut, 1 or 2 bears nearby, more deer in deer clearing, cargo containers spread over 5 locations besides the summit...food for months and all manner of hides for crafting. A workbench right in the hut makes crafting and repair a breeze, the fishing hut for cabin fever avoidance and of course another source of food.

On my first run, I dragged all of the loot I could and left it in the bunker at the foot of the last climb to TWM (in PV), making an easy trip for some supplies if needed (TWM lacks convenient storage). I made TWM my final destination at that time, so I left a ton of stuff in the bunker. The caves and cave systems should not be forgotten!

There is - or was - a ropeless path to the summit and one can also get off the summit ropeless as well, so this way you can have more gear with you for the summit run (to help with first time success) and you can ferry down a ton of gear. I say was: I haven't made the summit bid since many updates have passed, so I'm not sure if the ropeless path is still viable.

Crafted clothing is a must, so get those hides curing as soon as you can and I always craft a bearskin bedroll for TWM. Change out clothing when the weather is good to save wear and tear on your best stuff, so have both 'warm' and 'freaking warm' loadouts.

TWM isn't the easiest survival location in the game, but it's very rewarding. Best of luck.

 

[ManicManiac]

@bush_amb,

I've found that in most cases Timberwolf Mountain isn't so rough once you get to know it.  I made seven trips to the summit on my last run (4 to run supplies down the mountain, 2 for the purposes of trying to get the entire region mapped, 1 because I was hoping to catch a sunrise aurora from the summit).

*This is just what works for me, depending on your playstyle you will probably need to find what's going to work best for you.

My general plan is simple:
Travel with as little as possible
Set out on a full stomach if you can

Pack Recommendations:
- Bing a bed roll (there are come very convent caves and hidey holes)
- Bring two nights worth of food (just in case, also food with a good cal/kg ratio is recommended to save on weight - i.e. crackers, energy bars, MRE, cat-tails)
- Bring about two liters of water (in most cases that's plenty)
- Bring 1 can (in case you get snowed in)
- Bring 1 emergency bandage and three pieces of old mans beard lichen (if you don't process them into a wound dressing they are actually lighter - you can always craft it on the spot if you need it.
- Bring 1 knife (for close quarter defense - and carving up a carcass if you don't have level 5 harvesting yet)
- Bring 1 hacksaw (best condition you have - if you intend to loot cargo containers)

General Recommendations:
- Pick up 3-5 rocks while you walk along.  You can pitch them at wolves (safely if you don't aim in) to get them to scurry off. (*takes practice to make it reliable)
- Drop the rocks you pick up on the ground before you climb ropes (you can find more when you get up to the next level)
- Gather up sticks as you get up to the higher levels or if you think you might have to hole-up for a while.
- If you don't feel confidant about the rocks you can always carry a revolver (the 6 bullets in the cylinder should be plenty - no need to weigh yourself down with extra bullets)
- Stay alert... avoid and evade is always better than risking a struggle.
- Hole-up and take naps as often as you need to keep yourself rested (unless you want to carry the extra weight of coffee / stims)

With these recommendations the only thing left is to start your journey up the mountain.  You don't really need to use the "internal" caves, though most will layout that path... maybe it's the most efficient, but I don't find them necessary.  If you are going to traverse the internal caves then I suppose you'd have to add a Lantern to your pack list.  Two of my seven trips I made it with only my pack recommendations, and the stones I picked up for wolf repellant (gathered sticks as necessary).  Leaving with a full stomach, I didn't really even need to eat until the next day.  So it's possible to strike out with no food at all and hope you can count on rabbits in a pinch... but I don't really recommend that.  A day or two of emergency food and water goes a long way when things go wrong.

Good luck survivor.

Edited July 25, 2019 by ManicManiac

[peteloud]

ManicManiac

It is interesting that you travel as light as possible on summit ascents.  I usually do the opposite and take along a full load of reserves.  Sometimes I need a lot of reserves,  usually on early attempts.  As I progress I like to hunt deer and collect wood & sticks and leave all caves, and other critical places, stocked with supplies, so that on subsequent ascents I don't have to carry so much.  I make sure that I have a spare bedroll somewhere en route in case the bedroll I am carrying is destroyed in a wolf or bear attack.

However I have often suspected that a lightweight push for the summit in good weather might be a better strategy.  If you leave the Mountaineers Hut early, in good weather, carrying minimal supplies, can you get to the summit in one day?

(My comments are for playing at Voyager or Stalker level, I presume that at Pilgrim level it is like walking through a supermarket.)

Edited July 25, 2019 by peteloud

[Serenity]

12 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

 If you are going to traverse the internal caves then I suppose you'd have to add a Lantern to your pack list.

For a one time trip to the summit you just a need a flare. If you have matches to spare you can also burn some to make a fire and take a torch.

For a first time exploration a lantern isn't a bad idea though

 

4 hours ago, peteloud said:

 If you leave the Mountaineers Hut early, in good weather, carrying minimal supplies, can you get to the summit in one day?

Sure. You can even do it on Interloper, but that's really pushing things. You should play Hopeless Rescue. That teaches you how to push yourself more. Even without abusing stims

Edited July 25, 2019 by Serenity

[ManicManiac]

11 hours ago, Serenity said:

For a one time trip to the summit you just a need a flare.

I just meant that there is a very nice hike where we don't need to use any of those internal caves at all.  Going that path, we don't need any light sources (flares, lanterns, torches)... other than the normal fire starting things we generally carry anyways.  After all one should never go anywhere without matches/magnifying glasses - but that's just a general rule of thumb  

Edited July 26, 2019 by ManicManiac