...Memory Lane...

[ManicManiac]

I hadn't realized it when I got settled in the cave... but the next morning when I stepped outside to scout around some more, I realized I had made the right call.

There ahead was a structure... must be the old sub-station.  However, before checking out the sub-station, I need to prospect each of two electrical pylons.

This would be the one that was just after the rope climb.  I had checked around and I didn't see a good way to get to it.  After making the climb down the rope... I had to be more focused on looking for shelter, but now I can scout around a bit more thoroughly.

And now for the second reason taking the climb was the right decision.  This seems to have been the only way to get up to this pylon. 

Spoiler

And a good thing too... there was some reasonably nice stuff up here.

I would make my way down to the next one... but it was bitter cold this morning and I what I really needed was to get back to the cave to warm up.  I also suppose it's worth mentioning that I am beginning to run low on food.  I hope to find at least a little more at the sub-station if not a little bit near and around the pylons.  My supplies aren't dangerously low yet, but I've managed not to need to hunt or harvest and I was kind of hoping to keep it that way... at least until I was done with Blackrock.  The next few days till tell the story though.

After getting warmed up again... I went to scout the next pylon.

Timberwolves there ahead.  I get the feeling this pack likes to skulk around the Sub-station... Duly noted.

Found it, but I'm a bit too close to those Timberwolves to my comfort... so I felt I had to get low and crawl up the slope.

Spoiler

Cute... but funnily enough, I do need one or two pieces just for surveying the Vista Views.   

There is one more pylon before the old Sub-Station... but I count no less than five Timberwolves down there on and near the road.  I'd have to be very careful if I was going to get in and out undetected.

Staying low... I crept over to try to get a better vantage point.  Searching the truck looked like it was going to be most risky at the moment.  I have watched at least a couple of Timberwolves get uncomfortably close, but the pylon and the Sub-Station should be alright (assuming there aren't more Timberwolves I haven't spotted yet).

As it turned out, there was nothing really up at the pylon.  Worth noting though, is that there was a transmitter tower up there as well.  It looks like everything needed to repair the transmitter box, I was able to collect up in and around the Sub-Station.  However, it's not really the time for that, yet.

Spoiler

Considering there is a safe approach, I have no qualms about setting this up as a primary encampment.  Which is luckily... I needed a good spot to stow some the gear and supplies I've found along the way since the last drop off.

I will go press my luck and see if I can find some more food in the truck.  I did find a little in the Sub-Station but most of what I found was already ruined.

May be hard to make out... but there is one of them just ahead.  They are close enough I can hear their "footsteps." 😖

I may have to wait and watch for a good opportunity to search the truck.

Spoiler

Only one scrap of cloth... nothing else.  

Turned out to be not worth the risk... but I still had to find out.

Heading back inside the Sub-Station for the night.
Hopefully I get my Gauntlets repaired before it gets too dark... can't really afford to waste the leather.   

Spoiler

Nice... it worked out as planned.  I'd waited until the condition was low enough to get the most out of the repair (in this case, one piece of leather would grant 55% condition upon repair... and after the last blizzard my gauntlets were finally worn down to 45%.  The gauntlets are like new again.  

Edited December 18, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

While I did get an early start this morning... it was bone chillingly cold out, so I did spend some time repairing my bedroll before setting out to scout around today.

It was so cold, that I had to stop back at the previous cave just to warm up again before venturing out some more.

While those backtrails didn't really lead to much... I was able to scout a little of the road ahead. 

Heading back to the (small frozen marsh?) area near the Old Substation... I found the way up to the next pylon.

While there was nothing to find at this one (except a couple of pieces of cedar), it was a good spot to check out more of the road ahead.

I found a clear path... but also, a decayed & crumbling bridge. 🤔

The weather was also getting more threatening.  However, I wasn't about get pinned down and spend another night in the Old Substation.  I thought I would finish looking around on the other side of the road to maybe find a good spot to warm up again.

Seemed there was a good footpath on the other side of the road.

I was a bit surprised to find another cave so close to the Old Substation.

