The Route of the Ring

[Mithadan]

I think the High Pass was rejected for a few reasons. First, to have taken that Pass would have placed the Fellowship far to the north in Wilderland. We know very little about what the lands are like between the Misty Mountains and Anduin. These lands may have been difficult to traverse. This makes a southern passage more desirable. Second, it is the obvious route to pass into the eastern lands and, as a result, should have been avoided. Third, the Fellowship's great need was secrecy. Seeking out the help of the Beornings would created an additional group of people who knew that they had passed through even if their errand was not revealed.

The Gladden Pass may have been difficult and could lead into the swampy lands at Gladden Fields. Yet, the description of the scouting party's route is east through the Gladden Pass, south through Wilderland, back west through the Redhorn Pass and then north back to Rivendell. This circuitous route took only a bit over a month for the scouts. It can't have been that difficult a passage and would have placed the Fellowship far closer to Lorien than the High Pass would.

In a sense this returns us to the issue of did Gandalf believe Moria was the best route? Of course, our speculation of the condition of the Gladden Pass and the difficulties presented in moving south between the mountains and the river is... speculation. But it seems clear that Moria was not the only option, in the way that it was presented during the debate between Gandalf and Aragorn.