Brigo

I couldn't. I had discovered the mine early on but couldn't enter. I actually entered through the "blocked" area. Once in, I couldn't go back out that way, but I was able to exit through the "main" entrance. But, yes, everything was a one-way door. I made multiple save points and simply exited after exploring what I could get by with after turning off the gas thinking it would save me time on the return trip, but it didn't. I'm not sure if after the hotfix anything has changed.

Can anyone else confirm? I discovered the "back door" to the mine on a walkabout, decided to explore, took care of the deadly situations, but exited since I couldn't use certain key items. I left at least thinking I could return later when timing more appropriate and was satisfied that I at least would have an easier time accessing areas. Wrong. The deadly situation had reset and I now have no access to the item necessary to manage it since it remained stuck (not something I could carry per se) deep in the mine. So now it is impossible for me to complete the task Mathis assigned. I've submitted a bug report simply asking that the back door be locked if exploring the mine jeopardizes the ability to later properly complete the episode.

While thankful, it has always puzzled me that raw meat left outside to freeze is never nabbed by the local fauna. Not complaining, but it does seem a bit unfair to them. Has there been discussion of adding crafting ability to build a meat locker or similar so that we can safely store food and other items such as pies outside in a more realistic way? Oh yeah. There are no pies. Not yet anyway. Thanks!

I also wonder about changes to Pleasant Valley which I completed long ago. Similar to you, I've been on a Faithful Cartographer stalker run since May and working to also complete my 500 days and the few other locked achievements I have left. I'm on day 376 and just moved into Hushed River Valley. I've never been here before, and the new timber-wolves have me quite concerned. Haven't loaded survival since Ep 3 came out. I've yet to develop a reliable strategy for managing them, and I am not at all ready to die particularly when getting close to those two achievements. Hopefully any changes won't affect our ability to walk back, add the sites, and complete cartographer. I wish you the best out there in the cold!

Methuselah is a pretty cool character. Nothing seems to rattle him. He makes a mean fire, too.

This was cheating a bit (edited a little), but the game lends itself to tons of fun editing. Made theses for my phone awhile back.

TWM on day 363/500 on my Faithful Cartographer run in Stalker. Up to 36/40 achievements now, & only missing Firemaster Feat. Next: visit Hushed River Valley for the first time ever. No clue what to expect except... nothing.

So much talk of animals and such, but I find myself thinking of additional weather/environmental challenges: Would love moon phases with corresponding varied light at night &/or option for nights to grow longer/days shorter as the weeks progressed like IRL seasons... Perhaps reward of longer days once pass 180 days or so or plants/fungi respawning as the year cycled round again for marathon players.