Field Manual
Cairn Guides Hub
Cairn is less about raw execution and more about steady decision quality. The strongest runs come from planning the next anchor, saving stamina for awkward moves, and knowing which risk can be recovered from. Every guide on this site is listed below: one page per system, with the numbers and mechanics the game actually gives you.
If you are new, start with the beginner guide, then read survival and stamina. If you already move well, go straight to gear, pitons and weather so you stop losing attempts to preventable exposure damage.
Beginner Guide
Your first hours on Mount Kami: the five-day rhythm, first-run priorities, and the reading order that follows.
Items & Crafting
Every item by category, plus the camp stove, Climbot piton repairs, chalk from composted trash, and food buffs.
Gear Guide
The four D-pad quick slots, real carry limits, backpack space, upgrades, and light vs balanced vs storm kits.
Pitons & Protection
Placement timing, off-belay rest stations, scrap economy, retrieval, and the three Troglodyte piton locations.
Stamina & Recovery
How the no-bar stamina system works: body-language warnings, shake-out flashes, and recovery method tradeoffs.
Resources & Supplies
Pitons, chalk, tape, food, water and medicine: where each comes from, packing order, and retreat signals.
Survival Systems
The four survival meters, the six bivouac stations, a phase-by-phase checklist, and when to stop pushing.
Climbing Tips
Rock types, hold quality, manual limb control, chalk timing, and the movement habits that keep you on the wall.
Climbing Routes
Route shapes, evaluation checklist, and mid-route adjustments when the wall or the weather stops matching your plan.
Weather & Storm Survival
Barometer reading, how each condition changes grip and anchors, warmth sources, sheltering, and retreat rules.
On the Trail DLC
The first DLC, On the Trail: Deep Water. Release status, three new locations, playable Marco, and Free Roam.
FAQ
Quick answers on difficulty, stamina, falls, piton supply, bivouacs, water, recipes, and Expedition Mode.
Recommended Reading Order
- Learn how stamina recovery, grip strength, and retreat options interact in the first thirty minutes. Start with the beginner guide.
- Understand what drains you: the four meters on the survival page and the no-bar system on the stamina page.
- Pick one forgiving line from climbing routes and build a pack for it using the gear guide and the resources guide.
- Close the loop with pitons, items & crafting, and weather, the three systems that decide whether a long day ends at a tent or at the bottom of a wall.