Sorry to hear of more big-flat-rock woes, but oh dear that did give me a laugh 
If only a bit of extra-vehicular activity was possible and persistent
If only a bit of extra-vehicular activity was possible and persistent
Ariel circumnavigation
- Thread starter Jonas Treesong
- Start date
On site now, here's a few early shots.
I think you might be right about the potential crossing place tho (last shot is me flying towards it). I'm going to have a hot chocolate and then try that crossing for myself.
I think you might be right about the potential crossing place tho (last shot is me flying towards it). I'm going to have a hot chocolate and then try that crossing for myself.
Crikey, that thing looks evil! I take back everything I said about my moon - it's a billiard ball compared to Ariel
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Totally agree with Florenus - DO NOT ATTEMPT THAT OTHER ROUTE! It's hell on earth and pretty much impassable.
I'm currently in the middle of attempting the Florenus route and have lots of screenies with coordinates for you.
I've just finished crossing that bit. I won't lie - it's tough ... but doable. I'm now on to the crossing of the main canyon.
I'll be back with screenies, etc later.
I'm currently in the middle of attempting the Florenus route and have lots of screenies with coordinates for you.
I've just finished crossing that bit. I won't lie - it's tough ... but doable. I'm now on to the crossing of the main canyon.
I'll be back with screenies, etc later.
Jesus ... this is brutal!
@Florenus and @Alec
Awesome guys! Thanks very much for your help and the photos. To the sack it is then... I'll await Alec's coordinates for the precise approach. Off to have a bit to eat and them back to the steering wheel!!
Edit: I just noticed that Florenus has added coordinates to his pictures. Great stuff!!
Awesome guys! Thanks very much for your help and the photos. To the sack it is then... I'll await Alec's coordinates for the precise approach. Off to have a bit to eat and them back to the steering wheel!!
Edit: I just noticed that Florenus has added coordinates to his pictures. Great stuff!!
So yeah, that first route to the left of the massive circular crater ...
... not good, not good at all! Basically a sea of dark steep slopes, every single one of them leading down into an inescapable pit. After 20mins or so I had to resort to this (and I don't give up easy) ...
So, with the route to the right of the massive circular crater first you've got two smaller canyons to cross ..
Here are screenies with coordinates of the route I took ...
That left me here ...
Then it was on to the big ravine ...
Looks easy huh?
Managed a mighty bound down to the flat bit you see ahead of me ..
View left ..
View right ..
But at close of play today I ended horribly stuck on the very last stage of getting up the final slope on the opposite side of the big ravine.
It's tough!
P.S. watch the timestamps in the above screenies, imgur seems to have jumbled them all up. I'm might try to sort them out later.
... not good, not good at all! Basically a sea of dark steep slopes, every single one of them leading down into an inescapable pit. After 20mins or so I had to resort to this (and I don't give up easy) ...
So, with the route to the right of the massive circular crater first you've got two smaller canyons to cross ..
Here are screenies with coordinates of the route I took ...
That left me here ...
Looks easy huh?
Managed a mighty bound down to the flat bit you see ahead of me ..
View left ..
View right ..
But at close of play today I ended horribly stuck on the very last stage of getting up the final slope on the opposite side of the big ravine.
It's tough!
P.S. watch the timestamps in the above screenies, imgur seems to have jumbled them all up. I'm might try to sort them out later.
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I reckon go with Florenus' route across the big canyon then ('cos mine turned nasty at the far side) and follow my route across the two narrow canyons further down. The third narrower canyon in Florenus' screenshot I don't know about I'm afraid.
@Alec @Florenus
Ok, thanks again for all your scouting. Really appreciated!!! I think I'll go with Florenus' route. I'm still quite a bit away from that but there are also additional canyons to negotiate. Florenus' route is at 63° North, while I'm currently at 23°N, so still 400 kilometers to go.
Conclusion: TERRIFYING
Chance of success: LOW
I'm actually nervous now...
Ok, thanks again for all your scouting. Really appreciated!!! I think I'll go with Florenus' route. I'm still quite a bit away from that but there are also additional canyons to negotiate. Florenus' route is at 63° North, while I'm currently at 23°N, so still 400 kilometers to go.
Conclusion: TERRIFYING
Chance of success: LOW
I'm actually nervous now...
Hello Ariel!! What a difference a bit of light makes so you can actually see what is in front of you... These are just the preliminaries on my way to the real deal.
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Good luck, you have some rough terrain ahead but with patience and care there is a way through it.
Thanks, after scrutinizing your and Florenus' pics I'm sure I'm going to need it.
As Gimli would have added, "What are we waiting for?!"
Good luck, commander!
o7
That's a great shot!
I have done some more flying around and I have alternate route to propose:
The southernmost canyon can be pretty steep further down to the west, but around 48,77 / 178,28 it's not that bad:
next, you'll need to cross only one canyon, although first you'll need to climb a mountain:
this is the view from 55,03 / 177,83
on the ridge:
looking the opposite side:
and down in the canyon:
I have not tried to cross that canyon in SRV, I only did aerial recon.
It would require to go around little more, but maybe you'll find that useful one way or another.
Good luck whichever path you'll choose! Fingers crossed.
The southernmost canyon can be pretty steep further down to the west, but around 48,77 / 178,28 it's not that bad:
next, you'll need to cross only one canyon, although first you'll need to climb a mountain:
It would require to go around little more, but maybe you'll find that useful one way or another.
Good luck whichever path you'll choose! Fingers crossed.
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Well, I finally got up and out but jeez it was hard! The elation tho' when you finally find yourself back on flats and know you've actually done it ... totally worth it!
Here's me looking back the way I've come.
So I then had a quick go at Florenus' latest route (the 65.53, 156.48 one). The problem isn't getting down into the ravine or across the bottom, it's getting up the far side, which is steep - everywhere!
After a good 30 mins painstakingly slipping and sliding and slowly zig-zagging my way up this slope ..
.. you know what I found? My own tire tracks! [cry]
Florenus - re: post #127 and others, have you found a route out of the big canyon where you've actually driven up and out? From my experience this is the bit that's really difficult. We need to find a gentler slope for Jonas somewhere.
Oh, and Jonas - don't forget the little trick of recalling your ship, clambering onto its back and then hitting dismiss ship with you on its back to give you a boost up. That's got me out of a couple of tight spots this morning. It seems like, if there's a nearby place where the ship can land then it will go there, but if you're really stuck in a maze of deep pits (you know, the sort where you can end up pretty much trapped), then the ship tends to pretty much come right to you and if you can then just get above it and on to it that can be your ticket out of there.
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Thanks again! Very much appreciated. There's quite a bit of information. I'm still quite a long way away from it all... I have a limited driving window as light on Ariel appears to be scarce. Her daylight time seems to coincide with our evening/night, at least that was what I noticed yesterday. During the day I drove in the dark. Come evening, it was a bit brighter. A bit of light is enormously helpful.