Biome Walkthrough
PEAK's mountain is divided into biomes stacked from sea level to the volcanic summit. The base game launched with five core zones, and two additional biomes (Roots and Mesa) were added in post-launch updates. Each biome introduces new hazards, new terrain types, and a significant difficulty increase over the last. The daily map seed rotates biomes in and out of the lineup, so the exact combination changes every 24 hours.
This walkthrough covers what to expect in each zone, how to handle its hazards, and what to prioritize before moving on.
The daily map rotation changes wall layouts, item placements, and rest spot locations. Specific route directions ("climb the left wall, jump to the third ledge") are not possible because the geometry shifts every 24 hours. This guide focuses on the hazard patterns and survival strategies that stay constant across all rotations.
Shore
The Shore is the starting zone. You wash up on a beach surrounded by plane wreckage and scattered luggage. The terrain is gentle, the hazards are minimal, and the zone exists to teach you the basics.
Terrain: Sandy beaches, low rocky outcrops, shallow cliffs, and scattered vegetation. Most surfaces are climbable. The climbing angles are forgiving and rest spots are everywhere.
Hazards:
- Sea urchins. Small spiky clusters near the waterline. Stepping on them causes poison. Watch the ground near the shore.
- Jellyfish. Float in shallow water. Contact causes a brief stun and poison. Do not swim through them.
- Mild falls. The cliffs in the Shore are short enough that most falls are survivable, but they still hurt. Use them to practice recovery.
What to do here:
- Loot everything. Open luggage for food, tools, and gear. Check the plane wreckage for packaged snacks and rope spools.
- Read the in-game guidebook from the pause menu. It contains information specific to the current daily map.
- Practice climbing on the short cliffs. Get comfortable with grab, release, jump, and rest. Learn what a green-tinted rest ledge looks like.
- Cook any food you find at the starting campfire near the crash site. One cook per item.
- Fill your inventory before heading upward. Prioritize coconuts (two uses each) and a rope spool.
Coconuts are the best food in the Shore. Each one provides two hunger reductions when cracked open. Grab every coconut you see and cook them before climbing.
Campfire location: The Shore campfire sits near the plane wreckage at the start. A second campfire marks the transition to the Tropics at the top of the Shore's highest cliff.
Tropics
The Tropics are a dense, humid jungle biome. The terrain gets steeper, the climbing gets longer, and rain introduces the first real mechanical challenge: slippery surfaces.
Terrain: Thick vegetation, vine-covered walls, tall trees, overhanging roots, and narrow ledges. Some surfaces are covered in moss that looks climbable but offers reduced grip.
Hazards:
- Rain. Periodic rainstorms make all surfaces slippery. Your grip is weaker, you slide more easily, and jumps can undershoot. Rain is temporary. If it starts while you are mid-climb, find a ledge and wait it out.
- Poisonous plants. Certain bushes and vines cause poison on contact. They are visually distinct (bright, unnatural colors compared to safe vegetation). Avoid touching them.
- Spiked roots. Roots that jut out from walls and the ground. Walking or climbing into them deals damage. They are static, so learn their positions on each run.
- Vine traps. Some vines retract when grabbed, pulling you into hazards or off the wall. Test unfamiliar vines with a short grab before committing.
Strategy:
The Tropics are about patience. Rain is the biggest threat because it affects every surface at once. When rain starts, stop climbing and hold your position or retreat to a flat spot. Trying to push through rain burns stamina faster, reduces jump distance, and makes falls more likely.
Between rainstorms, climb aggressively. The windows of dry weather are your opportunity to make progress. Place pitons on long sections so you have recovery points if rain catches you mid-climb.
Rain in the Tropics lasts 30 to 60 seconds per storm. The interval between storms varies by daily map. On some rotations, storms come every two minutes. On others, you get long dry windows. Read the weather before committing to a big climb.
Campfire location: The Tropics campfire sits at the highest point of the jungle canopy, usually near a large tree or rock formation. Look for the smoke plume.
Alpine
The Alpine is where PEAK stops being gentle. Cold temperatures drain stamina passively, ice reduces grip to near-zero, and wind gusts push you off walls. Preparation before entering this biome is critical.
Terrain: Snow-covered slopes, icy rock faces, frozen ledges, and exposed ridgelines. Portalable (climbable) surfaces are less common than in lower biomes. Long stretches of smooth ice that you cannot grip force you to find alternate routes.
Hazards:
- Cold/Frostbite. The ambient temperature in the Alpine applies the Frostbite status effect. Frostbite does not increase your active stamina drain rate. Instead, it slowly shrinks your maximum stamina capacity over time, suffocating your reserves until you pass out. A Lantern, Portable Stove, or Heat Pack counteracts Frostbite. Campfires and other heat sources temporarily remove it.
- Ice. Icy surfaces have drastically reduced grip. You slide off them within seconds of grabbing on. Look for rock surfaces peeking through the ice. Those are your handholds.
