ARC Raiders Ascending the Mountain Guide: All Stages, Items & Rewards

Ascending the Mountain is now live in ARC Raiders, and completing it requires 130 materials across four stages. If you are not sure what to keep, where to find the rare items, or what each stage rewards, this guide covers the full Project from start to finish.

The Project started on September 8, 2026 with Update 1.45.0 and directly sets up the story for the Frozen Trail update arriving in October.

ARC Raiders Ascending the Mountain Project Overview

Ascending the Mountain is a temporary Raider Project with four stages. Each stage asks you to submit four different items, giving you 16 separate submission objectives and 130 total items to collect.

The story follows the mysterious ARC signals coming from the mountains north of the current Tube network. Apollo is working on an experimental form of transportation that could take Raiders where the Tubes cannot reach, but he needs materials and technical help to make it work.


Projects unlock once your Raider reaches level 20. You can contribute to several Projects at the same time, so check your stash before heading Topside specifically to farm Ascending the Mountain materials.

All Ascending the Mountain Stages and Requirements

The full Ascending the Mountain Project needs everything from common crafting materials to rare ARC drops. Several later requirements are much harder to replace than Stage 1 materials, so start saving them before you actually reach their stage.

Here is the complete item list.

Ascending the Mountain Stage 1 Requirements

Stage 1 is called Research High-Altitude Mechanics. You need:

• 10 Mechanical Components
• 6 Pop Triggers
• 10 Explosive Compound
• 2 Headphones

This is the easiest stage for most established Raiders. Mechanical Components can be crafted at the Refiner, while Pop Triggers come from Pop ARC and Headphones can be found while looting residential areas.

Check your stash before starting a dedicated farming run. These are common enough that you may already have most of Stage 1 ready to submit.

Ascending the Mountain Stage 2 Requirements

Stage 2 is called Begin Ignition Tests. You need:

• 20 Wires
• 8 Voltage Converters
• 2 Sentinel Firing Cores
• 1 Rocket Thruster

The Rocket Thruster is the item most likely to slow players down here. Rocket Thrusters are rare Exodus loot found around Rocket Assembly areas on Stella Montis and Spaceport.


Search the rocket structures and nearby Exodus containers. If you find a Rocket Thruster before reaching Stage 2, keep it instead of recycling it.

You also need two Sentinel Firing Cores, which come from Sentinel ARC. These are worth saving whenever you have spare copies because they are also used for other progression upgrades.

Ascending the Mountain Stage 3 Requirements

Stage 3 is called Implement Landing Capabilities. You need:

• 2 Ruined Parachutes
• 10 Crash Mats
• 5 Shredder Gyros
• 3 Breathtaking Snow Globes

The biggest problem here is usually the Breathtaking Snow Globe. You need three, and they are Epic trinkets rather than normal crafting materials.


Snow Globes can appear in Residential, Old World, and Commercial loot. Bird City is especially useful because Bird Nests can contain Breathtaking Snow Globes, giving you another source alongside normal Buried City residential looting.

Grandioso Apartments and other residential areas in Buried City remain good places to search. If you find a Snow Globe before Stage 3, put it straight into your stash instead of selling it for Coins.

Shredder Gyros are easier because they come from Shredders. You only need five, so collecting them during normal Stella Montis raids can remove another dedicated farming step later.

Ascending the Mountain Stage 4 Requirements

The final stage is called Final Tweaks. You need:

• 30 Sensors
• 3 Broken Guidance Systems
• 15 Advanced Electrical Components
• 3 Vaporizer Regulators

Stage 4 accounts for 51 of the 130 total items required for the entire Project. This is the stage you should prepare for long before you unlock it.

Advanced Electrical Components

You need 15 Advanced Electrical Components. They can be found in Electrical loot areas or crafted at a Level 2 Refiner.

Each Advanced Electrical Component costs:

• 3 Wires
• 2 Electrical Components

If you craft all 15 from scratch, that means you need 45 Wires and 30 Electrical Components.


Start saving Wires and Electrical Components during the earlier stages instead of waiting until Final Tweaks becomes active. Advanced Electrical Components can also come from recycling several rare electrical items, so check what an item gives before selling it.

Vaporizer Regulators

You need 3 Vaporizer Regulators. They drop from Vaporizers, which are particularly common during the Close Scrutiny map condition.


