Into Hithlum

[skip spence]

Yes, you are right, there seems to be a continuity-problem here. It is hard to believe that both Feanor's and Fingolfin's hosts spontaneously crawled through the underground tunnel.

[Findegil]

But Galin's quote does not apply to the Ered Lómin. It is a discription of the Ered Wethrin, the southern and western fence of Hithlum.

About the Ered Lómin quote to look at both from The Silmarillion.
First after the Dagor Aglareb:
"When nearly one hundred years had run since the Dagor Aglareb, Morgoth endeavoured to take Fingolfin at unawares (for he knew of the vigilance of Maedhros); and he sent forth an army into the white north, and they turned west and again south and came down the coasts to the Firth of Drengist, by the route that Fingolfin followed from the Grinding Ice. Thus they would enter into the realm of Hithlum from the west; but they were espied in time, and Fingon fell upon them among the hills at the head of the Firth, and most of the Orcs were driven into the sea. This was not reckoned among the great battles, for the Orcs were not in great number, and only a part of the people of Hithlum fought there."

Second from a few years after the Dagor Bargolach:
"Battle was joined upon the very plains of Hithlum, and Fingon was outnumbered; but timely help came from Círdan. His ships in great strength sailed into Drengist and there landed a force that came up in the hour of need upon the west flank of the enemy."

This shows clearly that the Ered Lómin was passable for troups. I think, both the Orcs and Círdans people used the pass or passes that Feanor and Fingolfin had used. And the first quote shows that these passed were at the head of the firth of Drengist.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Galin]

But does this not help raise the question of why Tuor used the Gate instead of the pass -- a pass of some kind that others appear to have used, or sought? Arguably one could use this pass, eventually climb into the ravine where it was less steep, and climb out again (now generally moving South) -- if dangerous, one would still be in the ravine as Tuor ended up in any case.

If the pass was well watched in Tuor's time, that could explain things, but at the moment I don't recall that being mentioned.