Alaska Gold Rush Diary

Chapter 192 Departure, target: Hibernation Valley Treasure!

The following day, the group, carrying bulging luggage, embarked on their journey to Hibernation Valley.

They planned to drive to the nearest village to Hibernation Valley, rest there briefly, and then hike into the wilderness.

They drove two cars; Zhou Xin, Bell, and Sophia rode in one, and the other three rode in another.

Sophia gave up the more spacious front passenger seat and chose to sit in the back with Zhou Xin.

Her face beamed with excitement, showing no sign of nervousness or fear about the arduous journey.

"Your mindset is good, but a necessary level of tension can help you stay alert."

Seeing that her daughter seemed to be treating this as a vacation, Bell couldn't help but offer a word of advice.

"Okay, okay, I got it," Sophia made a face. "Besides, with such a powerful helper as Mr. Zhou, I believe we will definitely be able to get the treasure smoothly."

"Well," Zhou Xin coughed, "without everyone's cooperation, I'm afraid I'd only become food for wolves and brown bears on my own."

This little girl seems to be a bit too confident in herself.

"You must remember," Bell immediately reminded him, "that in the face of harsh natural environments, an individual's strength is always insignificant. If you place all your hopes on others, you are destined to never become a qualified hunter."

Sophia realized her mistake and lowered her head, saying softly, "Okay, I understand."

Zhou Xinmi was somewhat annoyed, but comforted her, "I believe that through this adventure, you will definitely grow a lot."

Sophia looked at him, her eyes gleaming, and nodded emphatically.

After the car got onto the main road, they removed the snow chains, which greatly increased their speed.

However, the journey was long, and they didn't arrive at the small village until after 4 p.m.

It was already dark, and above the sky, the dazzling aurora borealis shimmered and changed, a truly magnificent sight.

After communication and payment, a resident agreed to let them live in their house.

The residents here live almost entirely in isolation, especially during the long winter when they stay indoors almost all the time.

The homeowner looked surprised when he heard they were going to Hibernation Valley.

"Are you really going to Hibernation Valley?"

"Yes," Bell smiled, "could you offer us some advice?"

The owner waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "My opinion is that you shouldn't go; it's too dangerous there!"

"Do you know that place well?" Wyatt asked.

"The only thing we know about that place is that it's dangerous, extremely dangerous!" the owner said decisively.

"So, some of you have been there?" Wyatt continued to ask.

"No, nobody dares to go there. Wouldn't that be suicide?" The master paused, then continued, "But some people in the village have approached it. The closest they came was about ten kilometers away. They were attacked by a small pack of wolves and didn't dare to go any further."

"You didn't even get close, yet you judged it to be dangerous based on just that small pack of wolves?" Windsor's tone revealed disbelief in her master.

"Hmph!" The master scoffed. "According to those who returned, the howling of wolves never stopped, and the ground was covered in wolf droppings. They estimate that at least a hundred wolves live there!"

"Hundreds?" Everyone looked at him in disbelief.

"Not bad," the owner said, very satisfied with their reaction. "There are usually several wolf packs there, and I don't know why they can abandon their territorial instincts and coexist there. Although it's winter now, the number will definitely be much smaller, but it's still a super wolf den."

Super Wolf Den.

As everyone pondered this phrase, they all felt a chill run down their spines.

It seems that this journey may be more dangerous than they imagined.

Seeing that they remained silent, the homeowner continued to persuade them, "So, I advise you not to go; it's really scary."

However, everyone had already made up their minds, so there was no way they would back down now.

"Thank you for reminding me," Bell smiled. "May God be kind to us and prevent us from having a direct encounter with the wolves."

.

Seeing that no one was moved, the host shook his head and said nothing more.

Due to limited housing, they had to sleep on the floor in the same room that night.

However, the room had a heater and the wooden structure provided good insulation, making it quite comfortable. This might be the last comfortable night they would spend in the next ten days or so.

Nowadays, the days are short and the nights are long; it was still dark outside when we set off.

They left the village and resolutely stepped into the icy wilderness.

Bell took the lead, walking at the very front of the group.

Wyatt followed behind him, and behind them were two ladies.

Zhou Xin and another hunter walked at the very back, responsible for bringing up the rear.

With snow up to knee-deep on the ground, riding a snowmobile was actually the best way to get around.

However, snowmobiles are too noisy and would attract wolves more easily. Moreover, the terrain becomes rugged in the mountains, making snowmobiles unusable, so they had to give up.

Wearing snowshoes, the walking speed is not too fast, but fortunately it is quiet enough.

The deeper you venture into the wilderness, the more dangers you'll encounter; you must remain vigilant at all times.

After two days together, Logan had become the leader of the six hunting dogs, who ran and patrolled around the group under his leadership.

Hunting dogs have a more sensitive nose than wolves, making it easier to detect danger in advance.

The group walked through the vast snowfield, constantly keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Zhou Xin walked at the back of the group, needing to be careful about what was happening behind him.

Fortunately, it is currently located in an area with frequent human activity, and so far no trace of wild animals has been found, and even birds are very rare.

Led by Bell, they headed toward the valley they had planned to visit.

There is a river in the valley. Walking along the edge of the river, the view becomes more open and the path becomes smoother.

As noon approached, the sun finally peeked out briefly, and they rested and ate lunch on the spot.

Windsor quickly lit a fire and boiled a pot of water with snow.

With Sofia's help, they made a cup of instant coffee for each of them.

Zhou Xin put his backpack on the ground and sat down as a cushion, taking a sip of the steaming, fragrant coffee.

A warm current, carrying the sweet aroma of coffee, flowed down my throat and into my stomach, dispelling the cold and fatigue of the journey.

They rested for an hour, ate some dry rations, and then continued their journey.

According to the map, the valley was about two or three kilometers away from them, and they planned to go there to set up camp and rest.

Everything had gone smoothly until they thought they could safely reach the valley, when a cliff suddenly appeared in front of them.

The cliff is about 70 degrees and about ten meters high, looking like a sloping wall.

At that angle, it would be impossible to climb up while wearing snowshoes.

Moreover, the cliff face is rugged and smooth with the added snow, making it extremely difficult to climb.

"It seems we have no choice but to take a detour." Windsor looked at the steep rock face and decided there was no need to attempt to climb it.

However, the cliffs extend a long way along the riverbank, and to go around them, it might take several kilometers or even more than ten kilometers.

Normally, this distance wouldn't be much, but in the snow-covered winter, walking an extra ten kilometers or so would take a lot more time and effort.

"Let's try climbing it first, I'll do it!" Zhou Xin looked at the sloping rock wall and decided to try to climb over it.