I would recommend farming wolfs so you can make more than one wolf cloak in the event you do die you can throw that on to keep the freezing debuff from happening no matter what gear you're wearing. It's easier to make than mead and doesn't take to long to farm enough wolf pelt, and wolf head trophies, and like Ittrix commented keep everything in case of death you'll always have backup gear to wear. I would also recommend finding one of the circular crypt like points of interest in the mountains, and putting a portal at the bottom. Pretty sure rock gollems, and drakes can't destroy anything that low in the ground. That's what I did to always have a quick way to get back.