The Great Quest of Saint Valgamora

Known as it's shorter name "The Great Quest", is an annual tradition, holiday, and celebration in the Tsardom of the Vaegirs, that is centered around the coming of Hyson and the great melt the comes with it. In temporary camps of tents in the wilderness, near seasonal summer rivers, the Vaegirs who can gather to celebrate the bounty carried down from the mountains. The most successful prospectors often cause their camps to swell as more come to try and gain such success, and it is custom that the most successful will turn these camps into essentially 24 hour parties, funded by the riches pulled from the rivers.
Because of the seasonal nature of these rivers, they will eventually dissipate even by mid-Hyson, and will often appear somewhere different the next year, preventing the tradition from causing the creation of mining towns.

History

In the North, the warm winds finally arrive from the South in early Hyson, causing a significant amount of snow and ice to melt from the mountains that surrounding many of the towns and cities of the Vaegirs. The melting waters create temporary rivers through the countryside, and the waters can travel vast distances, even from some of the most dangerous areas of The Razor's Edge Mountains and the mountains surrounding Varnovapol. These rivers flow with many valuable minerals, as mineral deposits deep in the mountains are exposed by the sudden rushing rivers. This began a yearly tradition of folk gathering near these rivers to sift through the silt and dirt at the bottom of these crystal clear rivers for Gold, Silver, and sometimes even Sun-Steel. Folklore and legends began to spring up on which areas were the most richly endowed, and eventually temporary camps began to be set up every year to accommodate the prospectors. It is this quest for the best sifting grounds, and the forest/wilderness camps the would spring up that became known as "The Great Quest".
Many from without the Vaegirs wonder why they don't simply go into the mountains to mine at the source, but those people have never attempted to venture into the mountains of the North, or witnessed what a giant or Sabre-tooth tiger can do to a person.

Execution

Prospectors will spread out into the wilderness to prepare for the coming glacial rivers, sometimes as early as the 40th of Raimunt. when the rivers come, these prospectors get to work, sometimes with large teams (funded by last years bountry) or sometimes alone. Within days, it is usually clear which rivers provide the best bounty, and the prospectors will send loads of their winnings to the city for sale, after which word will spread of the best places to go. by the second week of Hyson, many will flock to these prospecting camps. The prospectors who fail at their own camp will often also flock to the most succesful ones, swelling their population. Some go to try their own luck, while others simply go to enjoy a vacation in the woods. The most successful prospectors will often have celebrations at these temporary camps, funded by some of their winnings. Whole mini-economies will spring up for only a few weeks, as prospectors look to by ale and food in exchange for the ore they discover, and many enterprising merchants will look to be the first to arrive at a camp just as it starts to become successful. 
The parties held at the prospecting camps can get quite rowdy, and many legendary duels or deeds have resulted, as these places are to many a place beyond the law and away from those who would normally judge them for outlandish activities. The camps are particularly popular to young adults, looking to get away and enjoy themselves without being watched over by their elders. To help curb this, priests of Saint Valgamora will often go to these camps as well, to bless the prospectors with good luck from the patron Saint of miners (with a secondary goal to keep an eye on the festivities to ensure they don't get too out of hand).

Components and tools

Those who consider themselves "yearly joy prospectors" will often have tents stowed at their home year-round, ready to be packed once Hyson comes. Some of the wealthier ones will even have porters, lavish tents, portable beds, and the like. 
Meanwhile, "serious prospectors" will prepare mining and sifting equipment. some banks even offer loans to those looking to seriously sift the rivers to fund their equipment, in exchange for a cut of anything they find. Particularly successful prospectors with a history of success sometimes even have large companies of hangers-on, who come with all the equipment and supplies needed to set up a small temporary town right away.

Participants

All are welcome to participate in the prospecting, whether they be serious prospectors or joy seekers. However, being able to purchase the equipment and food needed for the journey is something only to those with enough wealth to do so. As such, this tradition is normally only available to the wealthy. Many families will save up some money each year so one or two of their number can take part. 
In addition, most will travel in groups for safety, as even the more "tame" parts of the Vaegir wilderness can still be hazardous to those not familiar with it's dangers. This has even sprouted a number of "questing guides" who are paid top ensure the safety of prospectors of all kinds.

Observance

The rivers of the Great Quest normally form in the first week of Hyson, and reduce to a mere trickle by the Third week of Hyson.