- Wind. Gusts blow horizontally across exposed sections. If you are hanging on a wall when a gust hits, it pushes you sideways and can rip your grip loose. Wind is visible as snow particles blowing across the screen. When you see it, press into the wall and hold tightly until it passes.
- Blizzards. Periodic whiteout conditions that combine cold, wind, and reduced visibility. Find shelter (overhangs, caves, or behind large rocks) and wait for the blizzard to pass. Climbing blind through a blizzard is almost always fatal.
Strategy:
Bring a Lantern. The Frostbite status effect is constant and brutal. Without a Lantern, your maximum stamina bar shrinks continuously until even short climbs become impossible. With a Lantern, your stamina capacity stabilizes.
Move between heat sources. Campfires, Lanterns, Portable Stoves, and sheltered areas all reduce or remove Frostbite. Plan your route to pass through warm spots at regular intervals. The priority is not resting more often. The priority is deploying thermal items to restore lost stamina capacity.
Ice walls are not always dead ends. Sometimes an icy section has a narrow strip of exposed rock running through it. Scan the wall carefully before giving up on a path. Binoculars help here.
Blizzards in the Alpine can last over a minute. If you are on an exposed wall with no shelter nearby when a blizzard starts, you will likely run out of stamina and fall. Always note the nearest overhang or cave before climbing into the open.
Campfire location: The Alpine campfire is usually in a sheltered cave or under a large rock overhang near the snowline transition to the Caldera.
Caldera
The Caldera is the volcanic zone. The mountain opens up into a crater environment with lava flows, superheated rock, and fire hazards. Cold is no longer a problem. Heat is.
Terrain: Dark volcanic rock, obsidian formations, lava flows, and steam vents. The climbing surfaces are rough and provide good grip, but many surfaces are dangerously hot. Climbable paths weave between lava flows and through narrow rock corridors.
Hazards:
- Lava. Instant death on contact. Lava flows are visible and static (they do not move in the Caldera, unlike The Kiln). Do not fall into them.
- Hot surfaces. Some rock faces glow orange or red. Climbing them causes burn damage. You can hang briefly to reposition, but prolonged contact kills you. Look for darker, cooler surfaces.
- Steam vents. Jets of steam erupt from the ground at intervals. Getting hit by steam deals damage and can knock you off a wall. Watch for the hissing sound and visual particles before a vent erupts.
- Thermal updrafts. Rising hot air above lava flows pushes you upward when you jump through them. These are sometimes useful for reaching high ledges, but they are unpredictable and can push you into hot surfaces.
Strategy:
Route planning is everything in the Caldera. The terrain offers good grip on safe surfaces, but the safe paths are narrow and wind between lethal hazards. Scan with binoculars before climbing. Identify the dark (cool) rock surfaces and plan a route that connects them.
Bandages and Cure-Alls are important here. Burn damage stacks if you touch multiple hot surfaces in quick succession. Carry healing items and use them between sections.
The Caldera campfire usually sits on a large, flat, dark rock platform away from lava. It is your last safe stop before The Kiln.
Thermal updrafts are free vertical distance if you time them right. Stand near a vent, wait for the eruption, and jump through the rising air. You launch upward without spending stamina. The risk is landing on a hot surface above, so scout the landing zone first.
Campfire location: Look for the dark platform surrounded by lava flows. The campfire sits on the largest safe flat area in the Caldera.
The Kiln
The Kiln is the final biome. You are inside the volcano now. The walls are tight, the climbs are long, and the lava is rising behind you. This zone is a race.
Terrain: Narrow volcanic shafts, claustrophobic tunnels, and vertical chimneys. Rest spots are rare. The surfaces are rough but the geometry is punishing. Long, uninterrupted vertical sections demand full stamina bars and efficient climbing.
Hazards:
- Rising lava. The lava level rises continuously from below. If you stop climbing for too long, it catches you. There is no standing still in The Kiln.
- Narrow passages. Tight spaces force you through specific routes. Getting stuck or choosing a dead-end path wastes time you do not have.
- No rest spots. The Kiln has almost no flat surfaces for recovery. Pitons are your only option for mid-climb resting, and you need to place them quickly.
- Heat. The ambient temperature causes a mild burn effect. Not as severe as Caldera hot surfaces, but it chips at your health over time.
Strategy:
Speed is the only strategy. Eat before entering The Kiln. Make sure your hunger is as low as possible so your stamina bar is at maximum. Carry pitons and food. Nothing else matters.
Climb without stopping. The lava rises at a constant rate. If you pause to look around, eat, or fiddle with your inventory, it gains on you. Place pitons only when you are about to run out of stamina, and even then, rest for the shortest time possible before continuing.
In co-op, the fastest climber should scout ahead and call out the route over proximity chat. Slower climbers should follow the same path exactly. Splitting up in The Kiln means someone gets left behind the lava line.
