Crumbling Highway - Is it a practical base?

[Blizzard Walker]

Crumbling Highway, the transition zone between between Coastal Highway and Desolation Point, I have long loathed as a wolf rich choke point.  On my current 2500 day Voyageur run I had spent less than 5 total days in Crumbling Highway (aka Old Island Connector)......until recently.

In the last week I decided to walk out to the water's edge in Crumbling Highway to determine what could be found beach combing.  I found a useful cave at  The Arch.  The two areas for beach combing are a very short walk from this cave, east and west. Beach combing has been lucrative - 2 birch saplings, 1 maple sapling, numerous fish, cloth, leather, useful clothes, marine flares, hatchets, knives, hacksaws and intact arrows so far. The fishing hole mechanic means I can fish close to the cave on the ice for food and lamp oil.  The two wolves - at least on Voyageur - come out to the ice where I have been able to kill and harvest them.  Once killed I can scour this small region safely for sticks and wood.

After 20 in game days I realized that longer term visits to Crumbling Highway are practicable.  Even metal is occasionally available via beach combing or by harvesting worn out hatchets.  The lack of a work bench is the only real discouragement to using Crumbling Highway's waterfront as a long term base.

Has anyone else spent significant time in Crumbling Highway or do you consider it just an area to traverse quickly?

[piddy3825]

I've spent some time there on more than one occasion, sometimes utilizing the cave and other times the basement as shelters.  There's an ample amount of wildlife there between the rabbits and the wolves and even an occasional deer if memory serves.  So food isn't going to be problem, although variety might.  As I recall, plenty of reoccurring firewood spawns and even a chunk of coal every so often.  The only thing I didn't try when I stayed there last was fishing, so using the new fishing hole feature probably will make staying there for longer periods more sustainable.  Although relatively small in size the only thing lacking is a workbench.  

[I_eat_only_wolf_meat]

You can live there long term with fishing, wolf meat and carcasses. Tons of coal is close by for fires.   It could be a base of sorts,  It's just that everywhere near to it is better.  DP has a few places with tons of storage, and it even has a workbench, bears,  and an occasional moose. CH has two work benches, and tons of storage at the Quonset.

[ManicManiac]

Frankly, it's one of my least favorite places to live long term.  While it is possible to stealth around and not be detected by prowling wolves, it's very "close quarters" in several key spots that require patience and good tactical maneuvering if we want to avoid detection (and the conflict that goes with it).

However, all things considered...  Yes, it's indeed a viable place to make a long-term Primary Encampment.  You just may find that you either need a good stockpile of ammo/arrows... or get practiced at "Metal Gear'ing" your way around.  

That is to say, employing effective "evade and avoid" strats/techniques.

Edited July 14 by ManicManiac

[Blizzard Walker]

1 hour ago, ManicManiac said:

Frankly, it's one of my least favorite places to live long term.  While it is possible to stealth around and not be detected by prowling wolves, it's very "close quarters" in several key spots that require patience and good tactical maneuvering if we want to avoid detection (and the conflict that goes with it).

However, all things considered...  Yes, it's indeed a viable place to make a long-term Primary Encampment.  You just may find that you either need a good stockpile of ammo/arrows... or get practiced at "Metal Gear'ing" your way around.  

That is to say, employing effective "evade and avoid" strats/techniques.

ManicManiac, I agree that wolf encounters are at close quarters on the land in Crumbling Highway.  My strategy is to reside on the ice relying on fish and the sticks, branches and limbs that spawn close at hand or which wash up by beach combing.  Since the two wolves (on Voyageur) eventually come down to the ice I pick them off at a distance by bow shot.  

The real test is if I run out of arrows.  So far enough intact arrows have washed up on the ice that I have actually increased my arrow supply since setting up camp at The Arch cave.

[ManicManiac]

@Blizzard Walker
I wasn't at all trying to decry the idea or anything like that, more just highlighting what I see as some of the challenges that come inherent with navigating through and trying to live on Old Island Connector (a.k.a. Crumbling Highway).

Also, well done!  You have indeed worked out the one spot in this small transition zone where a survivor will find they have a little more breathing room.