The Ghosts of All That Was

[ManicManiac]

[Accompaniment:]

Spoiler

...I put this film on for this session; picture-in-picture.

Woke up reasonably early... looking out the door, I see the goal for the day.

Today it's Sumit, or bust...  

I pressed my luck too far this time.  I should have spent the night in the cave just below the last climb to the summit.
I had no way of knowing... between the sudden turn of the weather and the poor condition of the gear I found up here... I'm just not going to be able to get insulated/warm enough, quickly enough.

I'm just going to slug some soda... and curl up in my bedroll.
I'd just rather not be awake when I slip away.

[ManicManiac]

It's been literal years since a run on Great Bear Island bested me.  
Oh well... I was pushing my luck, and I knew it.

I would normally always stop over at the interior cave above Eric's Falls when making a push to the summit (making it a two-day trip)... but I stubbornly insisted on pushing to try and make it within one day.

I guess I'll start again after I've recuperated. 🤭

[Leeanda]

No!!!!   Didn't see that coming , especially from you.   That's bad luck..🥺I'm sorry it didn't work out. 

[ManicManiac]

I've always been a proponent of accepting the consequences of our mistakes.  
Once I woke up freezing and realized I was stuck on a ledge halfway up the last climb and getting shredded by a blizzard... I knew I had pressed my luck too far.

I still held out hope that I could either get warm in the cave or tail section, but unfortunately no... the gear I had wasn't good enough... and the condition of the gear to be found in the tail sections wasn't good enough either.  I was already too far gone to be able break down crates or otherwise collect up firewood.

I also had not brought any emergency coal with me, in the interests of saving on weight.

Ultimately, it was these choices and some bad luck with the weather that doomed the run... and it was completely deserved on my part. 

I was trying to push & test the limits of what I could get away with... and this time it cost me the run. 
It serves as a reminder that even those amongst us who have been spending years on Great Bear Island... it still demands our respect.  

I'll start again soon.  

[Leeanda]

Had you no stims or hot drinks?  

It is a stark reminder that there's luck as well as rng ,not just experience that gets you through...

I look forward to your next adventure 😊

[ManicManiac]

Oh no... I don't carry around those kinds of things.  Generally speaking, those stay at the encampments.

This time, it really was just a matter of me pushing my luck too far.

In any other set of circumstances... (if there hadn't been a blizzard or if the gear found in the tail section had been of slightly better condition) then I would have made it just fine and quite comfortably. 

It's just that in this particular set of circumstances... those choices were fatal. 🤭

Edited April 15 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

I would've thought a stim was a necessity on stalker lol...   

And very unlucky as well as fatal.

[ManicManiac]

When I came to, I found myself in familiar surroundings.  It looked like I was near the Clear Cut in Mystery Lake.  I'd have to get moving... I don't have much to hand, and I'm already starting to get cold.

I found a little bit of food at this abandoned camp site.  I did take the 20 minutes necessary to break down the snow shelter (at this point the cloth and sticks will better serve me in my pack rather than as a makeshift shelter).

In just this one snapshot... I can confirm three things.
The Clear Cut bear is denned there on the left... 
The bear's most recent victim is just off to the right...
And the bear itself is skulking off, far to the right.

There is the bear again just ahead.

I decided it would be more advantageous to head for the Logging Camp (rather than dealing with the bear or visiting the Destroyed Lookout).

Spoiler

It's a good start... I found a lot of nice early essentials, but I'm still far from a good position to travel far.

I found nothing here but wreckage... have to keep moving.

A little food, some cooking utensils... but I don't have enough clothing yet to even warm up inside.  I'll have to make a push for the Camp Office.

I was just coming upon the train tracks... when I was beset by a wolf.  I had to backpedal and offer up a rabbit as an easier meal for the wolf, so I could continue on safely to the Camp Office.

I made it, but I'm still freezing to death...  All I found inside for clothing was a pair of boots.  I'll have to hope that the bed is warm enough to get me through the first night.

Speaking of the first night...

Edited April 16 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I intended to make my stay as short as possible.
I did a quick sort & stow (thinking all the while) and decided to make a relatively quick ring-route before leaving Mystery Lake by way of Winding River.

That's a bear just ahead.  Duly noted.

Spoiler

The Trapper's Homestead had some rather nice gear, it was a good find.
The safe was admittedly a bit of a disappointment... just a book and a flashlight.
I decided that I would leave small caches of whatever I found in a place.  That way I can prospect through, then do a quick sort & stow on the spot, and move on.  I figure this way I will stay more agile and decrease dwell-time by not making trips back and forth to consolidate resources at primary encampments.

