[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

I think the High Pass was rejected for a few reasons. First, to have taken that Pass would have placed the Fellowship far to the north in Wilderland. We know very little about what the lands are like between the Misty Mountains and Anduin. These lands may have been difficult to traverse. This makes a southern passage more desirable. Second, it is the obvious route to pass into the eastern lands and, as a result, should have been avoided. Third, the Fellowship's great need was secrecy. Seeking out the help of the Beornings would created an additional group of people who knew that they had passed through even if their errand was not revealed.

The Gladden Pass may have been difficult and could lead into the swampy lands at Gladden Fields. Yet, the description of the scouting party's route is east through the Gladden Pass, south through Wilderland, back west through the Redhorn Pass and then north back to Rivendell. This circuitous route took only a bit over a month for the scouts. It can't have been that difficult a passage and would have placed the Fellowship far closer to Lorien than the High Pass would.

One certain idea appeared in my mind, do you think that maybe some of these "alternative routes" will be useable if the Fellowship could have obtained the help of Radagast the Brown? That passage reads:

...and some of these had crossed the Mountains and entered Mirkwood, while others had climbed the pass at the source of the Gladden River, and had come down into Wilderland and over the Gladden Fields and so at length had reached the old home of Radagast at Rhosgobel. Radagast was not there; and they had returned over the high pass that was called the Dimrill Stair.

"Radagast was not there" - what if he WAS there? After all, he was willing to help Gandalf and Saruman (when he still thought them both allies) and Gandalf knew that "it would have been useless in any case to try and win over the honest Radagast to treachery", ergo, he would trust him - at least enough to f.ex. lead the Fellowship through the wilderness, where, after all, he was the best guide. Besides all the "Radagast the Fool" things, he was still a Wizard and especially here could be of help, at least, let's say, to bring the Fellowship to Lórien from the Gladden Pass if he was informed to wait for them there or something like that. (Of course, it was probably very dangerous for the Fellowship to tarry in the places too near to Dol Guldur, but still, as it was said before, could be better than Moria).

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

So the delay in entering Moria, together with a fair bit of procrastination (about routes, to look at the Book of Mazarbul etc) during that journey point towards a reluctant Gandalf to me, towards a wizard who has an inkling of his fate.

If his return was 'reward' then this would also depend upon his not thinking that - or else would it be much of a reward for bravery?

So, let me get this straight: you suggest that Gandalf could have known (or, had some vague idea) what's going to happen to him? That he's gonna die? I don't know if this was discussed before, but it would maybe be enough for a stand-alone thread.