Winterspring (aka Winterspring Valley or Winterspring Grove) is a valley located in northeastern Kalimdor, east of Felwood and Hyjal, and north of Azshara. It is a cold land perpetually covered in snow, and holds the goblin city of Everlook, old night elf holdings, and the traditional homeland of the blue dragonflight. Many wild creatures roam the beautiful landscape. However, the southern parts of the region have been completely taken over by demons.
Thousands of years ago, this valley upon the slopes of Mount Hyjal served as a place for the night elves to start anew in the wake of the Great Sundering. A realm of near-perpetual winter, the valley has long been involved in a struggle between malevolent blue dragons and the fearsome white frostsaber cats.[1]
During the events of Reign of Chaos the valley was in a rare period of springtime or summer with no snow to be seen anywhere.
Getting there
The Timbermaw Tunnel
Winterspring can be accessed through Timbermaw Hold. To reach Winterspring, head through the hold entrance in the northeastern tip of Felwood and continue straight after the bridge. In order to pass through the hold without the Timbermaw Furbolgs attacking you, you will need to have reached at least unfriendly reputation with the Timbermaw furbolgs. There are several quests in Felwood which can be completed to raise reputation with them.
Geography
Winterspring Valley is above Moonglade and is the last stop along the road that winds up to Hyjal Peak. The valley is separated from Moonglade, lower on the mountain slope, by a thick, white cloud bank. Winterspring is a cold realm consistently covered with snow and frost. Once above the clouds, the air is crisp and clean and the sun shines often when the snow is not falling. The trees of Winterspring were bent and twisted into odd positions during the climactic Battle of Mount Hyjal. Many of the World Tree's massive roots are also exposed here, towering overhead like massive oak archways. This otherwise cold and serene place shakes with periodic conflict between the forces of the sorcerer-dragon Cobaltann and the night elves who strive to drive them from the slopes of Mount Hyjal. Snow cats, bears, and other creatures of the wild are seen here on occasion, but only rarely due to the high altitude. It is a place of cold medium forest and rugged mountains.[1]
Both the Steamwheedle Cartel and the night elves have established bases in the region. Though there are no instanced dungeons or battlegrounds in Winterspring, there are several micro dungeons in the area.
This section concerns content exclusive to Cataclysm.Winterspring in Cataclysm
Winterspring will become a 50-55 zone.[2] Areas affected[3]:
Darkwhisper Gorge - now a part of the Mount Hyjal zone. Vi'el's cave has been removed. The bridge leading there has collapsed presumably to prevent low level players from entering the zone.
Goodgrub Smoking Pit - a new, small quest hub located northeast of Starfall Village; oddly enough, it appears all the Chimaeras of Winterspring have been relocated to the northeast of this camp
Winterspring is home to several characters of note. At the Frostfire Hot Springs, Donova Snowden attempts to find out more about the taint that has affected the local furbolgs. On Frostsaber Rock, Rivern Frostwind enlists aid in providing food and safety for his pets in exchange for the secret to tame them. And high above Mazthoril, the matron protector Haleh sends bold adventurers into the deepest lairs of the black dragonflight in search of draconic artifacts of power.
Darkwhisper Gorge occupies a rather large portion of the zone. It holds elite demons of an approximate five-man difficulty who guard a non-functional entrance to Hyjal. It is to be changed in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, as this subzone will belong to the Mount Hyjal zone that will be implemented in the expansion.