Close Scrutiny is therefore one of the best times to target this requirement. Vaporizers can appear around Assessors, and breaching an Assessor can attract additional ARC, although this also makes the area much more dangerous.

Once you get a Vaporizer Regulator, prioritize extraction. You need three, and losing one for a slightly larger haul is rarely worth it while the Project is active.

Broken Guidance Systems

You need 3 Broken Guidance Systems. These are Rare industrial and Exodus recyclables, so do not recycle copies while Ascending the Mountain is active.

One of the more reliable farming routes is the Hydroponic Dome Complex on Dam Battlegrounds. Check red lockers, metal shelving, and breachable containers inside the domes.

Stella Montis is another option, particularly around Assembly and Medical, but these areas are usually more contested. If your goal is only the Broken Guidance System, Dam can be the lower-risk farming choice.

All Ascending the Mountain Rewards

Ascending the Mountain has 15 reward entries spread across its four stages. Rewards are granted when each stage is completed, so you do not need to finish the entire Project before receiving anything.


The most unique reward is the Hot Air Balloon Charm from Final Tweaks. Stage 2 is also useful because the Crash Mat Blueprint arrives before Stage 3 asks you to submit 10 Crash Mats.

Important Tip for Expedition 5 Players

The Expedition 5 departure window runs until September 29, 2026. Departing resets your Raider's inventory, while personal event progress is kept.

Because Ascending the Mountain stage rewards are granted immediately, players planning to depart may want to leave one easy contribution unfinished instead of completing a stage right before their Expedition reset.

You can then finish that submission after departure and receive the weapon, gadget, or other reward on your new Raider. This is optional, but it can make the Project rewards much more useful than claiming gear you are about to lose.

Best Ways to Get Ascending the Mountain Items Fast

The fastest strategy is not to farm the stages one at a time from zero. Treat the entire Project as one long shopping list and start saving difficult items as soon as you see them.

• Check your stash first. You may already have a large part of Stage 1 and Stage 2.
• Save later-stage items immediately. Rocket Thrusters, Snow Globes, Broken Guidance Systems and Vaporizer Regulators should not be recycled.
• Collect Sensors early. Stage 4 needs 30, so saving them throughout the Project is much easier than farming all 30 at once.
• Keep Wires beyond Stage 2. You need 20 for Stage 2, but another 45 if you plan to craft all 15 Advanced Electrical Components.
• Use Bird City for Snow Globes. Bird Nests can contain Breathtaking Snow Globes.
• Use Close Scrutiny for Vaporizer Regulators. Vaporizers are much more common during the condition.
• Extract when you find a rare requirement. A Rocket Thruster or Snow Globe is usually worth protecting instead of risking for a slightly larger haul.

Stage 4 is the main reason to prepare early. Thirty Sensors, 15 Advanced Electrical Components, three Broken Guidance Systems, and three Vaporizer Regulators can become a major grind if you start collecting them only after reaching Final Tweaks.

Can You Collect Ascending the Mountain Items in Advance?

Yes. The Project stages progress in order, but nothing stops you from storing normal inventory items needed for later stages before you reach them.

This is especially important for the rare requirements. If you find a Rocket Thruster while still on Stage 1, keep it. If you find a Breathtaking Snow Globe during Stage 2, save it for Stage 3.

Sensors, Broken Guidance Systems, Advanced Electrical Components, and Vaporizer Regulators should all be collected before Final Tweaks whenever possible. Doing this turns Ascending the Mountain into something you complete alongside normal raids instead of a four-stage farming marathon.

When Does Ascending the Mountain End?

Ascending the Mountain started on September 8, 2026 and is scheduled to end on October 5, 2026.

The Project lasts 27 days and closes shortly before Frozen Trail arrives on October 8. That gives Raiders just under four weeks to finish all four stages and claim the complete reward set.

Do not leave the difficult items until the final days. Rocket Thrusters, Snow Globes, Broken Guidance Systems, and Vaporizer Regulators are much more likely to become a bottleneck than Wires or Mechanical Components.

How Ascending the Mountain Connects to Frozen Trail

Ascending the Mountain directly builds toward the ARC Raiders Frozen Trail update.

