...Memory Lane...

[ManicManiac]

Today was rather relaxed... I did go back to the cave just before the climb to Deer Clearing to pick up what I had to leave behind yesterday.  On the way, I was looking for the Echo Peak Bear... but they were nowhere to be found.  Possibly slumbering in its den, but I wasn't so curious that I was going to go and see.

I gathered up the remainder of the gear and supplies I'd left behind and had a nice leisurely hike back to Crystal Lake.

I spent the remainder day sorting and stowing... getting my things organized.

Tomorrow... I'll see about emptying the last three Cargo Containers (Eric's Falls and Deer Clearing).
If there's time, I may also start prospecting the caves systems.  Though that may have to wait for another day, I'll have to see.

Once those two things are done... I'll be off to Forlorn Muskeg. 

[ManicManiac]

I think today is going to be a long one.  I want to sweep and clear the last three remaining Cargo Containers.  Perhaps a judicious use of coffee is in order.

[ManicManiac]

It was a long trek indeed, but relatively safe... though I did have a few close encounters. 🤭

Deer Clearing Cave... one piece of coal... that is all.

As I rounded the bend, I've been noticing animals roaming in odd areas (here a deer and a wolf both far from their normal "territories") ... I'm going to take it to mean that Eric's Falls Bear has been visiting the Deer Clearing rather frequently lately.  

Hmm, more wolves prowling much farther from the ridge line... That bear's got to be close by.

Yep... there's the bear now, and a wolf sprinting towards and past me to get away.  I'll have to be careful slipping by on this route today.

The way ahead was thankfully clear.

I dopped off a bundle of 50 sticks in the Eric's Falls Cave.  I do this a lot... and more often than not, future me is always thankful.  

Deployed a rope near the cliff side...  This makes for a "quicker" if more exhausting way up (rather than transiting the trail past the Deer Clearing).

I had thought the way was clear, but as I was approaching the Cargo Container... I heard light footsteps.  I quickly got low and backed off.  Sure enough, there was indeed a wolf prowling around.

I ended up having to lure it to a rabbit in order to make sure I had the time to clean out the Cargo Container.

I did scout around on the other side of the river... but there wasn't much to find.

On the way back down to Deer Clearing... I decided I would goat down the ridge line rather than deal with all the blind corners.

The bear's on the way back... because of course it is.   

Free and clear... I was able to clean out both Cargo Containers near Deer Clearing.  I was running heavy now, so I'd just have to goat down to make my way home.

It got deadly dark very quickly... but rather than burn lantern oil, I had to carefully (and slowly) feel my way through the darkness (and avoid a bear mauling) to get home.

After all this, I'm going to take a day to organize and get some more water prepped.
I think I need another easy day after this last hard push.

I doubt I'll chronicle it... but just know that it happened  

 

[ManicManiac]

...Four consecutive failed fire-starting attempts; wasting nearly 25% of a good torch.  

This is why we use torches for this. 😋

Still not really well organized, but it will do for now. 🤭

Weather's been getting nasty outside... That's fine, I've got a very warm fire inside.  
Took the opportunity to cook any remaining canned goods, brew coffee, and a rather large batch of water (thanks to more purification tablets found).  

A very nice and peaceful day... tomorrow I will have to get back to work and start prospecting the Cave Systems.

[Leeanda]

That's a nice amount of loot.😊.   

[ManicManiac]

Certainly, enough to last me a month or more if I was careful about rationing. 
However, I'm keen to get moving on. 

Once I can get the caves prospected... I'm off to Forlorn Muskeg.  I'm hoping since that is mostly outdoor spaces, that I can get that region done in relatively short order.

It's a "long road"... but I'm glad to be walking it.

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

It is nice just to take some time and just stroll through and enjoy the scenery.😊

[ManicManiac]

Today I got started just a little bit before sunup.  I want to get both caves prospected before nightfall.  I picked the route that I thought would be most convenient (considering I was likely going to have to goat back down with a heavy pack).

All-in-all a really nice trip... nothing too risky and leaving so early paid off.  I did end up with a sprain on the way down, but nothing that slowed me down too terribly much.

I think I'll spoil myself this evening with a purely coal fed fire.  I'll be warm and cozy tonight.  

This completes my visit to Timberwolf Mountain.  I think tomorrow I'll moving on.
Next on the list: Forlorn Muskeg

 

Region	Discovery
Mystery Lake	22 Sep 2014
Coastal Highway	30 Oct 2014
Pleasant Valley	7 Feb 2015
Desolation Point	18 Sep 2015
Timberwolf Mountain	16 Dec 2015
Forlorn Muskeg	19 Dec 2016
Broken Railroad	1 Aug 2017
Mountain Town	1 Aug 2017
Hushed River Valley	14 June 2018
Bleak Inlet	10 Dec 2019
Ash Canyon	7 Dec 2020
Blackrock	6 Oct 2021

 

[ManicManiac]

For those interested:

The stats so far...

[Leeanda]

There's a lot of zeros in there...  Just goes to show that you don't need to kill everything to survive.

