Alternate route

[Alchisiel]

I've been trying to figure this out myself but thought that it would make for a good question since I haven't seen it posted yet. If Gandalf hadn't fallen in Moria, what route do you think he intended for the Fellowship to take?

[Lord of Angmar]

I don't think even he had planned that far ahead, though I imagine that if he had the route he would have chosen would be very similar to the one that the members of the Fellowship ended up taking.

[galadriel'smaiden]

I personally think Gandalf would have gone the Frodo/Sam way, and scince he would have prevented the Boromir incident, dropped off Boromir, and maybe Aragorn and Legolas at Minas Tirith. The story would have been far less interesting...

[Alchisiel]

Could the Fellowship have taken a route around the Ash Mountains or maybe gone by sea through the mouth of the Anduin up the river Poros, climbed the southern portion of Ephel Duath and came to Mount Doom by the south? Is that not possible? If Gandalf and the rest of the Fellowship took the same route as Sam and Frodo did wouldn't they have been easily seen? That's why I always thought that had Gandalf been with them beyond Moria they would have taken a totally different route. Two little hobbits can't be seen as easily as a wizard, elf, dwarf and two men.

[Orcrist]

I always wonder about this too. Many things would have gone differently. Sam and Frodo would not have met up with Gollum. Gollum would not have betrayed them to Shelob. Frodo might have claimed the Ring. (Actually I doubt this because one of the Fellowship would have probably taken it and thrown it in the Fire.) And I agree with you Alchisiel. They probably wuld have been seen. There are many things that would not have happened, had Gandalf not fallen in Moria. Also, this would have made the story less interesting, and it probably would not be as popular and we probably would not be sitting here wasting our time talking about it.

[The Saucepan Man]

Actually I doubt this because one of the Fellowship would have probably taken it and thrown it in the Fire.

JRRT makes it clear in his Letters that no one could willingly have destroyed the Ring. Indeed, any other conclusion makes Frodo look rather a failure, don't you think?

[Orcrist]

I guess you are right Saucepan Man. The only way for the Ring to be destroyed was for someone to do it on accident(Gollum). But... did the Fellowship know that? Because they seemed pretty confident (Gandalf especially) that they would destroy the Ring, if they got to that point.