I did vaguely remember this cave from the last time I visited this region (nearly a year ago now).  In any case, it was a good spot to warm up.  If a blizzard didn't hit before I could get warm... then I'd head back to that bridge and see about finding a way across.

 

The weather seemed to be holding... now I just needed a way to get across.

Oh... okay. 😖

I suppose it's just going to have to be one foot in front of the other.  I hope my assumption is correct... I don't think I've ever tested this bridge before. 😖

Thankfully, it held together... which I figured would be the case.  However, it was a bit nerve wracking to inch my way across.  I had no way to know if there were more Timberwolves ahead or not.

I still wasn't sure... but it looked clear.  It also looked like there was maybe a path branching off to the left.

Spoiler

Apart from what I found in the trunk... the car was empty.  Oh well, the energy bar nearly buys me another day.

It seemed there was indeed a path leading off to the left, but first...

I wanted to take a good look at the riverside.

Nothing much to find except sticks and a couple of footpaths presumably leading back to the road.

Next though, I wanted to see where this footpath led to.

Spotted a live deer off to the right... so a good indication there were no Wolves, Timberwolves, or Bears nearby... at least not right now.

This was indeed a beautiful spot... Deer and Rabbits just frolicking about.  

Also a cave.  This was very probably going to be where I would bed down for the night.  However, there was still a few hours of daylight left, and the weather had let up.  I was going to go scout more of the road ahead first.

The bend seemed clear enough for me to venture down and take a closer look.

Keeping low, I went to go check out an abandoned vehicle that I could see in the distance.

Nothing really at all to speak of in the car (empty except for some driving cloves in the glove box).

Turning around... it seemed I had two trails to follow.  I think I'll check the one leading towards the river first.

As expected... it did lead to a nice view of the river, but that was all.

Before making my way up the slope, I did want to scout the road ahead a little more.

I won't lie... this blind of corner makes me nervous.  

Looked to be a dead end... but I had to be sure.

Almost got stuck trying to see if there was a way to squeeze through... there isn't (at least not one that I could find).

And a bit of a dense fog seemed to have rolled in while I was preoccupied.  Change of plans... rather than try to feel my way up the slope to scout the other footpath, I'm going to follow the road back and return to Creek Bed Cave.  

The going was easy enough... the fog wasn't so thick that I couldn't keep my bearings in a place I'd scouted, but I absolutely didn't want risk heading to unfamiliar ground in it.

I spent an hour or so gathering up sticks, breaking down branches by hand, and watching the deer and rabbits milling around looking for their own food (or what not).

Even though I didn't really need a fire that night... I decided it was good time to cook up a couple canned food items I had to hand and bolster my water supply a little bit.  Best to prepare when it's not an emergency though. 🤭

Not a bad way to spend a foggy evening.

[ManicManiac]

I'd only meant to do a bit of scouting this morning, but instead...

I found the weather to be surprisingly mild.
I figured I would start with this footpath just beyond the Creek Bed Cave.

Looks like I had a couple of choices, so I started with the path off to the right.

This turned out to be where the slope I passed on in the fog from yesterday.

Now to head back the other way...

There's a Bear down there... duly noted.
Still trying to keep an eye on the bear... trying to get an idea of its territory.  Eventually I will be going down there. 🤭

This so many winding paths to find here.  I guess I will head to the "high ground" first. 🤭 

And this route led me right to next two pylons... and a trailer.

Hard to see perhaps, but this was the only view of the next pylon that I could get lined up properly.

Just below it was the way back down to the road... but I wanted to head back and check the other path first.

In the meantime, though, this was a safe enough place to set up another primary encampment.  It was about time to unload some unnecessary gear and supplies anyway.

Having gotten back the "branching" paths mentioned before... now it was time to scout out the lower route.

It's very hard to spot when they aren't moving... but there is a Timberwolf skulking around down there.  ...Duly noted.

Another gorgeous little cove.  

With a cave... nice.
At this point I should have gotten settled in to hunker down for the night... but there was still some daylight left and I wasn't really tired yet.  So, I decided to continue scouting ahead. 

Neat little spot, I suppose, but nothing really to be found there.

Rope leading down... noted (likely another way to get down, towards the road).

