The Ring and Its GPS Tracker

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Eruhen

Re: Gollum, I seem to remember someone (Gandalf, maybe, in The Shadow of the Past?) saying that it had been a long time since Gollum wore the Ring. In the dark under the Mountains, it wasn't needed. I may very well be wrong, though.

Gandalf did indeed say that to Frodo.

In The Hobbit though, it says:

And still, sometimes [Gollum] put [the Ring] on, when he could not bear to be parted from it any longer, or when he was very, very, hungry, and tired of fish. Then he would creep along dark passages looking for stray goblins. He might even venture into places where the torches were lit....for he would be safe....Only a few hours ago he had worn it, and caught a small goblin-imp.

Riddles In the Dark

Perhaps Gandalf was only guessing about Gollum's use of the Ring. After all it doesn't seem on the face of it that he would have worn it in the caves.

x/d with G55