Exploring Northrend without a flying Mount is not impossible – it just requires some time and determination. Most areas in this continent are accessible by running/riding with the exception of a couple of areas in Sholazar Basin, most areas in Storm Peaks and the floating city of Dalaran. Here are some tips on how to explore these hard to get to areas before you can fly in Northrend.
[EDIT: Since the release of Cataclysm it is now possible to get Cold Weather Flying at level 68. Obviously, this makes a big difference to exploring Northrend however for toons who have not yet reached 68 it is still possible - see below.]
The two areas that present a challenge in the Basin are Stormwright’s Shelf and Maker’s Overlook. (While The Maker’s Perch is set inside the cliff face on the western side of the Basin, it can be discovered by edging along the cliff close to the structure.)
Stormwright’s Shelf is the high shelf or plateau on the western coast of Sholazar. While it cannot be reached without flight it can be discovered by swimming or running (with water walking elixir, path of frost, levitate etc) northward up from the coast of Borean Tundra. Edge as close to the cliff face as you can between the first and second inlets (the one above Nesingwary camp and Seabreach Flow above Bittertide lake) that cut across the plateau in Sholazar until you get credit. If you reach Icecrown, you have obviously gone too far.
Once you have the credit you might as well keep going to get the credit for Onslaught Harbor, Icecrown. You can then either hearth, swim back or enter Sholazar Basin from either the Sholazar inlets by jumping carefully down the waterfalls.
Maker’s Overlook is another structure built into to the sheer cliff on the eastern side of Sholazar Basin just north of where Wintergrasp borders with Icecrown. You can reach it by jumping down from Icecrown. Make your way to area just south of (and below) the The Fleshwerks in Icecrown until you come to a point where you can see the roof of the Maker’s Overlook below – then jump down on top (using whatever fall mitigation abilities you have). Druid feline grace and Barkskin worked well for my druid though my dwarf hunter fell like a stone – but either way I got the credit. If you survive the fall you can hearth out or levitate/slow fall down to the ground. Alternatively, for toons 77+ it is possible pick up the Reconnaissance Flight quest from at Vic at Lakeside Landing and then land the damaged plane on the Overlook (rather than at Rivers Heart as required by the quest).
For those level 77+
If you are level 77 but don’t yet have Cold Weather Flying – you can hire a flying mount from the “Honest” Max just outside K3 next to the (more…)