More interesting to me though... that this spot looked like a goating opportunity.

And I was correct!

Great view of the area below.  Looks like another structure near the bottom of that rope climb.

Also the view of the eminence of Blackrock Mountain from up here was spectacular.  

Before getting back to the cave I wanted to verify where that rope climb led... I was correct.

Again, I really didn't need any fire this evening... but I did kind of want to cook up the can of peaches I'd found along the way.

Spoiler

 

...it took 145 days (mostly owning to usually only using fire when I really need it - and lately I've been spoiling myself a bit 🤭), but at least I won't need to keep carrying tinder around anymore.

While I was tending the fire... I noticed an aurora was churning up the night sky.  I knew I shouldn't be staying up so late, and that I should go to bed.  However, I wasn't going to pass up a chance like this with such a nice goating spot right nearby.  

[ManicManiac]

I have to admit... today was the day I grew to love Blackrock. 

[ManicManiac]

I got a reasonably early start (not fully rested to compensate for staying up so late).  I decided to head back over to my encampment at Trailer near the two pylons.  However, I'm not going to back to drop off or pick up gear or supplies.  What I will really need it for will be to warm up.  The real purpose of heading back that way is...

I need to study this bear.  I want to search its territory today, and I want to sneak in and slip away undetected.  In most situations I'm good at dealing with bears without either of us coming to harm... but I know there are some tight spaces down there.  I need to watch this bear roam a while... get a feel for where its likely to wander.  Then I should be able to route accordingly.

Also, there are more Timberwolves further up the road today.  ...Good to know.

After a fair bit of observation, I see now what I'd need to do in order to coexist in the same territory with "Snuggles" down there. 🤔  In the meantime, I was more than half-frozen, and I needed to get to the Trailer to warm up.  With the Timberwolves out enforce... it may be risky to use that footpath below the Pylon to get to the road.  🤔

I had to consider it further as I warmed up.

 

The first hazard evaded...

Next I had to visit with Snuggles... 

Had to get creative in order to get eyes on them.

At this point I'd be able to trail behind Snuggles... at least for a little way.
I'd lost sight of Snuggles, but between the tracks, distressed crows, and irritable snarls... I was able to keep a fix whereabouts they were ambling along.

Further to the right... I found this narrow fissure.  I would be losing track of where Snuggles was, but I just had to know where this led.

It emptied out into a small chasm.  Which was also totally empty.  🤔 Oh well... now I just had to get out of Bear's Bend without drawing Snuggles' ire.  

Even though I knew it was likely a bad idea... I spent a couple of minutes quickly goating and searching around the rockslide blocking the road.  I could hear Snuggles somewhere behind me, but I don't think it's made it back here again.

This part was really cagey... if I didn't handle this right, this was likely going to be where I die.

I could hear crows and heavy shambling... but I still couldn't get a visual.

As I sat waiting pensively... a bit of a fog seemed to be rolling in.

Found Snuggles... now I just had to get out alive.  

Made it!  ...silly old bear. 😋

That was all well and good (though ultimately not worth the risk, unless I was looking to hunt a bear).  However, now I have to worry about the getting by the Timberwolves again.

What was bothering me most... is that just a little while ago there were four, and they skulked a long way towards Bear's Bend.  Now... I don't see any sign of them. 🤔

I felt like I didn't dare take my eyes off the road.  It felt like an ambush... but I've only known Timberwolves to do that defending their "den" at the Last Resort Cannery in Bleak Inlet. 🤔

I couldn't believe it at first... the Timberwolf pack really had moved on.  I'll take a bit of kind luck; Great Bear Island almost never has any of it to give.  

I decided to make a quick stop at the trailer.  I wanted to do another quick sort and stow, to see if I could lighten my pack a bit more.

After spending just a few minutes combing through and dropping some coal and a liter of water... I went back towards the road to see if the way was still clear.

It seems the fog had gotten much denser, and the low visibility make it rather foolhardy to venture out into known Timberwolf territory.  It seemed I was going to have to wait out the fog at the trailer for the remainder of the day, and likely spend the night there.