I stopped off at the Lonely Meadow, just long enough to use my two recycled cans (and my mag lens) to prep 2 liters of water.  The warmth of the fire was nice too... 🤭

I'd already been here but did stop off for a minute or two... just to try and warm up a little bit.

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

Also, finally found a hat in one of the Trailers outside of the Carter Dam.  I've been struggling with frostbite risk all day.  For a while I was seriously thinking about sacrificing some cloth to make one.  

All-in-all, it was a good day.

[ManicManiac]

I knew that prospecting through the Carter Dam was likely going to be an all-day event.
My only concern is that I only have one (only partially full) lantern with me... and a good thorough search of the dam was going to need more light than I have on hand.  I was trusting that I would find more inside.

Thankfully, I'm still in the habit of getting low before exiting a shelter... there was a wolf skulking around between the trailers and the river today.

Feels a bit like déjà vu; like I've done this recently...  

After just a little bit of time in the foyer, I did check on the weather outside...
Looks like a rather nice day, but I still don't really have sufficient clothing... I was getting cold very fast.  I was thankful that I would be spending the day inside.  I'm really hoping to find some warm clothing, but there's no telling what I might find.  It was time to get started in earnest.
 

Spoiler

Spoiler

Another disappointing safe... nothing here but some cash.  Oh well, I can use it as tinder to start a fire later.

Spoiler

Do you see what I see? 🤭

Spoiler

Spoiler

At this point, I was no longer worried about having enough light to finish prospecting.  

Spoiler

I didn't expect to find a rifle here... let alone finding Vaughn's Rifle.  It's a good find, but I don't have much need for a rifle just yet.

Spoiler

I did make my way back to the front of the dam for a quick sort and stow.  All told, I was a bit disappointed... I was hoping I would find more clothing than I did.  However, I suppose some of the rather nice gear and supplies I did find made up for it.  I ended up with a cooking pot, three lanterns, four flares (minus the one I used to search through the lower portion of the dam)... among the other notable items I'd highlighted earlier. 🤭

It was well after dark by the time I got back to the door leading out to Winding River.  I suppose I could make a push to get to the far side and make a push for the cave leading to Pleasant Valley... but perhaps it's best not to push my luck with the weather (I still feel the sting of what happened last time, I did that ).

[ManicManiac]

Since I'm sort of retracing a more recent route... I'll keep it short today.
The goal: cross the Winding River and make a push for Signal Hill.

I don't really have the time to break down this stack of pallets by hand... but I will note the container inside the pipe and come back for it.

Spoiler

In the first chamber to the left, I did find another flare... this will come in handy for saving lantern fuel.

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I managed to get down to the Pleasant Valley Farmstead before it got too far past sundown.  I did take some time to prep a little more drinking water... but really, I was just looking to get a few canned food items cooked for eating over the next couple of days.

Since I'm here, tomorrow I will checkout the Farmhouse... but I don't want to idle too much.  I'd really like to get over to Thompson's Crossing tomorrow and get ready to head to the Upper Shelf and onwards toward Timberwolf Mountain.  However, I haven't yet found a hacksaw along the way.  I will feel better about things when I do.

[ManicManiac]

I'd managed to make it further than I'd aimed for yesterday... so of course Pleasant Valley was keen to make up for that today.  

I went up to check the hayloft... then I sat up there for about an hour and a half while I repaired the Insulated Boots that I'd picked up at Signal Hill.

Of course, no sooner had I finished the repair, I became aware of the rather loud gusting winds outside.

On the way out... I'd nearly missed something when I came in last night.  I did a quick sort and stow, leaving behind most of what I'd picked up along the way between Signal Hill and the work shed at the Pleasant Valley Farmstead.

I knew what to expect when I poked my head out... but I was still hoping that it just a gusty windstorm... but of course not.  It was a full-on blizzard.  Not wanting to needless add wear and tear to the good pair of boots I just fixed up... I took them off and started a sprint for the farmhouse.  It was easy enough to tank, since there wasn't far to go.

I spend most of the day waiting out the storm and prospecting the house from top to bottom.
I'll spare the usual inventory of notable items... suffice to say that I did find some decent clothing and a rather healthy amount of food.  However, the real prize was a rather nice condition hacksaw.  

