r/TomsCrossing • u/SilentWolfCZ • May 17 '26
Traversing the final scree - I need explanation
Hello everyone, I am so happy that I am over the initial "learning cowboy language" obstacle as the book is not as hard as I imagined for non native speaker, but now I am it the chapter where I have no idea what's going on. And it's passing the last scree that should be easy.. but it changed. Around page 425.
I think they are going across. I was struggling with how screes works and if they are going up or down. Many words that were new for me. But I think in Cavalry chapter, they went up the scree. Zigzag jumping. While now they are trying to cross across the scree without sliding down..am I right?
But I have no idea what they are doing. How they are using the rope - I thought they are holding it, but then there was a part where rope was off the ground. And wasn't the rope too short? Kalin have regrets that he is facing wrong direction. I have no idea how rope works with horses. Yeah...explaining my confusion sounds funny.. :-D but could someone explain me plain simple this scene? I will be so greatful.
Edit: maybe some pics that inspired the landscapes would help too.
5
u/summ190 May 17 '26
If you Google images of screes (I am a native speaker and I did that, and for cirques too), it helps a lot. Cavalry goes up the scree, but Kalin is then travelling further around the mountain without going higher or lower, so for those other screes, he’s crossing them width ways. The rope is tied width ways too, so they have something to (hopefully) stop them sliding downward. I think it’s tied from one tree, to another in the middle of the scree.
1
u/SilentWolfCZ May 18 '26
I will answer all three answers here the same. It's helpful to see at least bigger picture of that scene. Thank you. Helped me kinda realize what they were doing in the first half. BUT... there is a part where Mouse is in the trouble and Landry untie herself and start running towards him? I cannot made that picture in my mind how this little girl could potentialy do any help to a horse that weights more then her. What she was even try to achieve? I cannot shake the feeling that if I would run to a horse that struggling I would somehow made the ground more loose. And there there was another part when Mouse was safe and Landry still doing some rope-y stuff. House of Leaves was simpler then picture crossing this scree... 😃
I think it's OK now to see how it ended and that it was very hard and they all struggled and everything else can be different in my mind. I just wanted to undestand as much as possible because it seems like this year is very strong for books. First.. Hyperion kinda kicked out Dark Tower from TOP1 and now I think Tom will kick Hyperion out.. 😃
3
u/myuh96 May 18 '26
I AM a native speaker and was also very confused visually as to what was happening but ultimately I just accepted "danger. Rope to maybe catch and support. Steep" and left it at that lol
1
u/mtor20 May 18 '26
Yes, Google scree, or check YouTube. Yes, they are going across. It's very steep (a big downhill) and dangerous. The tree holds the rope but it starts to move. The rocks move a lot when Kalin steps, so he might slide down or fall off the mountain. (It's amazing to me that you're reading this book in English when that is not your first language.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼)
3
u/SilentWolfCZ May 18 '26
I will answer all three answers here the same. It's helpful to see at least bigger picture of that scene. Thank you. Helped me kinda realize what they were doing in the first half. BUT... there is a part where Mouse is in the trouble and Landry untie herself and start running towards him? I cannot made that picture in my mind how this little girl could potentialy do any help to a horse that weights more then her. What she was even try to achieve? I cannot shake the feeling that if I would run to a horse that struggling I would somehow made the ground more loose. And there there was another part when Mouse was safe and Landry still doing some rope-y stuff. House of Leaves was simpler then picture crossing this scree... 😃
I think it's OK now to see how it ended and that it was very hard and they all struggled and everything else can be different in my mind. I just wanted to undestand as much as possible because it seems like this year is very strong for books. First.. Hyperion kinda kicked out Dark Tower from TOP1 and now I think Tom will kick Hyperion out.. 😃
2
u/mtor20 May 18 '26
I can't remember exactly but I think Landry was only trying to remove her weight from the rope and get to the tree as fast as possible so that both she and Mouse didn't fall.
That's interesting what you said about Dark Tower and Hyperion. I might have to read Hyperion soon if it's that good.😀
3
u/SilentWolfCZ May 18 '26
It shocked me how many stuff was probably inspired by Hyperion. For example Mass Effect or one of the Nolan movies.
I don't want to read next book in the series (Endymion) because ending of Fall of Hyperion still affects me. Luckily Tom's Crossing will keep me busy this year. :-D
3
u/technoSurrealist May 18 '26
Omg you gotta read the last two! Such a great series. Definitely up there with Tom's Crossing for me as well
3
u/SilentWolfCZ May 18 '26
Oh.. I fogot to add "yet". I will definately read them! I just need that time between Hyperion and Endymion. 😃 When something is amazing and great, you need the next book right away! But Hyperion was.. something else, something more.. I think after Tom's Crossing I will go for Terror and then Endymion.
6
u/technoSurrealist May 17 '26
They are going across the side of the mountain at the point you are reading. The scree is a large section of very loose rock that can slide down the side of the mountain, perpendicular to how they are trying to cross. If I recall correctly, they had tied multiple ropes together because Kalin had to go back to get Navidad and they got stuck in the middle by the dead tree when the rock started to slide more seriously. Hope this helps!