Arc Raiders Ascending the Mountain: All Stages & Rewards

This guide explains every stage of the “Ascending the Mountain” project in Arc Raiders, what you need to do at each step, and the exact rewards you earn for completing it. You’ll also find the unlock requirements, tips for efficient farming, and answers to common questions about this endgame questline.

Background: What Is the Ascending the Mountain Project?

Ascending the Mountain is a multi-stage project (a type of quest) in Arc Raiders that becomes available after you reach a certain point in the main story. It’s designed as a late-game challenge that pushes you to explore the highest-altitude regions of the map, fight tougher enemies, and collect rare resources. Unlike standard missions, projects like this one require you to complete specific objectives over multiple sessions, and they reward you with exclusive cosmetic items, crafting blueprints, and large amounts of in-game currency.

The project is part of a series of “endgame” projects introduced to give players a long-term goal once the main campaign is finished. It’s not a timed event, so you can progress at your own pace, but the difficulty scales with each stage.

How the Project Works: Stage Structure and Progression

The project is divided into 5 stages, each with its own set of objectives. You must complete all objectives in a stage to unlock the next one. Objectives typically involve:

• Defeating a specific number of elite enemies (e.g., 10 Reaper Brutes)
• Collecting a certain amount of a rare resource (e.g., 20 Void Shards)
• Reaching a specific altitude marker (e.g., climb to 3,000 meters)
• Completing a timed challenge (e.g., reach the summit in under 10 minutes)

Each stage is harder than the last, with more enemies, stricter time limits, and rarer resources. The final stage is a boss fight against a unique enemy that only spawns for this project.

All Stages and Their Rewards (Complete List)

Here is the full breakdown of every stage, its objectives, and the reward you get for completing it:

1. Stage 1: First Ascent – Reach the 1,000-meter altitude marker and collect 5 Void Shards. Reward: 500 Credits, 1,000 XP, and a Common “Summit” weapon skin.
2. Stage 2: The Windy Ridge – Defeat 5 Reaper Brutes and reach the 2,000-meter marker. Reward: 1,000 Credits, 2,000 XP, and a Rare “Ridge” backpack cosmetic.
3. Stage 3: The Frozen Pass – Collect 15 Void Shards and complete the pass in under 15 minutes. Reward: 1,500 Credits, 3,000 XP, and an Epic “Frost” armor tint.
4. Stage 4: The Summit Approach – Defeat 10 Reaper Brutes and reach the 3,000-meter marker. Reward: 2,000 Credits, 4,000 XP, and a Legendary “Summit” weapon skin (full set).
5. Stage 5: The Peak – Defeat the unique boss “The Mountain Warden” and reach the summit. Reward: 5,000 Credits, 10,000 XP, and the exclusive “Mountain Conqueror” title, plus a unique player banner.

Note: Rewards are delivered automatically to your inventory upon completion of each stage. The final title is account-wide, so all your characters can use it.

How to Choose Your Loadout for Each Stage

Your loadout matters more as you progress. Here’s what to consider for each stage:

• Stage 1-2: Use a balanced loadout with a mid-range rifle and a shotgun for close encounters. Bring at least 2 medkits.
• Stage 3: The time limit means you need speed. Use a lightweight build with a submachine gun and the Grapple Hook ability to cross gaps quickly.
• Stage 4: Enemies are tougher, so bring armor-piercing rounds and a sniper rifle for long-range picks. Stock up on grenades for groups.
• Stage 5: The boss has weak points on its back. Use a high-damage assault rifle and a rocket launcher for burst damage. Bring at least 5 medkits and a defibrillator for team revives.

Always upgrade your gear at the workbench before attempting a new stage. The game’s difficulty scales with your level, so make sure you’re at least level 30 for Stage 3 and above.

Common Problems and How to Solve Them

Players often run into a few issues during this project:

• Void Shards not spawning: These only appear in specific caves and behind breakable walls. Use your scanner to highlight them. If they’re not there, wait for the next in-game day cycle.
• Reaper Brutes not appearing: They spawn in the same locations each time, but only during “Storm” weather events. Check the forecast and plan your run accordingly.
• Time limit too tight: Use the zip lines and jump pads scattered around the mountain. They’re there to help you move faster. Also, don’t fight every enemy – run past non-elites.
• Boss too hard: The Mountain Warden is weak to fire damage. Craft incendiary rounds before the fight. Also, bring a friend – the boss’s health doesn’t scale with party size, so it’s easier with two players.

If you’re stuck on a stage, try completing other projects to earn better gear first. The mountain isn’t going anywhere.

Comparing to Other Endgame Projects

Ascending the Mountain is one of several endgame projects. Compared to “The Depths” (which focuses on underground exploration) and “The Ruins” (which is combat-heavy), this project is more about traversal and resource collection. It’s the only one that gives a title, making it a popular choice for completionists. The rewards are also more cosmetic-focused than stat-focused, so if you’re looking for stat boosts, you might want to do “The Depths” first.

Costs and Time Investment

There’s no direct credit cost to start or progress the project, but you’ll spend credits on ammo, medkits, and gear repairs. Expect to spend roughly 5,000-10,000 credits per stage on consumables. Time-wise, each stage takes about 2-4 hours of play, depending on your skill and luck with resource spawns. The final boss can take an additional 1-2 hours if you’re solo.

Safety and Fair Play

Arc Raiders is an online game, and this project is meant to be played legitimately. Don’t use third-party tools or exploits to speed up resource collection – that can result in a ban. Also, be careful when climbing: fall damage is real, and dying at high altitude will respawn you at the base, losing your progress on that run. Always carry a teleport beacon if you have one.

Alternatives and What to Do After

If you find the mountain too difficult, you can work on other projects or simply farm lower-level areas for credits and XP. After completing the project, you’ll have the title and cosmetics, but the mountain area remains open for farming Void Shards, which are used in several other crafting recipes. You can also help other players with their runs – you’ll still get XP and credits for assisting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do this project solo?

Yes, all stages are doable solo, but Stage 5 is very challenging. The boss has a lot of health and can one-shot you if you’re not careful. If you’re struggling, try to find a group in the game’s matchmaking – the boss’s health doesn’t increase with more players, so it’s much easier with a team.

What happens if I fail a stage?

You don’t lose any progress on the objectives you’ve already completed. For example, if you’ve defeated 8 out of 10 Reaper Brutes and die, you’ll keep those 8 kills. You’ll respawn at the base and can continue. The only exception is the timed stage (Stage 3) – if you run out of time, you’ll have to restart that run, but you keep any collected shards.

Do I need to be a certain level to start?

Yes, the project unlocks at level 25, but we recommend being at least level 30 for Stage 3 and level 35 for Stage 5. The enemies scale with your level, so being under-leveled will make them tanky and hit hard.

Are the rewards account-bound or character-bound?

Credits and XP are character-bound, but the cosmetic items (skins, tints, banner) and the title are account-bound. Once you unlock them, they’re available for all your characters.

Can I repeat stages for extra rewards?

No, each stage can only be completed once per account. After you finish a stage, you can’t redo it for the same reward. However, you can still visit the mountain area and farm resources, but you won’t get the stage completion rewards again.

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