Lake Cave is one of the many caves located on the shore of Monolith Lake just behind Watchful Falls and in the northeastern corner of the Hushed River Valley.
Access[]
There are a number of ways to reach this cave from the entrance to the Hushed River Valley.
Via Pensive Vista[]
One method is to head eastwards from Stairsteps Lake to Many Falls Vista and climb down towards Twin Sisters Falls. From there, head northwards towards Valley Cave, and turn right at the cliff-face. Climbing two ropes will allow the player to reach Pensive Vista, from which Lake Cave is a short stroll northwards. This method is good if one wishes to explore the eastern part of the region and search Moose Overlook for a possible bow and the Landslide for a possible Hidden Cache, but requires three rope climbs, and is nearly impossible to complete in one day.
Via Offset Falls[]
Another way to get to Lake Cave is to head due northward from Cloudtop Falls and pass right below the foot of Offset Falls. Heading north and then northeast from there will lead the player past a small frozen pond and one of the entrances to the Ice caves to a climbing rope. Heading eastwards will lead past Mammoth Falls and Quarreling Falls and straight towards Lake Cave. This is a very direct and easy to navigate route, but players will have to be mindful of wolves and possibly a bear.
Via the ice caves[]
The final way to get here is to head northwards from Stairsteps Lake towards the Hushed River and enter the ice cave located next to Reclusive Falls. From there, the player will have to navigate the cave until they reach a room with a Mountaineering Rope. After the climb, leave the cave and turn left. From there a walk eastwards will lead to Monolith Lake and Lake Cave. While this method is the safest from predators and weather, there is a risk of getting lost in the ice caves if one doesn't bring a light source.
Overview[]
A Frozen Corpse usually spawns here, along with a Backpack and Campfire, and one of the few ravaged wolf carcasses in the game. Occasionally two cured guts and a cured wolf pelt may be found in the cave, as well as various items of food and drink and a Research Book. Rifle Ammunition and Revolver Ammunition spawn here on occasion too. Sometimes, a Revolver may be found here.
This cave can be very useful for hunting the Moose that spawns nearby on Monolith Lake, as it is too small for the moose to fit into. The cave can also be used in order to cure hides, as it is considered to be a sheltered cave.
Safehouse[]
Because predators don't spawn near the cave and there's lots of rabbits to snare nearby on the east end of Monolith Lake, some players may find that it makes for a decent safehouse. This is especially true if one has killed the moose on the lake. With the addition of free-form Ice Fishing, this cave has become even more useful, as Monolith Lake is the only spot in the region that's deep enough for fishing, and living here allows fishing just outside one's doorstep. One disadvantage of this cave is that it's very noisy, due to the waterfall nearby. If the sound bothers the player, Pensive Vista may be a quieter option.
Trivia[]
- Given the ravaged wolf carcass that often spawns in this cave, along with the wolf pelt and guts, it's highly likely that the survivor attempting to live here was killed by Intestinal Parasites from eating too much Wolf Meat (Raw).
- This also explains the general lack of wolves in the area around Monolith Lake, as they were likely all hunted.