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WARNING!
This quest should only be attempted by hobbits, or humans without a fear of heights.
In order to finish this quest, you need to follow the path of Frodo Baggins, the Ring-bearer, with the cracks of doom being your final goal.
In order to create an authentic Lord of the Rings feel, You could go on this quest wearing an Elvin cloak, wear no shoes, take only matzos to create that authentic Elvin bread (Lembas) feel, and carry a large stone around your neck to simulate the burden of the ring. I myself did none of these things, but undertook the journey in a heavy cloud, which created a wonderful spooky atmosphere- and adding to the danger of getting lost!
Frodo could not have succeeded in his quest without the assistance of his beloved companion, Samwise Gamgee, and I recommend that you recruit a similar reliable friend to help you on your mission.
Should you not be able to, or feel that you need extra guidance, blow thrice on the Horn of Gondor (or send me a mail), and I will see if I am able to guide you, as Smeagol did for Frodo – I promise not to throw fish at you!
Before setting off on your mission Frodo, remember to pack your sack with nothing but items from Middle Earth for trade, or else your items will be deemed useless on your mission.
At all Waypoints listed, there could be some variation, as on consecutive days, Gandalf's Power Staff was showing large discrepancies, so stick to the description and you should be alright.
Now, let the quest begin!
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Waypoint 1: Rivendell
S 33° 56’ 887
E 018° 24’ 182
Start your quest at the majestic towers of Rivendell, and head around to the right of this breathtaking Elvin City. You will immediately be thrown into certain peril, as you now have to face the long and arduous “Stairs of the Dead”. Although these stairs luckily do not have evil spirits lurking below, on a hot day they can be even more sinister than evil spirits, and you will be lucky to emerge from these stairs alive.
A large gourd full of life giving water will ensure your way safely past this difficult section, so be sure to stock well.
While climbing the stairs, it helps to focus your attention on Treebeard, the lone Ent at the top of the stairs, ready to welcome you with a bit of shade and a well deserved rest, and perhaps a sip of Entbrew.
At the crossroads (Treebeard stands about 25m to the right), you are to continue straight – an ominous warning above your head tells you to head back before it is too late, but hobbits such as you are not scared by such paltry warnings, and continue on you must.
Luckily, Galadriel, the Elvin Queen of Lothlorien, has blessed your path with her Golden Footprints. Follow in Galadriel’s Golden Steps, and you will be guided on the correct path, up and slightly to the right.
Waypoint 2: Eye of Sauron
S 33° 57’ 108
E 018° 24’ 099
About 15 minutes after leaving Treebeard, great danger lurks. A clear path leads off to the left from your path, towards the “Eye of Sauron”. It is here that the choice lies heavily on you, young Frodo. Shall you continue up on your quest without stop, or will you be tempted to make your way 30m to the left, where the dreaded Eye of Sauron lies?
There could be benefit in making your way to the eye, as you will be able to see all of middle earth through its mighty gaze, with the Peak of the Devil leering in front of you, and the Head of the Lion behind.
It was at this very spot (years back) that I first encountered a creature never before seen on Middle Earth – A magnificent animal with the body of a goat and the mane of a lion. These creatures, known as Tahrs, hail from the snowy highlands to the North-East of Middle Earth, and sadly have recently been hunted down by rampaging groups of Saruman’s Orcs, and are now a rare sight indeed.
Should you decide to take advantage of the power of the Eye, you will need to muster all your strength to return back to your original path and quest, as the Eye has a great power to keep all who enter in its spell.
After leaving the Eye of Sauron, you will shortly come out of the gully, and there you will need to head to the left, following the path over the top of the ravine, towards the Winding Stair.
You should now also start to feel the guidance of Gandalf now as well, as he has marked your path with shimmering Orbs of Azure, and these can be used in conjunction with Galadriel’s Golden Steps to guide the way.
Waypoint 3: The Winding Stair
S 33° 57’ 318
E 018° 24’ 191
This is the most dangerous part of Frodo’s entire Quest, and has the potential to turn many back in terror. Besides the danger of the Winding Stair itself, in the section before and after, you might occasionally hear a screeching sound from above. This sound can strike fear into the heart of the bravest adventurer, as it is none other than the Giant Spider, Shelob. Shelob’s lair is very near here, and she can often be seen scuttling across her web strung across the top of your path.
On this occasion, Shelob surprised me with sudden appearances out of the mist a few times, but I managed to hide behind rocks and avoid her gaze all times.