Edited December 21, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Rather than just sit and wait... I decided to go collect sticks and make my way back to the previous cave (near the rope climb on the far side of this "upper shelf."  The hope is that the fog will lift... if not, then I'll at least have more sticks stocked up at that cave.  When I get tired enough, I can then choose which spot to bed down for the night.

Hmm... the fog began to clear just as the sun was going down.  I decided to check to see if the road was still clear or if the Timberwolves had returned.  If the pack had come back... then I would spend the night in the cave and then make my way down the climb in the morning.  If the way is clear... I'll head down to the road from the trailer and try to get to the next Pylon.

No Timberwolves in sight... I decided I was going to make a break for it.

I remembered this spot... this is the backtrail (and climb) that would lead back up to the Penitentiary, but that's not what I needed right now.

Now that is what I was looking for... now if the fading twilight could hold on just a little longer, I could prospect around the pylon and double back to seek known shelter.  The dark of the night is not a great time to be wandering around known Timberwolf territory either. 🤭

Turned out there was nothing to find up here at this one...

Thankfully, I was able to make it back to safety without incident... but this wasn't where I wanted to bed down for the night.

I got back to the cave nearest the rope leading down the old tool shed... I figured it would be better to spend the night here again... and look to try and make a hard push for the Power Plant tomorrow.  I generally don't like to do so much back tracking or staying put in area for too long, but this time... it really seemed the wiser thing to do.

[ManicManiac]

I'd been up rather late... so it was nearly noon by the time I got up.  Honestly, I could probably cover more ground if I didn't have to stop so much to try and get warm.  So maybe, starting later in the morning is not so bad. 🤭

Forager's Remnant, what a nice little spot.

Spoiler

Looks like I'll need to head back to the Substation again at some point. 🤔

Also, it looked like there might be an interesting goating opportunity.

Nothing to be found... but there was a very nice overlook of the Forager's Remnant. 

I decided to leave most of what I found behind in the Red Toolbox.  I figured I could easily enough come back here to pick things up, so it was as good a place as any for setting up an intermediate cache.

I don't see any more Timberwolves either up or down the road.  I wonder where that pack got off to. 🤔
Whatever the case, I didn't trust it... so I would proceed with caution anyway. 🤭

Before I could scout the road ahead... a blizzard struck.

I'm going to take the risk of holing-up at the Forager's Remnant.  These blizzards have tended to blow over after about 4-6 hours.  If that's true, then I should be able to find shelter further up the road before rather than falling all the way back to the Trailer near the Pylons... or the Cave atop the nearby rope climb.

For now... just going to wait it out.  I do have some sticks and five pieces of coal.  Good for at least a 6-7 hour fire.

Edited December 23, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

This turned out to be a really nice place to wait out a blizzard.

[ManicManiac]

The storm finally broke... but it was deadly dark outside.  I figured I'd wait a little while longer to see if the sky might clear.  Not sure that I had enough fuel to risk spending the night.  🤔

[ManicManiac]

I'd used an additional piece of coal and took an hour nap...

Much better... still not ideal but if I moved carefully, I figured I should be able to still make more progress in spite the blizzard.

The Power Pland was insight.  However, I did want to go check around the Pylons first.

Now, the only Pylon left for me to check is the one that directly feeds the Prison, but I get to that after I search the Power Plant and the Tunnels.

The weather took a turn and with the snow fall... it was getting deadly dark.

I'll come back to search the other side of this after I prospect inside.

Now, it was time to get indoors and consider getting a few hours' sleep.

[ManicManiac]

The Power Plant is much smaller than I remember. 🤔

Not much to be found here.  Almost every drawer, locker, or container was empty. 

Spoiler

But still there were a few nice things. 🤭

I drank an herbal tea, ate a can of peaches, and slept for 6 hours.

Next, I'm headed for the tunnels... and Blackrock Penitentiary.

[ManicManiac]

And now, into the mouth of madness... 

It was easy find myself wandering in circles... I'm not sure how many times I looped back around before I realized.

“Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to the light...” - John Milton

[Leeanda]

I've got lost in those tunnels a few times  and still missed some of the loot hidden down there.