I feel better about heading to Timberwolf Mountain knowing I don't have to rely on chance to find a much-needed hacksaw for the cargo containers. 🤭

Just as I was doing my sort and stow setting up a nice cache there at the Pleasant Valley Farmstead... the blizzard had abated.  I wanted to at least push on until I was exhausted, at least try to make up some of the time I spent waiting out the storm.

I had to head back to the work shed... I had left my ammunition that I'd been collecting up since the lower levels of the Carter Dam.  I was going to leave them cached at the work shed, but ultimately decided I wanted to stow them away at the Community Hall over at Thompson's Crossing instead.

The weather had cleared... but a fog was quickly rolling in as well.  No clear skies tonight.

I didn't even bother picking up those painkillers... I never really have any use for them anyway.  

Sprinting onward across the open field, I was quickly getting tired out.
That Old Red Barn has some real Amityville Horror vibes in the fog...

As I crept around gathering up what I could, I decide I would not press my luck so hard this time... that I would spend the night in that creepy old barn.  

Tomorrow though... no excuses.  I have to get over to Thompson's Crossing. 

Edited April 23 by ManicManiac

[Looper]

great read manic -🙂 reminds me of @Drifter Man stories

What difficulty is this?

[ManicManiac]

@Looper

Thank you, I'm glad folks enjoy reading along with my adventure/misadventures.  

This one is a Stalker [no feats] run.
Also, no additional personal rules or restrictions this time.
Just a survivor gearing up to eventually launch my first expedition into the Far Territory.

Edited April 23 by ManicManiac

[Looper]

good find with the saw - good luck at TWM - bring materials to a snow shelter on the top this time 🤩 

[ManicManiac]

@Looper
Last time it wasn't a lack of shelter...
It was me choosing to needlessly push my luck, not bring any coal to save on weight, the bad luck of a blizzard less than a day after the previous one... that blizzard hitting while I was resting on a ledge... and the gear inside of the cargo containers of being unusually low quality.   

If any one of those things had not been a factor... I would have tanked the blizzard just fine, even comfortably.  In perfect honesty was my choices and some rotten luck that ultimately cost me that run. 🤭

However, I see the merit of a survive and thrive on the summit run... one of these days.  Thank you.

Edited April 23 by ManicManiac

[Looper]

55 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

If any one of those things had not been a factor... I would have tanked the blizzard just fine, even comfortably.  In perfect honesty was my choices and some rotten luck that ultimately cost me that run. 🤭

and this is what makes the game and the story interesting!

Maybe i'll post such a moment my self with a picture. I went through the Ice  in DP while trying to grab some beach comb loot  Hypotermia - yeah! 

Edited April 23 by Looper
expanded

[conanjaguar]

On 4/14/2024 at 10:02 PM, ManicManiac said:

I'd just rather not be awake when I slip away.

That has to be the only time I've seen a death screen from @ManicManiac! You're supposed to be immortal!

[ManicManiac]

@conanjaguar
Well, it was my first fade-out in literal years, that's true. 😋
It just goes to show, that mistakes and bad luck can quickly prove fatal for a run.
I may have pulled off some wildly risky stuff in the past... but this time, I just pushed my luck too far.  

But when mistakes and tragedy strike... it's as much a chance to learn and grow as it is when we pull off what seemed like an impossible stunt.  In both cases, I think it's great to share that with folks.

Edited April 24 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Since I'm so close to the next stop on my route... I decided to wake up early (only resting for about 10 hours).  I figured I could better spend those two hours of daylight by quickly prospecting through the Old Red Barn before heading off to Thompson's Crossing.

I'm surprised I hadn't tripped over this poor soul in the dark when I came it.  They had a torch that was in pretty good condition (~63%)... but nothing else on them.

All things considered; I think it was time well spent.

Spoiler

I didn't expect to find hazmat gear all the way out here in Pleasant Valley... but hey, I'll take it.  Future me will appreciate it.

I was already starting to freeze to death by the time I had gotten to the nearby bridge.  The wind was gusting hard and right in my face... every step was a bone chilling struggle.

I had to stop off at the Church first... just to warm up a little.

The sounds in here (from the heavy winds outside) sound like groans and growls... something's wrong with this place; gives me the creeps.  Moving on.

There's a fog rolling in now... but at least the wind had died down.

Spoiler

I didn't find nearly as much for gear and supplies as I was hoping... but still it was nice to be able to unload everything I'd picked up between the Pleasant Valley Farmstead and the Community Hall.

