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Interesting and something I've thought about at a times as well. The simplest solution perhaps is that the mountains are passable here, I don't think a gap per se, but a pass an army can march over with some effort. During Tuor's days that passage, the only Western escape-route out of Hithlum they knew of, would no doubt be well guarded by the forces of Morgoth though so the Gates of Noldor was his only chance to get out.