 

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda
Every locker was empty... and nearly every container.  🤭
I've been having some very back luck with lockers/trunks in Blackrock this time around.

[Leeanda]

1 minute ago, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda
Every locker was empty... and nearly every container.  🤭
I've been having some very back luck with lockers/trunks in Blackrock this time around.

I don't think that's just you..since the update I've had two runs like that.. the only place I found lots of loot in containers was the new area.. and the summit and caches of course.

[ManicManiac]

I was already pretty tired... but thankfully the day was nearly over.  Still though, I wanted to scout around and see if I could get my bearings.

Spoiler

 

Hmm... looks like I will need to hang around for an aurora and perhaps go back to the mines. 🤔

 

I took a look through the small motor pool area.

Spoiler

Very nice... but I will need to stash these in the Guard House (as soon as I can find it).

I did find the way out to the area behind the prison... but I could hear wolves tearing into rabbits.  I suppose I'll come back later.  

 

Spoiler

As I made my way towards the main entrance... a blizzard hit.

I was slowly able to feel my way to the Guard House. 

This was going to be my primary encampment for this area... I did a lengthy sort and stow, as well as some mending.  Hopefully this blizzard will have blown over by morning.

[Leeanda]

The blizzards might work to your advantage in there ... Pesky wolves..

[ManicManiac]

Early the next morning I decided to start with the farther reaches and work my way back for the main building after prospecting the other accessible building and guard towers first.

I also went out to make sure that this Guard House was where I thought it was... I was correct.

Took the long way around the back.  Turns out there are four wolves back here prowling.

I made it pretty far around the perimeter... a very tight spot to find a wolf prowling around.

With some very careful stealthing (and admittedly the use two stones to as a distraction), I was able to slip past unnoticed.  

Now, it was time to properly start prospecting Blackrock Penitentiary.

The weather was quickly taking a turn for the worse.

 

The just after I had stepped inside a blizzard hit.

Oh... this office as an attached hybrid bedroom/kitchen, and a half bath.  If I do have to spend the night, the Warden's Office is a really nice spot for it.  

Spoiler

Also prospecting yielded some food and a couple really nice finds.

Next, I wanted to head downstairs to see what I could find.

Spoiler

Spoiler

I had found so many flares down here... I decided to conserve some lantern fuel.  I decided to take a second look around down here... something just didn't feel right.

Spoiler

I'm already glad I took a second look around.

I absolutely missed this the first time around... but this time I took a cloer look.

Spoiler

I ended up need to strike a second flare...

I the cell Will had told me about.  It's not hard to imagine what he had to endure here...

Spoiler

 

I took one last look around but made haste back to the Warden's Office...

The blizzard was still raging outside.

I would indeed have to stay here the night... but I'd found more than enough food and water to compensate for it.  

Edited December 25, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I don't mind saying, if I was to ever try and homestead in Blackrock...  I would be very tempted to try and make the Warden's Office home.   

Edited December 25, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Early the next morning I got started again.  Thankfully the storm blew out overnight.  The idea today would be to drop off everything I'd managed to gather up here so far and try to at least get the Staff Quarters and Infirmary done.

Betting back to the Gate House would not be so tricky (as the wolf prowling around below has shifted to skulking around another spot...

I still had some of the nice benefits of herbal tea circulating, so I opted for a quick one-hour nap out there on the catwalk.

My pack was only "too heavy" by about 4 kg... so I was able to just alternate dropping the Armor Vest and my water supply in order to get my entire haul back down to the ground.

Even though I was at the ready to either distract or pelt it with stones until it ran off... thankfully I was able to slip past without having to pitch any of the stones in my pocket.  

I was determined that I would be back here just as soon as I can drop off more non-essentials at the Gate House.

 

After a quick sort and stow... I discovered that the two wolves that most recently had been prowling around the vehicles there at the main entrance were gone today.  This was a prime opportunity, and I didn't want to waste it... so I went looking around as quickly as I could.

Spoiler

 

I'm really not sure how I'd missed see it last time I was out front looking at this sign... I'm just glad I out to look around outside the gate one more time.