Shani's investigation has traced mysterious ARC signals toward the mountain range north of the areas Raiders can currently reach. The existing Tube system does not extend far enough, which is where Apollo enters the story.


Apollo is working with engineers from the Ferrovia neighborhood of Toledo on an experimental form of transportation designed to take Raiders somewhere the Tubes cannot reach. Ascending the Mountain is the material-gathering phase needed to help make that plan possible.

Embark has confirmed that Update 1.45.0 is the final main Live Update before October 8, although a smaller update is still planned before Frozen Trail arrives.

There is currently no confirmation that finishing Ascending the Mountain is required to access Frozen Trail. The Project should be treated as story preparation and a limited-time reward opportunity rather than a confirmed unlock requirement.

Is Ascending the Mountain Worth Completing?

For active players, yes. There are 15 reward entries, including weapons, gadgets, Raider Hatch Keys, a Crash Mat Blueprint, and the Hot Air Balloon Charm.

The biggest challenge is Stage 4, which alone needs 51 items. Waiting until the final week to collect 30 Sensors, 15 Advanced Electrical Components, three Broken Guidance Systems, and three Vaporizer Regulators could make the Project much harder than it needs to be.

Start collecting the later materials immediately, complete the easy submissions when you reach them, and use targeted farming only for whatever remains.

ARC Raiders Ascending the Mountain FAQ

How many stages does Ascending the Mountain have?

Ascending the Mountain has four stages: Research High-Altitude Mechanics, Begin Ignition Tests, Implement Landing Capabilities, and Final Tweaks.

How many items do you need for Ascending the Mountain?

You need 130 total items across 16 separate submission objectives. Stage 4 is the largest part of the grind with 51 required items.

What are the hardest Ascending the Mountain items to find?

The most troublesome requirements are likely to be the Rocket Thruster, Breathtaking Snow Globes, Broken Guidance Systems, and Vaporizer Regulators. Advanced Electrical Components can also take time because Stage 4 requires 15.

What are the Ascending the Mountain rewards?

Rewards include the Burletta, Extended Light Mag III, Silencer III, Wolfpacks, Deadlines, Trailblazers, Crash Mat Blueprint, Powered Descender, Raider Hatch Keys, Rascal, Launcher Ammo, Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive), Tempest, Kinetic Converter, and the Hot Air Balloon Charm.

How many Sensors do you need for Ascending the Mountain?

You need 30 Sensors for Stage 4, Final Tweaks. Start saving them during earlier stages so you do not need to farm all 30 at once.

How many Breathtaking Snow Globes do you need?

Stage 3 requires 3 Breathtaking Snow Globes. Bird City is useful because Snow Globes can drop from Bird Nests in addition to normal residential and trinket loot.

How many Vaporizer Regulators do you need?

You need 3 Vaporizer Regulators for Final Tweaks. They drop from Vaporizers, making Close Scrutiny one of the best conditions for farming them.

How many Advanced Electrical Components do you need?

You need 15 Advanced Electrical Components. At a Level 2 Refiner, each one costs 3 Wires and 2 Electrical Components, meaning all 15 require 45 Wires and 30 Electrical Components if crafted from scratch.

When does Ascending the Mountain end?

Ascending the Mountain is scheduled to end on October 5, 2026. Frozen Trail launches three days later on October 8.

Can you collect items for later stages early?

Yes. You can store the required items before their stage becomes active. Saving rare later-stage items early is one of the fastest ways to complete the Project.

Should I complete Ascending the Mountain before Expedition 5?

Not necessarily. If you are departing on Expedition 5, remember that inventory is reset. Since Ascending the Mountain rewards are granted when a stage is completed, you can consider leaving one easy contribution unfinished and claiming the reward after your Expedition instead.

Is Ascending the Mountain required for Frozen Trail?

There is currently no confirmation that completing Ascending the Mountain is required to access Frozen Trail. It is directly connected to the story leading into the update, but Embark has not announced it as an access requirement.

What is the fastest way to complete Ascending the Mountain?

Check your stash first, save every later-stage item you find, collect Sensors and Wires early, craft Advanced Electrical Components when possible, use Bird City for Snow Globes, and target Close Scrutiny for Vaporizer Regulators. Preparing several stages at the same time is much faster than farming them one by one.