I wanted to take some time to prosect Thompson's Crossing properly (as well as take some time to repair some of the more worthy gear I've managed to find thus far)...

Spoiler

...I mean... this is the third pry-bar I've found today.  Oh well... at least I know I'm not likely to ever be in need of a pry-bar again any time soon.  

Just a couple of food items... but nothing else of note here in the little picnic area next to the Church.  I decided I would spend a couple of hours on repairs before starting to look through the houses.  I just have to decide what's most worth the cloth (especially considering I'm heading to Timberwolf Mountain and those rumored cargo containers relatively soon).   

I went back inside the Community Hall to inspect and take inventory of my cold weather gear.

I don't have a lot to work with... but I mended up both pairs of climber's socks, the fisherman's sweater, and the wool tuque.  The boots were already in good condition from the repair I'd made the other day.  The rest was good enough for now... I was hoping to have a lot of it replaced when I reach the summit of Timberwolf Mountain.

As I said, my gear isn't great... but it would have to do.

I heard the wind kicking up again outside.

I decided to go out and have a look...

Sure enough... another blizzard.

Rather than rush to get further along the route, I decided I would hunker down here at the Community Hall for the night.  I had more than enough food on hand to waste a couple of days along the way if need be.

With a few hours to while away, I went back through the Community Hall and found that I had neglected all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen.

It was a good thing I'd gone back for another look around.  I ended up finding a little more food, but more importantly, I found two packs of water purification tablets.  Counting the one's I'd found at the Camp Office in Mystery Lake... I now had the means to prepare 12 liters of drinking water in half the time.  This additional stopover has more than paid for itself. 🤭

The storm finally broke sometime after dark... but as I mentioned, I had more than enough food to afford to just bed down for the night (rather than push onward on a night hike).

Edited April 25 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

The instant I woke up, I was already chomping at the bit for a hard push to get across the expanse of Pleasant Valley and just hurry up and get back to Timberwolf Mountain.  However, I took a breath and forced myself to take a few minutes to look over my gear and inventory my pack again.  This gave me a little time to think and remind myself that I had no real reason to try and push that hard.  If my last run demonstrated anything... it's that if we don't balance our skills, reasonably safe strategy, and (admittedly) a little luck; then a survivor can perish at any time.  

So... today I will prioritize progress on the route, but I will not compromise sensible precaution (this time). 

Because this is going to be a very familiar route... I'll try to keep this part of the log short. 🤭

The morning was positively bone chilling.  I had to duck into the Church to warm up for a few minutes before even leaving town.  It would be a long walk to the Draft Dodger's Cabin...

There didn't seem to be a bear in the immediate vicinity, so I could stop to look around Lonely Homestead this time.  

Spoke too soon... there ahead was the Birch Forest Bear.  The bear did catch my scent as I tried to slip away, and it did stalk me a good distance.  I was, however, able to slip away by circling around and heading toward its den (fortunately this was meant to be my route anyway). 🤭

By the time I'd gotten close to the river, I was already started to freeze to death.  When I got to the Draft Dodger's Cabin, I opted for a 1-hour nap after prospecting and then stowing the items I'd found so far along the way.

I did take the time to search through most of the wreckage... it was well worth it.  I was able to trade up some of my cold weather gear (saving me the trouble of wasting cloth on repairing mid-tier clothing).  Also found a decent stack of fairly decent quality airline meals.  

Spoiler

Do you see what I see?

Spoiler

All the lockers were empty... the locked one's too. 😒 Oh well.
I dropped off all the food that was good quality for future me to enjoy.
I decided that I would bed down here for the night.  I do have about 10kg. of sketchy food on hand... frankly too much to be hiking around with.  I decided to risk eating the worst of it first and topping off with a few cans of soda.  Thankfully, no food poisoning.  

Spoiler

I did trade the objectively better Mariner's Pea Coat for the Old-Fashioned Parka, but only because it was in much better condition.  I had also found second Fisherman's Sweater, a second sent of Thermal Underwear, a better-quality pair of fleece mittens, and a second (better quality Wool Toque).  I've managed to boost my insulation pretty significantly without having to use up cloth on mending.

Again, all rather good finds, because I'd much rather save the 16 cloth I have with me for the higher-tier clothing I'm looking to find up on the Summit of Timberwolf Mountain. 

 

Tomorrow, I think I'd like to prospect the Misty Falls Picnic Area, before heading up to Timberwolf Mountain.