Bearly Hanging On

Quest Giver: Brijana — East of Brunnhildar Village, Storm Peaks [53, 66]

Objective: Mount Icefang and burn 7 Frostworgs and 15 Frost Giants in the Valley of Ancient Winters.

Quick Facts

• Location: Valley of Ancient Winters (bear runs an automatic loop east of Brunnhildar)
• Chain Position: Quest 13 of 16 in the Sons of Hodir prerequisite chain
• Pairs With: Accept Cold Hearted after turning in

Walkthrough

Mounting Up

• Accept the quest from Brijana and mount Icefang, the bear next to her. Icefang is a vehicle; she runs a set loop through the Valley of Ancient Winters and back automatically. You have no control over her direction, only a speed boost ability (Burst of Speed) to move faster if needed.

Burning Targets

• You get a ground-targeted AoE fire ability. Aim it at the ground near Frostworgs and Frost Giants as Icefang rides past. Think of it like lobbing grenades from a moving platform.
• You do not need to kill the mobs. Setting them on fire (applying the Ablaze! debuff) is enough for quest credit. The fire causes a fear effect, and the objective counts when they are burned, not when they die.
• Lead your targets slightly since Icefang is constantly moving. Aim where the mob will be, not where it is now.

Multiple Passes

• Most can finish all 22 targets (7 worgs + 15 giants) in a single pass. This is normal.
• When Icefang returns to the start, simply dismount and remount to ride again. Do not abandon the quest to restart, as this can cause issues.

Aggro Warning

• Avoid shooting targets near the dismount point at the end of the loop. Mobs you’ve hit may chase Icefang back to Brijana, and once you dismount, they will attack you directly. The Frost Giants are elite with around 30k HP.
• If this happens, use any escape ability you have (Shadowmeld, Feign Death, etc.) or just run back toward the village.
• Similarly, do not dismount Icefang mid-ride and try to fly back. This may cause Brijana to become hostile and require a relog to fix.

Efficiency Tips

• Focus on Frost Giants early, since there are 15 to burn and they’re the bottleneck. Frostworgs only need 7.
• Use Burst of Speed if you’re taking hits from mobs and want to get past a dangerous area quickly.
• Brijana can be killed by wandering giants. If she’s dead when you arrive, wait for her respawn (a few minutes) or do a nearby quest while you wait.

Lore Context

This is your proving ground for earning a Hyldnir warbear. Brijana is testing whether you have “the heart of a warrior queen” by sending you into the Hyldnir’s ongoing feud with the Sons of Hodir frost giants. The Valley of Ancient Winters is where the two sides clash regularly.

The frost giants here are identified as Niffelem, a name that references Dun Niffelem, the stronghold of the Sons of Hodir. These are Thorim’s former allies. By attacking them to earn the Hyldnir’s trust, you’re fighting the very faction you’ll eventually be working alongside later in the chain.

WotLK Classic vs. Original WotLK

• This quest was originally named “Going Bearback” (a double entendre on “bareback,” the term for riding without a saddle). It was renamed to “Bearly Hanging On” in Patch 9.1.5 (November 2021) as part of Blizzard’s broader content review. WotLK Classic launched with the updated name.

Explore the Storm Peaks’ hidden easter eggs, lore mysteries, and connections across Warcraft history in Vikstone’s Storm Peaks Chronicles, along with the complete quest storyline.