After looking around and dropping off a few more things in the Gate House... I quickly made my way back to continue exploring the dark corners of the Blackrock Penitentiary.

Spoiler

Over near the Staff Quarters, I did manage to find a nice hacksaw.

There wasn't much to be found... mostly cooking ingredients and a bag of chips/crisps. 

Spoiler

 

There was a ski jacket stashed under a bed... not super useful to me, but it's a nice source of some scraps of cloth.

I managed to find the way into the Infirmary that Will told me about... but the window was apparently locked up tight since then.  I wasn't able to get in that way.  Oh well.

I suppose the question is, do I want to sleep in the Staff Quarters or do I push on and try to get back to the Gate House... 🤔

I did head back down to check the "backdoor" of the infirmary... but that was also locked.   

It looked like it was time to head back around the long way.

With the infirmary finished... I just had to get back to the Gate House to bed down for the night.

Tomorrow... I need to decide if I'm waiting here for an aurora or if I really need to get back to the Mines to wait for one there.  I may have to read over all the notes I've found and see if there might have been something I missed.

I know for sure I want to go back to survey both Vista Views (from the polaroids).
I know of at least to memento Caches that I'd like to go back for as well...  I just don't know if the Mines/Gas tunnel/Blackrock workshop is worth the trouble or not.  If I have it mixed up... then that means I'd need to get to the mines, run the toxic gas tunnel... then trek aback here again to wait for another aurora. 🤔

The good news is that I have enough food to do this without much worry.  The question is... do I really want to. 
I will have to think on it some more.

[ManicManiac]

I took some time this morning to read through the notes and messages I've managed to collect along the way.  It seems that I should have run the Gas Tunnels... now it seems I do have to go back there, but only to then have to return to Blackrock Prison again.    It's just as well though, I do want to go revisit and survey both Vistas, and one of them takes me right up next to Last Prospect anyway.

I'll see if I can at least get both of the vistas done today.

[ManicManiac]

Moose on the loose... 

 

The first vista was close nearby.

I got back to my preferred route down into the narrow ravine running down the center of Blackrock (off to the left - the bridge on the right would take me to Cook's Farm).

Surprising enough, the two wolves that were down here before have since moved on.  I take it as a rare bit of kindness from Great Bear Island.  

For the second climb, I did need a shot of Go! Energy... but I had a few in my pack already anyway.

 

The Second Vista was indeed where I'd earlier assumed it was.

 

I'll bed down here... I'd like to be fully rested before making a run through the gas flooded tunnels.

[ManicManiac]

I decided I would rather bed down near the entrance to the tunnel I want to run after getting fully rested.

[ManicManiac]

Deadly gas ahead... I was in a bit of a rush, so I didn't manage to get a good picture.

As I was rushing through the tunnel, I was able to find a pocket of "good air" to recover... though to be honest could have made it to the elevator without stopping.  However, I did decide to stop since I had the opportunity.

Once I'd gotten up to the second level, I realized I had a safe way to just get back up without having to run the tunnels again.

There turned out to be more to explore here than I had remembered.

Spoiler

Of course, by the time I got back to the surface... I thought I heard the sounds of a blizzard raging outside.

I found a sheltered corner near the door.  I have so much coal from the mine (both trips), that I could just sit outside and tank the blizzard with no worries whatsoever.  

In the meantime, I will brew some tea and coffee... recover a little bit of water... but mostly to just wait out the storm.

[ManicManiac]

After the storm broke... I wanted to make the hard push to get back to Blackrock Penitentiary.

Timberwolves have blockaded the road leading back to where I needed to go... so I took the "long way around."

I was so glad that I'd found this pass earlier...

It allows me to bypass the road (and the Timberwolves).  However, now I also had to slip past a moose.  

...and the weather was also taking another turn.

Waiting patiently.... I did eventually find my window to slip past without getting trampled. 

Back at the Gate House.
Now I just have to live here until an aurora.  Thankfully I have plenty of food and more than enough coal for a very abundant water supply.  I do have two memento caches to go get... but as far fully exploring, I think I finally have Blackrock completed (at least, I will right after I get the workshop door unlocked). 

Edited January 1 by ManicManiac