WoW Summer Challenge: Blackrock Mountain

Every week this summer, we’re challenging you to get together with a few friends to explore a part of Azeroth that you may not have seen in a while, or perform a feat that you may have never done. They're World of Warcraft Summer Challenges, and we’re going to be playing along with you as we hunt down rare achievements, get screenshots of amazing bosses, and try to find some rare gear for our transmogrification sets.

This week’s challenge is: Blackrock Mountain.

The Dark Iron dwarves have claimed the depths under the banner of their emperor, Dagran Thaurissan. Thaurissan is the latest in a line of dwarven sorcerer-thanes to serve in the shadow of the demigod Ragnaros, foolishly summoned to Azeroth by Thaurissan's ancestors hundreds of years ago. Though the dwarves dominate Blackrock Depths, they worship and labor for Ragnaros's mighty fire elementals, who guide the already ill-tempered and maligned Dark Irons towards increasingly dangerous and apocalyptic acts.

Blackrock Mountain, located between Searing Gorge and Burning Steppes in the heart of Eastern Kingdoms, is positively teeming with dungeons to explore. This week, we're getting together with friends who have never experienced things like controlling Razorgore or building their very own Thunderfury, and heading to Thorium Point (or Flame Crest). We're going to clear the mountain in two parts: Blackrock Depths + Molten Core, then Blackrock Spire + Blackwing Lair.

Recommended guides:

• WoW Vault's Blackrock Depths Strategy Guide
• Wowpedia's Lower Blackrock Spire Walkthrough
• Gamespy's Guide to Upper Blackrock Spire
• Ye Olde Raid Guide: Molten Core, by Rapid Fire
• Ye Olde Raid Guide: Blackwing Lair, by Rapid Fire

Noteable Achievements:

• Molten Core -- Defeat Ragnaros
• Blackwing Lair -- Defeat Nefarian
• Leeeeeeeeeeeeeroy! -- Kill 50 rookery whelps within 15 seconds. (Grants the title "_____ Jenkins".)
• Hydraxian Waterlords -- Earn exalted status with the Hydraxian Waterlords
• Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros -- Wield this legendary mace
• Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker -- Wield this legendary sword

Desirable gear

• Tier 1 Raid Sets
• Tier 2 Raid Sets
• Ashkandi, Greatsword of the Brotherhood
• The Gladiator mail 5-piece set
• Circle of Flame
• Blackblade of Shahram
• Finkle's Skinner
• Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge and Dal'Rend's Tribal Guardian
• Ironfoe
• Blackhand Doomsaw
• Draconian Deflector
• Flame Wrath

In the dark recesses of the mountain's peak, Nefarian, the eldest son of Deathwing, conducts some of his most awful experimentation, controlling mighty beings like puppets and combining the eggs of different dragonflights with horrific results. Should he prove successful, even darker pursuits rest on the horizon.

Please join us in this discussion thread, where we’re talking about this week’s challenge, and looking forward to your stories about how it went for you this week, your screenshots, and your suggestions for other fun reasons to take on this challenge.