The rising lava in The Kiln is the most common cause of failed summit runs. Once it reaches you, you are dead. There is no recovery, no revive, and no waiting it out. Climb faster than it rises or restart.
Campfire location: A post-launch patch moved the final campfire from the Caldera directly into the entrance of The Kiln. This campfire is your last checkpoint, but it is separated from the Ancient Statue (Altar) and loot chests. You cannot cook, organize your inventory, and revive teammates all in one safe spot. Consolidate your supplies, pre-cook all food, and apply thermal buffs before passing through the Caldera exit.
The Kiln campfire separation is intentional but punishing. The fire pit, the Altar, and the loot chests are in different locations within the Kiln entrance. Plan your team's actions before triggering the lava sequence. Once the lava starts rising, there is no time to backtrack.
Mesa
The Mesa is an additional biome added in a post-launch content update. It rotates into the daily map pool alongside the original five biomes, sometimes replacing a mid-tier zone.
Terrain: Arid desert terrain with sandstone formations, cliff arches, cacti, and open plateaus. The terrain is wide and horizontal compared to the vertical focus of other biomes. Long traversals across flat ground are common between climbing sections.
Hazards:
- Sunburn. Prolonged sun exposure drains health gradually. Find shade under rock overhangs, arches, or large formations. Carrying a parasol item blocks sun damage.
- Sandstorms. Similar to Alpine blizzards but with reduced visibility and sand particles that make surfaces slightly slippery. Take shelter and wait them out.
- Antlion dens. Sandy depressions on the ground that collapse when you walk over them. Falling in deals damage and traps you briefly. Walk around the edges of sandy pits.
- Cacti. Contact causes a prick that deals minor damage. They grow on walls and ledges. Climb around them.
- Extreme heat. Daytime temperatures cause mild stamina drain in open areas. Similar to Alpine cold but caused by heat. Shade blocks the effect.
Strategy:
The Mesa is about managing sun exposure. Stay in shade whenever possible. Cross open sunny areas quickly. Carry healing items for sunburn damage.
The horizontal terrain means you cover more ground on foot than on walls. Sprinting uses stamina, so manage your bar carefully even on flat ground. Save climbing stamina for the vertical sections between plateaus.
Not every daily rotation includes the Mesa. It appears alongside the original biomes, so you may not encounter it on every run. When it does appear, it typically replaces the Alpine biome.
Roots
The Roots biome was added in the Version 1.40 update (November 2025). It is a towering, Pacific Northwest-inspired redwood fungal forest that rotates into the daily map pool, typically replacing the Tropics.
Terrain: Massive redwood trunks, fungal shelves, hanging vines, and dense canopy cover. The climbing is vertical and organic, with shelf fungus serving as natural rest spots. The environment is dark and enclosed compared to the open Tropics.
Hazards:
- Spore buildup. Fungal clouds release spores that accumulate as a status effect. High Spore toxicity causes hallucinations and eventual death. Move through fungal areas quickly and use Cure-Alls to reset Spore buildup.
- Canopy spiders. Hanging predators in the upper canopy. They drop on players climbing below. Watch for web clusters and listen for movement sounds above.
- Giant beetles. Large insects that patrol vine pathways. Contact deals damage. They follow fixed patrol routes, so watch their patterns and time your climbs.
- Infectious zombies. The most dangerous Roots hazard. Zombified scouts roam certain areas. Contact spreads infection rapidly, which can wipe an uncoordinated team in seconds. Avoid them entirely or throw objects to distract.
Strategy:
Spore management is the priority. Do not linger in fungal areas. Climb through them at speed and cleanse with Cure-Alls on the other side. The Roots biome rewards aggressive movement more than careful planning.
The shelf fungus on redwood trunks works as natural pitons. You can stand on them to recover stamina without spending inventory items. Learn to spot them against the bark.
Zombies were initially overtuned and received a nerf in Patch 1.42.a. They are still lethal to uncoordinated groups but manageable with awareness. Call out zombie positions over proximity chat and route around them.
The Roots biome is harder than the Tropics it replaces. If you are new to the game and a Roots rotation comes up, consider running on Tenderfoot difficulty for your first attempt. The zombie encounters and Spore toxicity punish players who do not know what to expect.
Biome Difficulty Summary
| Biome | Difficulty | Primary Challenge | Recommended Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shore | Easy | Learning controls | Food, Rope |
| Tropics | Moderate | Rain/slippery surfaces | Pitons, Cure-All, Food |
| Roots | Hard | Spore toxicity/zombies | Cure-All, Food, Speed |
| Alpine | Hard | Frostbite/stamina capacity loss | Lantern, Pitons, Heat Pack, Food |
| Mesa | Moderate-Hard | Sun/sandstorms | Parasol, Aloe Vera, Food |
| Caldera | Hard | Lava/heat damage | Bandage, Cure-All, Food |
| The Kiln | Very Hard | Rising lava/speed pressure | Pitons, Food, Food |