Wednesday, 12 October 2941 T.A.: The base camp at Ravenhill

"Out of it too there came a steam and a dark smoke"
(Albert Bierstadt: Storm at the Matterhorn, 1886)

On this day, in 2941 T. A., Bilbo and the Dwarves finally reached the spurs of Erebor. Apparently they reached the outlying height called Ravenhill at about noon, for there was still enough daytime left to investigate the cliffs of Ravenhill, pass by the ruins of Dale and have a look at the main gate of the Lonely Mountain from which not only the River Running but also steam and smoke emanated.

Bilbo contemplated that "autumn was now crawling towards winter", another clear indication that the seasons in "The Hobbit" are not those that we are used to.