Why did Theoden take the mountain passes to Harrowdale?

Bill O'Meally

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Mar 23, 2013, 2:48:37 PM3/23/13

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It took Theoden three days of difficult riding through the mountain
passes to travel from Helm's Deep to Harrowdale. Aragorn and the Grey
Company left the next day and moved swiftly over the plain, reaching
Harrowdale in one day. Why the heck didn't Theoden travel over the
plain?
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Bill O'Meally

Geza Giedke

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Mar 23, 2013, 4:48:53 PM3/23/13

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if I recall correctly, the reason given was that he wanted to hide his
movements from Sauron's spies and probably also avoid the risk of ambushes.

Moreover, there was no need of more haste since the date for the
weapontake had alredy been set and so the ride to Gondor could not be
hastened. Having been a day earlier in Dunharrow would not have served
any purpose that I can see.

regrds
Geza

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David Trimboli

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Mar 24, 2013, 12:00:24 PM3/24/13

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> Bill O'Meally schrieb am 03/23/2013 07:48 PM:
>> Why the heck didn't Theoden travel over the plain?

On 3/23/2013 4:48 PM, Geza Giedke wrote:
> if I recall correctly, the reason given was that he wanted to hide his
> movements from Sauron's spies and probably also avoid the risk of ambushes.

Like wargs that look like bears. :D

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David Trimboli
http://www.trimboli.name/

Bill O'Meally

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Mar 24, 2013, 1:25:34 PM3/24/13

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On 2013-03-23 20:48:53 +0000, Geza Giedke said:
> Bill O'Meally schrieb am 03/23/2013 07:48 PM:
>> It took Theoden three days of difficult riding through the mountain
>> passes to travel from Helm's Deep to Harrowdale. Aragorn and the Grey
>> Company left the next day and moved swiftly over the plain, reaching
>> Harrowdale in one day. Why the heck didn't Theoden travel over the plain?

> if I recall correctly, the reason given was that he wanted to hide his
> movements from Sauron's spies and probably also avoid the risk of ambushes.

I think that this is correct. The only clues that I can find are when
Gandalf tells Merry that only two or three are to go openly over the
land at that point. When Aragorn decides to take his own route, he says
that the time for stealth is over for him.

>
> Moreover, there was no need of more haste since the date for the
> weapontake had alredy been set and so the ride to Gondor could not be
> hastened. Having been a day earlier in Dunharrow would not have served
> any purpose that I can see.

But it was a more difficult route. Theoden was tired after "battle and
long journey" and needed rest by the time they got to Dunharrow. They
had to travel almost non-stop to get there in time for the Muster. He
could have gotten a couple more day's rest had they traveled over the
plain. I do believe it was more a stealth issue, though I suspect a
winged Nazgul could have easily espied them in the mountains as well.

--
Bill O'Meally

Raven

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Mar 24, 2013, 2:41:21 PM3/24/13

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"Bill O'Meally" <omeallymd at geemail dot com> skrev i meddelelsen
news:2013032413253472253-om...@news.giganews.com...

> I do believe it was more a stealth issue, though I suspect a winged Nazgul
> could have easily espied them in the mountains as well.

If it had been there to notice them. Imagine if the US had to keep an
eye on all of Afghanistan using nine Predator drones and nothing else that
could fly - when the Predators could be spared from other duties. We know
from D�nhere that a winged Nazg�l had been to Edoras, but none had been seen
near Harrowdale. They could not be everywhere.

Kruk.

Michael Graf

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Mar 24, 2013, 2:54:25 PM3/24/13

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Hi!

Am 24.03.2013 17:00, schrieb David Trimboli:

> On 3/23/2013 4:48 PM, Geza Giedke wrote:
>> if I recall correctly, the reason given was that he wanted to hide his
>> movements from Sauron's spies and probably also avoid the risk of
>> ambushes.

> Like wargs that look like bears. :D

If you mean the beasts ('wargs') in the LOTR-movies: They IMO rather
resembled hyenas in appearance.
But there's also something 'beary'.