[ManicManiac]

That's very true 🤭... and that that poor rabbit was a mistake.  I was going to start on a set of mitts and hat when I was in Mystery Lake.  But that was also about the same time I decided not to stick around in any one spot for too long, so that project got abandoned.  I didn't have to take the two rabbits at all, and I think I would have preferred it if I had not hunted at all... but oh well, I can live with one mistake.  

Edited April 23, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

Pity you couldn't make just one mitt, then it might've been more useful😁. 

The gut might come in handy sometime along the way though.

[ManicManiac]

As much as I adore Timberwolf Mountain... it's time to move on.
I do plan on a slightly less efficient route; detouring to Costal Highway to see what I can find Beachcombing (rather than just going directly via Pleasant Valley//Winding River//Mystery Lake).

I will bring the coffee... with me this time.  I think I'll also try to just forgo sleep until the coffee's gone again. 🤭  (I am sort of working on finally getting my "Straight to the Heart" merit badge)

Edited April 24, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Early that morning, I filled my lantern, sated my thrust... grabbed my all my coffee, and departed for Forlorn Muskeg.

Interesting... I think I've seen this moose more frequently lately.  I suppose it figures, the run I decided to avoid hunting (except as absolute last resort)... that's when I'm lousy with Moose.  

Leaving Timberwolf Mountain

Hello again, Pleasant Valley.  I wonder which treacherous turn the weather is going to take...  🤔

The Abandoned Prepper cache look like it's been tossed... and yet, as I looked around... I find it's been "restocked."  It feels perhaps a little cheap to sack it again.  But I will.  

After staying from the "beaten path" and evading and avoiding three wolves, I made it to the river... Birch Forest and Lonely Homestead ahead.

...a bear dead ahead...
[I don't know if it's clear enough... there seems to be some compression on the snapshot when I added it to the chronicle]

...Now I ask... Have the Moose suddenly had a population explosion?  I literally just saw a Moose on Timberwolf Mountain.  Now I find a second Moose here in Pleasant Valley the same day?!  I don't think I've ever spotted more than one Moose at a time migrating through the regions of Great Bear (with the exception of Bleak Inlet which had a dedicated resident Moose).  It seems clear to me now that either this Moose "followed" me from TWM... or there has absolutely been a change in the active Moose population.  🤭

I did stop off at the Community Hall to drop off everything I'd picked up at the Abandoned Prepper Cache.

A horribly thick fog very suddenly rolled in... because of course.  Because of where I was at the moment... this fog was just as dangerous.  There is definitely a bear ambling around nearby... and I cannot see it.  

As I was trying to feel my up the slope... this wolf came sprinting in my direction, and thankfully it was already running in terror from the bear.  I back peddled and waited a moment until I couldn't hear the bear shuffling around.  Consider in the direction the wolf had ran by from, I took that to mean the bear had been on its way back to its den.  I decided to risk it and keep moving.  I just had to stay low and keep a sharp ear out...

Goodby Pleasant Valley... I knew you were gone to try to pull some kind of nonsense.   

And hello, Coastal Highway.   

The fog was much lighter in Coastal Highway... and was soon starting to lift.

I do love those rare purple skies...

Back home at the Fishing Camp... but I still have coffee on me, so as I mentioned before I don't plan to sleep.  I stowed the coal I picked up in the mine and started to get ready to spend the night beachcombing.

 

It was already a long session... I'll continue on beachcombing and forgoing sleep for the next session

Edited April 25, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I stepped out again into the night... but it wasn't long before the weather had started to get threatening.

I'd started beachcombing when the weather decided to challenge me... I decided I was going push into the wind, and carry on.

I cracking ice sounds much louder these days... and seeing it fracture under my feet (especially in the is weather) was terrifying.

 

I love this... the fracturing ice is a really nice touch.

I was surprised to see a wolf carcass had "washed ashore" 
Hmm, electrical cord and wires...  I don't think I have a use for them, but I suppose I'd better grab them... just in case.

It seems edge of the ice has taken and spat back out two animals now...  and yet as temperature plumets and visibility worsens... I'm out here finding them.  

I was now starting to freeze... and the weather was still getting angrier. 

I made it to the car at the Commuter's Lament and spent and hour hoping the storm would break...

Thankfully... the storm blew itself out as quickly as it had beared down.

I still can't make it to this little island because of the thin ice.  Maybe one day...

I went back to look over some of the drift as morning approached.


I'd managed to grab some of the fish that had washed up... filling my stomach for the first time in a long while.

Of course, the weather was taking another harsh turn...

I took shelter for a moment back at the Fishing Camp.
I dropped off what I'd found out on the ice.

It was here that I'd found a note left for me by @Leeanda...
She gently encouraged going back to Pleasant Valley... that there may be more to find.  🤔
I don't know when the note was left here... but it was nice to know I wasn't entirely alone out here.

...Pleasant Valley...
Alright, I'll make the hard push to go back.

It's now my second day without sleep... but I still have a lot of coffee in my pack. 🤭

Of course, Pleasant Valley would hit me with a blizzard in the vicinity of a bear.  😖

It was about time to check over my clothing... see if I need any repairs.
Not sure where to look next... but I think I will start on the "Upper Shelf."

