Weather Survival Guide
In Cairn, the weather is not atmospheric flavor — it is the primary antagonist. The mountain does not care about your objectives, your gear, or how close you are to the summit. A blizzard that hits when you are 10 minutes from shelter is a death sentence. Surviving Cairn means reading the weather before it arrives, carrying the right gear for the conditions, and knowing when to push forward versus when to dig in and wait.
Weather Types — What You Will Face
| Weather | Temperature | Duration | Danger | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Sky | -5 to 5 Celsius | 2-6 hours (variable) | Safe | Optimal travel and climbing window. Use clear weather to make progress toward shelter. Gather dry firewood while available. |
| Light Snow | -10 to -5 Celsius | 3-8 hours | Low | Still safe to travel but keep shelter within 30 minutes reach. Visibility reduced slightly — mark your trail. Wear insulated gloves. |
| Heavy Snow | -15 to -10 Celsius | 4-12 hours | Medium | Do not travel unless essential. Build or find shelter immediately. Snow accumulates on ledges — avalanche risk increases. Light a fire even during the day. |
| Blizzard | -30 to -20 Celsius | 6-24 hours | High | Hunker down. Zero visibility, extreme wind chill. Shelter must be fully enclosed. Keep fire burning continuously — if it goes out, frostbite begins within 15 minutes. Do not attempt to climb or traverse. |
| Whiteout | -25 to -15 Celsius | 2-6 hours | Very High | Stay completely still if caught outside. Whiteout disorients you within seconds — you will walk off a cliff without realizing. Tie yourself to an anchor point. Wait it out no matter how urgent your objective. |
| Avalanche Warning | -10 to 0 Celsius (warming trend) | Triggers after heavy snow plus temperature rise | Extreme | Avoid all slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Travel on ridge lines only. If caught, swim toward the surface and create an air pocket. Avalanche beacon is mandatory gear for any expedition. |
Gear Insulation Values — Dress for Survival
| Gear | Insulation | Temp Bonus | Weight | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Climbing Jacket | Low (1) | Plus 5 Celsius tolerance | Light (2 kg) | Early game, short expeditions |
| Insulated Parka | Medium (3) | Plus 15 Celsius tolerance | Medium (5 kg) | Mid-game, multi-day expeditions |
| Expedition Suit | High (5) | Plus 25 Celsius tolerance | Heavy (8 kg) | Late game, summit attempts, blizzard survival |
| Thermal Underlayer | Medium (2) | Plus 10 Celsius tolerance, stacks with outer layer | Light (1 kg) | Always wear under any jacket — stacks with outer gear |
| Heated Gloves | High (4 for hands only) | Prevents frostbite on hands specifically | Light (0.5 kg) | Essential — frostbite on hands means no climbing or crafting |
Emergency Shelter — When You Are Caught Out
If a blizzard catches you away from base camp, you have roughly 5 minutes to build emergency shelter before frostbite sets in. The priority order is exact — do not skip steps.
- Find a wind break. A rock face, large boulder, or ice formation that blocks wind from at least one direction. Wind chill is what kills you, not ambient temperature. Even a 1-meter rock cuts effective temperature by 10 degrees.
- Build a snow wall. Pack snow into blocks and stack them in a semicircle against your wind break. A snow wall 1 meter high and 2 meters wide takes about 2 minutes to build and blocks 80 percent of wind.
- Start a fire. Use your emergency fire starter (always carry one, never leave camp without it). Place the fire inside the snow wall semicircle. The snow reflects heat back toward you, roughly doubling the fire warmth.
- Insulate the ground. Sit on your backpack, rope coil, or spare clothing. Direct ground contact drains body heat faster than air exposure. A layer of pine branches or dry gear between you and the snow is essential.
- Stay awake. Falling asleep in extreme cold is fatal. Monitor your temperature gauge. If it drops below critical, do light exercise (arm swings, leg lifts) inside the shelter to generate body heat.
FAQ
Can I predict when a storm is coming?
Yes. Three indicators precede every major storm: (1) the sky darkens noticeably about 10 minutes before weather change, (2) wind sound increases and becomes audible through headphones, and (3) snow particles begin swirling even though the current weather is calm. If you see all three, you have roughly 5-8 minutes to reach shelter. The weather radio item extends this warning to 15 minutes — worth the inventory slot on any expedition longer than one in-game day.
How do avalanches work and can I trigger them accidentally?
Avalanches trigger when a loaded slope (heavy snow accumulation) experiences a temperature rise above freezing, causing the snow pack to destabilize. You cannot directly trigger an avalanche by walking, but you can be on the slope when one triggers naturally. The warning signs are: recent heavy snowfall followed by clear skies and warming temperatures, a audible "whumpf" sound (snow pack settling), and visible cracks propagating in the snow surface. If you observe any of these, descend from the slope immediately via the safest route — usually straight down the fall line.
Should I keep moving in bad weather or stay put?
The survival rule: if you can see your destination, keep moving. If you cannot, stay put. Blizzard and whiteout conditions reduce visibility to near zero — moving in these conditions will get you lost or killed. Heavy snow is the borderline case: you can move if you are following a marked trail (ropes, flags, cairns), but not if you are route-finding. The single biggest killer in Cairn is not cold — it is disorientation leading to a fatal fall. When in doubt, build shelter and wait.
Last updated: July 3, 2026. Weather mechanics based on community survival testing and mountain expedition documentation.