Sight range

[Glorelendil]

I'm sticking with my answer #5: possession of the Ring gave Bilbo physics-defying powers of sight, even if he wasn't wearing it.

[jamesrbrown]

I don't dare enter this geography conversation for my ignorance on the subject...but could the distance from the High Pass be measured to include elevation and terrain issues, rather than as the crow flies? In other words, did Tolkien envision the High Pass and Erebor closer than 300 miles from point to point, but when traversing the land, it stretched out to around 300 miles due to ups and downs and around the corners?

Like I said, please excuse my ignorance in advance. So try and be kind to me in response

[poosticks7]

Fly you fools! The Enemy (Maths) is upon you!

[Glorelendil]

Fly you fools! The Enemy (Maths) is upon you!

Damn. I thought I permanently buried that stuff under a mountain.

[Otaku-sempai]

I don't dare enter this geography conversation for my ignorance on the subject...but could the distance from the High Pass be measured to include elevation and terrain issues, rather than as the crow flies? In other words, did Tolkien envision the High Pass and Erebor closer than 300 miles from point to point, but when traversing the land, it stretched out to around 300 miles due to ups and downs and around the corners?

Like I said, please excuse my ignorance in advance. So try and be kind to me in response

The 300 mile figure is a straight measurement from point to point on the map(s). In actual ground travel the figure would be higher, especially as there is no road that goes in a straight line from the High Pass to Lonely Mountain.