Mountain campaign - need encounter ideas!

[Azalnubizar]

Mountains are in general very, very, very dangerous terrain in fantasy worlds.
My low level group doesn't dare to go near mountains right now and they certainly know why...

I think you should put in a few encounters, that makes it clear to them, that they are passing very, very dangerous territory.
What I like is putting them under heavy conditions: Read the entries for thunderstorms, heavy snow, clouds (=fog), sleet etc in the DMG and use them. Make them chance upon some really low level opponents (f.e. a few goblins) during a really hard thunderstorm - the goblins are prepared for the storm, they live here, the adventurers arent't...

Make them come upon a peaceful valley with many deers, cows or bisons in it, that can't get out because a stones are blocking the entrance to the valley. A huge dragon actually has his snack here and imprisoned them - they should be very, very carefull around here... (if there are copper dragons, why not red dragons as well?)

They might encounter Stone giants. They need to get past the Stone giants without getting noticed...

Frost giants are also common in mountains...

Sometimes you chance upon very small dragons as well - they might even have to fight a very young one (I don't know the levels of your party...but a very young white one...)

Put in some standard encounters as well - a few goblins here - an ogre there - maybe they even meet a giant eagle?

I would really put much thought to the weather, so. Hopefully they have a druid or ranger with them (knowledge nature can predict weather) because getting caught by a snowstorm while climbing a mountain can be more dangerous than a horde of ogres...

Azal

 

[Driddle]

They meet a gnome clan, good ol' folk who normally keep to themselves and don't cotton to outsiders. But little Betsy-Lou takes a shine to one of the high-falutin' city travelers (with their fancy "shoes" and purty white front teeth and whatnot), and Papa Smurf decides it's time for a wedding.

 

[rounser]

Herd of magical levitating sheep, and the archmage shepherd who enchanted them.

 

[WampusCat43]

Wheeee!

Two young, immature male manticores dive-bombing the party with rocks to impress a nearby female.

 

[Driddle]

Other ideas:
* They find a big rock. I mean this rock is really big.
* The party's wizard realizes he left his big-eared apprentice at home with a magic wand and vague instructions to bring up water from the well. Did he forget something important?
* A ram hits someone in the butt. Heh. Runs his head right into a character's butt. That's funny!
* Once they reach the top of the mountain, some important guy with bad hair questions them about the leadership choices they made on the trip and then concludes by kicking one of them off the team - "You're fired." - Fireballs may or may not be involved.
* Have I mentioned the really big rock yet?
* Ooopsy! They had the map turned upside down!
* The chateau reveals their reservations were given to another adventuring party. (One of the PCs forgot to confirm the itinerary.)
* A tribe of angry female half-orcs with sexual identity issues -- do they like men ... or women? Hilarity ensues.
* They all fall off a cliff.
* Vorpal bunnies. Can't go wrong with vorpal bunnies.
* Oh, by the way, I meant to say roc, not rock. R-O-C, without the 'k'. Sorry. That might make it more interesting when the roC eats the party or something. I mean, sheesh, what can a roCK do?! (other than roll down the hill, of course.) What a stupid idea.