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I'll have to wait out the storm (I think I've had enough hiking in bad weather for now).  

Once the storm breaks, I'll continue on to look over Skeeter's Ridge, the Crash Site, Burned Ridge Cave... and onward to the Misty Falls Picnic area again before heading back to Thompson's Crossing.  If I don't find anything on the Upper Shelf... I can always follow along the main road, and again around the "back road" towards Signal Hill (hitting the main points of interest in the area along the way).

Edited April 28, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

[This was a long session; I'll likely need to chronicle it in a few separate parts.]

Part 1...

I waited a while for the storm to break, spending as much of it as I reasonably could out on the stoop. 

When the storm finally blew itself out... a heavy fog was rolling in behind it. 🤔

This little fellow apparently couldn't see me very well in fog either.   

When I crossed the river at the edge of the Birch Forest... I could hear the Lonely Homestead Bear very nearby, but I couldn't spot it.  I had to careful wait until I could hear it ambling along on me left... only then did I dear venture into the Birch Forest toward the right. 

I eventually was able to "feel" my way to the Lonely Homestead... and continued on to the river.

The fog was finally beginning to lift, at least now I could make better time.

I stopped by Draft Dodger's Cabin for a moment (dropping off extra sticks I'd picked up - future me will probably appreciate it).  

As the skies cleared, I took a look around Skeeter's Ridge. 

Stopped by Burned Ridge Cave.

I spent a good deal of time searching the Crash Site again.

It wasn't long before dawn... temperatures were dropping fast as a bitter wind began kicking up

I also spent a good deal of the morning goating around the ridges.

I took one last look around the Crash Site before moving on to the Misty Falls Picnic Area.

I've never really stopped to notice before... but this cave looks like a toothy maw. 😖

Hmm... nothing new to be found.  I suppose I should be moving on....

Traveling through this area during an aurora is risky business.  I not only had to watch out for Aurora Charged Wolves... but an Aurora Charged Bear as well. 

I ended up with an Aurora Wolf hounding me all the way to the Mine Entrance.  

Onward to Coastal Highway... (again )

I won't spoil exactly where, but I did also find this...

Edited April 29, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

Some beautiful pics😊.    Bad luck on the empty cache .  

[ManicManiac]

More to follow... 🤭

[ManicManiac]

Part 2...

As I was getting close the switchback that would lead to the Train Unloading, I spotted an Aurora Charged Wolf and decided to detour around and up through Bear Creek Campground.  However, by the time I got to the clearing (with the downed tree) about halfway between...

It was starting to snow and getting deadly dark very quickly.

I got low and slowly felt my way along, trying to get the cabin that I knew was near by the hillside... I also knew there was a bear... just like in Pleasant Valley, I could hear it... but I couldn't see it (and I probably wouldn't until it was too late).

Hearing the bear rooting around, getting closer and closer... I eventually found the cabin and quickly slipped inside.  I waited to see what the weather would do.

The heavy snow lasted the rest of the night...

And there was the bear again... but at least this time I could more easily keep track of it.  

I quickly got a head of it and made my way past Bear Creek Campground and work my way up stream.  

Onward to Raven Falls Ravine...

I nearly freezing, so I decided to make a stop in this cave for a bit to warm up.

Buster came up to visit... 

As I was approaching the next cave... a blizzard hit.  😒

The blizzard lasted most of the day.

When at last it cleared... I headed out for Mystery Lake.

~~~~~

Finally took the time to scrounge up some acorns.  🤭

Returning to Mystery Lake always feels like a homecoming.  The Camp Office is always so welcoming.

It's about my 4th or 5th day without sleep now... starting to run low on coffee, but I can easily continue the push forward to Forlorn Muskeg.

It was a really long session.
While sitting in the cave waiting out the blizzard, I played (and won) a game of chess before the storm broke...
So, this is where I'll pick up from on the next session.

[Leeanda]

Nice to see you got a new room mate😊.   I hope Mr bear doesn't get jealous😁

[ManicManiac]

Finished the hard push to Forlorn Muskeg

I was going to make the Poacher's Camp my primary encampment...  but as I was starting to get situated, I head a bear ambling nearby.  Given that, and the fact that the train car wasn't "warm" enough... I decided to head over to the Old Spence Place instead.   

 

At this point, I was starting to freeze...

I actually had to start a fire with a stick and two pieces of coal to warm up.  I don't know if it was just a particularly cold night or if the weather is rougher than I remember.

 

[ManicManiac]

I'd forgotten to include it earlier... but I also found this while back in Mystery Lake.

As always, I'll do my best not to give away the exact location...

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

The night out on the muskeg makes me appreciate the warmth of a bed/bedroll.  

Perhaps I should have indeed made the Poacher's Camp my main encampment...  I suppose I can still use it as a secondary for the rest of the region.  I get a feeling that food is going to be more of a challenge than the other regions I've visited so far.  But if push comes to shove, I suppose I could finally resort to harvesting (found carcasses and Cattails)... and perhaps even some hunting (though perhaps just rabbits, depending on what tools I can find).

Nearly out of coffee... so I'll be needing to start sleeping again soon as well.

Edited April 30, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

How is the badge going? If you can remember.