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Éowyn Challenge Pathway Mileage and
Descriptions
RIVENDELL TO LOTHLÓRIEN (462 Miles)
by
Karen Wynn Fonstad
Author of The Atlas of
Middle-earth
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458 Miles = Cumulative
Journey thus far: Bag End to Rivendell
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Cumulative
Miles
for
Leg
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Miles
from
last
Mile-
Post
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Location/description at the
Milepost.
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Dec. 25/26 – Nt. 1: 22 miles
- The Journey of the Fellowship of the Ring Begins
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0
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0
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Leave Rivendell at
dusk on Dec. 25.
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1
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1
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Climb out of the valley onto the moors.
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8
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7
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At the Ford of Brúinen, turn south on ‘narrow paths among
folded lands’.
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18
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10
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To the west the Bruinen cuts a steep-sided canyon.
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22
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4
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Walk until dawn. Camp during the day - Dec. 26.
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Dec. 26/27 – Nt. 2: 15 miles
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22-25
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0-3
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Empty country - rough and barren.
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26
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1
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Cross a small stream.
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27-36
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1-10
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Empty country - rough and barren.
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37
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1
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Camp in a hollow during the day - Dec. 27.
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Dec. 27/28 – Nt. 3: 15 miles
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46
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9
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Crest the top of a hill. Snowcapped peak lies due east.
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52
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6
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Cold and windy. Camp
during the day - Dec. 28.
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Dec. 28/29 – Nt. 4: 15 miles
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58
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6
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Reach a small stream. Follow it west.
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60
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2
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Leave streambed.
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67
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7
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Paths few and winding. Camp during the day - Dec. 29.
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Dec. 29/30 – Nt. 5: 15 miles
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70
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3
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After reaching the top of a rise, angle southeast.
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82
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12
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Camp in a thicket of thorn bushes during the day - Dec. 30.
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D. 30/1 Yule – Nt. 6: 15 miles
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86
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4
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Reach crest of another low mountain spur. Turn southwest as
they descend.
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90
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4
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Path comes to a steep drop-off. Go along cliff-top for a while
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97
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7
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Camp during the day - 1 Yule.
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1 Yule/2 Yule – Nt. 7: 15
miles
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102
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5
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Cross a small stream.
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112
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10
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Camp during the day - 2 Yule.
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2 Yule/Jan. 1 – Nt. 8: 15
miles
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120
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8
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Another snowcapped peak lies to the east.
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127
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7
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Camp during the day - Jan.1.
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Jan. 1/J. 2 – Nt. 9: 15 miles
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130
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3
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Cross a small stream. It flows west into a swampy area.
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142
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12
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Camp during the day - Jan. 2. Continues cold, gray and windy.
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Jan. 2/J. 7 – Nt. 10-14: 15
miles/day = 75 miles - Continues cold, gray and windy.
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150
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8
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After reaching a hilltop, turn southeast.
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157
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7
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Camp during the day - Jan. 3.
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169
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12
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Cross a small stream.
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172
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3
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Camp during the day - Jan. 4.
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180
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8
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Rolling lands.
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187
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7
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Camp during the day - Jan. 5.
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202
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15
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Camp during the day - Jan. 6.
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210
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8
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Land drops more steeply. Go southeast into a valley.
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217
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7
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Cross a small stream. Camp during the day - Jan. 7.
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Jan. 7/J. 8 – Nt. 15: 15 miles
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220
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3
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Weather warmer and sunny. Can see Mts. of Moria in distance.
Eerily quiet.
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228
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8
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Begin climb up north side of Hollin Ridge.
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232
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4
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Reach Hollin Ridge.
Large holly trees mark ridge. Day camp on Hollin
Ridge. They plan to stay overnight, but after the crebain fly
over, they leave
at dusk.
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Jan. 8/J. 9 – Nt. 16: 18 miles
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233
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1
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Soon strike a good path that goes southeast toward the
mountain pass. Path is
lined with stones. Full moon.
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248
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15
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Frodo and Gandalf sense something flying over just before dawn.
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250
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2
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Cross a small stream. Camp during day of Jan. 9. Sunny, but
colder.
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Jan. 9/J. 10 – Nt. 17: 17
miles
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252
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2
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Road begins climbing as it winds into the hills. Mountains are
closer.
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267
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15
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Camp during day of Jan. 10.
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Jan. 10/J. 11 – Nt. 18: 17
miles
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275
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8
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Road climbs still higher.
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284
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9
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Almost to the feet of the Redhorn. Camp during day of Jan. 11.
Gandalf and
Aragorn debate path. Wind turns NW. Black clouds form during afternoon.
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Jan. 11 – Nt. 19: 8 miles
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284
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0
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Leave camp at dusk. (ca. 5 p.m.). Fearing snow, each takes
wood along.
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286
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2
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Path is fairly smooth. They make good time.
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288
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2
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Path becomes more steep and is dotted with fallen stones.
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290
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2
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Path climbs a sharp slope: cliff on left, drop-off on right.
Begins to snow as
reach a ‘shelf’ at the top of the slope.
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291
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1
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Snow begins to fall more thickly.
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291.5
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0.5
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They stop briefly. Wind slackens. Snow lessens. Start again
(ca. 8 p.m.).