At the Waypoint above, you will need to turn to the right and face the cliff face. Here starts the Winding Stair. To reach the top of this dangerous section requires the agility of Legolas, the strength of Gimli, the level-headedness of Aragorn and the persistence of Sam and Frodo, so unless you possess these qualities of The Fellowship, you might want to return to the Shire now, with your life still intact, but knowing you were never destined for greatness.
Should you decide to press on regardless, do not be fooled, as the Winding Stair seems to end on a few occasions, only to begin again, even worse than before. It is here that you need pay extra attention to the guidance of Galadriel and Gandalf, and they have marked the route well for you here.
(Note from Smeagol: When climbing The Winding Stair, the secret is to always have at least 3 points of contact with the rock, and always ensure your feet have a solid grip - oh, and don't look down, My precioussssss!)
Waypoint 4: Crossroads
S 33° 57’ 381
E 018° 24’ 195
After emerging from The Winding Stair, you will head slightly to the left, and reach a small crossroads. There will be a short, steep cliff to your right, and a cliff up ahead leading straight up to the gleaming Towers of Minas Tirith. Here, you must face another choice Frodo! You are now very near to your final destination, the Cracks of Doom.
If your journey has turned you into a quivering wreck, without the fortitude to continue, you may head straight pass the crossroads, up and to the right, 45 minutes around the back end of Weathertop, where you can seek shelter and assistance at Minas Tirith, and perhaps get Gadalf to take you back to Rivendell on his mighty steed, Shadowfax.
Waypoint 5: The Cracks of Doom
S 33° 57.436
E 018° 24.336
However, why quit now, when you are so near! At the crossroads, there is a small path leading down and to the left. Take this path, and head towards The Cracks of Doom, where you will reach your final destination. Gandalf's Power Staff might start to loose its energy here, due to the overhanging cliffs, so please pay heed to the directions, as the Final Waypoint might be very out.
After about 5 – 10 minutes on this path, you will come to a precipice, with no apparent place to go. Look to the right, and you will see the entry into the Cracks of Doom. Here you will be glad that you have survived on nothing but Lembas for the last 3 hours, as you will need a small frame to fit through the cracks.
Upon emerging from the 1st crack, immediately turn right and climb 2m up to the next level. A further 25m on, and again the path ends. Once more you should be able to locate a small crack to enter. This is closed overhead for 20m, and then is an open corridor for 30m. It is at the end of this corridor that your goal lies!
A few meters after you emerge into the open, and a meter or 2 down, you will see a slanting rock, with some succulent bushes growing around it. Here, lurking behind a rock lies Frodo’s objective. (depending on what level you are standing on, this is at foot level) Inside a webbing of Shelob’s silk, The One Ring must forever stay, lest Middle Earth be plunged into chaos again. You may trade any other item beside The One Ring, but please leave only Middle Earth themed items. Please rewrap the container once finished.
If you are lucky, you might stumble across some of the other Rings of Power, which you are welcome to keep.
CONGRATULATIONS, young Frodo, your quest is over, and Middle Earth is in your debt.
It was at this very spot that I was lucky enough to encounter Gandalf’s mighty eagle friend, Gwaihir, which I think is extremely fitting, as it was none other than Gwaihir who rescued Frodo from Mount Doom.
Return to the Shire:
Now that you have saved Middle Earth, you still need to undertake the long slog back to Rivendell, and then home to the Shire. You may return to the Crossroads, and head to Minis Tirith around the back of Weathertop,
Alternatively, why don’t you follow the route set out for you by the Beacons of Gondor. To do so, you now need to scramble about 3 m down to the next ledge (A tricky scramble, this one, so be careful). Now follow the path for about 100m, but not all the way to the rocky corner. About 25m before the corner, a beacon will guide you about 10m down to a lower path. Follow this path around the corner to the top of the next gully. The Beacons will guide you down the gully, but do keep a sharp eye out for them, as they can sometimes be hard to spot.
As you follow the Beacons down a relatively dried up offshoot of mighty Anduin River, you can almost imagine them being set alight, summoning the Riders of Rohan to the assistance of Minas Tirith, in its darkest hour.
A short while before the bottom, you will need to cross over to the right of the river, lest you end up falling of the waterfall at the end. Once below the waterfall, you merely need to take the path leading left, back to Treebeard, and then down the Stairs of the Dead back to Rivendell, where you can obtain refreshments, before heading back to the sanctuary of the Shire.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)