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292
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0.5
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Redhorn Pass. Snow
becomes even heavier. Wind howls. Decide they can go
no further. All huddle against the south-facing cliff, some behind Bill
the
Pony. Build fire. Stay until dawn.
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Jan. 12 – Day 20: 28 miles
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292
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0
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Aragorn and Boromir start down, plowing through the snow.
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292.5
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0.5
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Fellowship reaches great drift of snow. Clouds begin to break.
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293
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0.5
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Snow steadily more shallow.
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294
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1
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Back to shelf of stone ... no more snow (ca. 10:30 a.m.).
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296
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2
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Turn west, away from path they took up to the Pass. Crebain
return.
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310
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14
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Turn more southwest around foothills of the Silvertine.
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320
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10
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Stop to eat (ca.6 p.m.), camp, and debate. Cold wind. Hear
Wargs! Climb to
top of the hill above them. Enter a ring of stones with gnarled trees
within.
Wargs gather. Attack just
before dawn.
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Jan. 13 – Day 21: 20 miles
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320
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0
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Leave ca. 8 a.m. Head south-southeast toward the Sirannon.
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325
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5
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A barren country of red stones.
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330
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5
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Reach the Sirannon (ca. 11 a.m.). Dry. Head east on a path
along stream.
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332
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2
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Path lies in a deep trough. It is a rough, winding track.
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334
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2
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Stop to EAT quickly (ca. 12:30 - 1 p.m.).
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338.5
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4.5
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Fall of the Sirannon: Frodo, Gimli and Gandalf climb stairs to
upland valley;
return.
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339
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0.5
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Climb curving road to upland valley. Most is filled with a
lake.
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339.3
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0.3
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Wade through stream at north end of lake.
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340
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0.7
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Reach the Doors of Moria.
(ca. 6 p.m.). Release Bill. Spend ca. ½ hour at
Gate seeking the password. ATTACK by the Watcher in the Water.
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Continuing Jan. 13: 20 miles
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340
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0
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Stop just inside Moria to eat and rest briefly. Leave ca. 7
p.m.
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343
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3
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Frodo begins to hear Gollum’s pattering footsteps.
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346
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3
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Stop to decide which path; brief halt.
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350
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4
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Have to jump narrow fissure.
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353
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3
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Have to jump 7 foot fissure; brief halt.
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360
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7
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Reach junction of 3 passages, with Guardroom (ca. 1 a.m.).
CAMP.
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Jan. 14 – Day 22: 20 miles
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360
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0
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Leave Guardroom (ca. 8 a.m.). Take right hand passage.
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365
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5
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Road climbs in great mounting curves with no side passages.
(Est.) break.
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370
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5
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(Est.) lunch and rest.
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375
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5
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(Est.) break.
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380
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5
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Reach the 21st Hall of the North End. Camp
overnight.
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Jan. 15 – Day 23 - 18 miles
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380
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0
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(ca. 8 a.m.) Eat. Enter Chamber of Records nearby. Find
Balin’s Tomb.
ATTACK - orcs and cave troll. Escape through east door of room.
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381
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1
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After descending 7 flights of stairs, REST.
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381.3
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0.3
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Reach the 1st Deep. Fire blocks them from Orcs.
Cross Bridge over Durin’s
Deep. Balrog attacks. Gandalf and
Balrog fall.
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381.5
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0.2
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Rest escape up flight of steps, and out East Gate. Orcs flee.
(ca.1 p.m.).
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Continuing Jan. 15 - Outside
Moria
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382
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0.5
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STOP to vent grief. Then continue down rough, winding trail.
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383.5
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1.5
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Durin’s Stone and Mirrormere. Stop briefly, then continue
south on road.
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384
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0.5
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Pause at the spring of the Silverlode.
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390
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6
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Frodo and Sam lag behind. Aragorn and Boromir carry them to a
dell nearby.
Eat and rest (ca. 3 to 4 p.m.).
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393
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3
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Dusk (ca. 5 p.m.).
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396
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3
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Frodo begins to hear Gollum again, and sees glowing eyes.
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397
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1
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Enter woods of Lothlórien.
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398
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1
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Cross the Nimrodel. Go west upstream a short distance. Meet
elves. Sleep on
flets in the trees. Orc company passes during the night.
Gollum appears
briefly.
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Jan. 16 – Day 24: 32 miles
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398
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0
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Start about 8 a.m. Clear and cold “like a cool summer day.”
Follow path
south beside the Silverlode.
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403
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5
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Cross the Silverlode on ropes. Fellowship is blindfolded.
Frodo notices paths
are smooth, and he smells the trees and grass.
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423
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20
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Pass through an open glade.
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430
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7
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CAMP - Sleep on the ground. Still blindfolded.
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Jan. 17 – Day 26: 32 miles
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430
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0
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Continue on path.
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448
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18
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Noon - In a clearing, meet an elf-company. Blindfolds are
removed.Climb to
the top of the hill of Cerin Amroth. Can see all around. Stay
there ca. 2 hours.
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456
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8
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Elves light lanterns (ca. 5:30 p.m.).
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458
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2
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Reach the north side of Caras Galadan. Early stars are
out (ca. 6:10 p.m.).
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462
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4
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Reach Gates of Caras Galadan (south side) and climb to
meet Celeborn and
Galadriel. Stay in Lothlórien
until February 16.
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920 Miles = Cumulative
Journey thus far - Bag End to Lothlórien
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