After conquering the west side of the mountain, it’s time to climb its east side, where the Ice Ruins dungeon is located. After replenishing your mountain-climbing supplies, warp to the Tower of Hera in Hyrule. From here, we shall begin the arduous journey to the Ice Ruins. The first area (in Hyrule) is already covered in detail in the “Tower of Hera East” page in the “To House of Gales” chapter. Should you require an extensive guide of the area, please refer to that page. Here, you can enjoy the abridged version.

From the Tower of Hera, go one screen right and use the hookshot to cross the broken bridge. Next, head for the bottom-right corner and enter the cave; watch out for the Lynels along the way. Inside the cave, go left and step on the platform. Ride the platform left, then drop down to the next platform below; repeat for the following platforms. Soon you’ll reach a large platform with Lynels roaming about. Head right and merge onto the wall, then walk to the other side. Wait for a platform to come from the right, then emerge to land on it.

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You need to be on your toes with your Tornado Rod jumps (as the platforms move into position above you).

From here, you need to carefully drop down to the platforms below. Be warned–the timing of the drops is much more difficult than before. Take your time and study the movement of the platforms carefully before committing to a jump. At the end, exit the cave south. Outside, make your way left and you’ll come across a signpost informing you that Rosso’s Ore Mine is just ahead. Go up the hill and follow the path left; you’ll eventually find a bunch of small and big rocks–this is the ore mine in question.

Just above the rocks is a doorway to Lorule; merge into the nearby wall and head through the doorway. After emerging in Lorule, steel yourself, because this is where your trek to the Ice Ruins actually begins. From the weather vane, make your way left along the snowy mountain path. At the end you’ll come across a cave and a foreboding signpost ahead. Before entering the cave, merge into the wall below and walk right to rescue Maimai #98 stuck to the wall.

$$$item 3959

Inside the cave, step on the narrow platform ahead. There will be a series of similar platforms ahead; step onto the next platforms as they come. Keep an eye out for the Chasupas halfway along. Near the end, you will need to merge into a platform to the left to continue. Remain merged and let the platform carry Link, then carefully emerge onto the next narrow platform when it arrives below. At the end, avoid the moving spikes and merge into the wall on the left. Then emerge on the other side of the wall to complete your mini-journey.

Go left, past the frozen gargoyle statues and signpost, and merge into the next wall, then walk to the other side before emerging. Have your Fire Rod ready. To the left is a giant gargoyle statue; step close and it will come to life. Unless you’re looking for a challenge, zap the giant Ice Gimos with the Fire Rod as soon as possible to turn it into a puddle. From this central area, you can go in three different directions, just like the corresponding cave back in Hyrule.

Go down to rescue a Maimai . Wait for a platform to come, then merge into it and wait for it take you away. Walk to the other side of the platform, then emerge when another platform comes below. Next, carefully make your way down. The platforms ahead will lower and raise, so make sure the platform you’re currently on is higher than the one you’re planning to move to before moving to the next platform. At the end, take the exit down to leave the cave. Outside, break the nearby skull to rescue Maimai #99 .

$$$item 3960

Head left to score yourself some nifty treasure . Step onto the moving platform when it comes. Next, you will need to use the Tornado Rod at the right moment to hover onto the next platform above. Ride the platform left to reach a stationary platform. From here, head down; after the second platform, you will need to use the Tornado Rod again to rise up to a platform higher up. At the end, take the exit down; outside, merge onto the nearby wall and walk right across the gap to reach a chest containing a whopping 300 rupees!

Return to the stationary platform and this time head up. After the second platform, use the Tornado Rod to reach the next platform above; do the same to reach the next platform. To safely move up, you should use the Tornado Rod when the platform you’re on is moving down. However, because of the dark chasm below, it can be hard to tell when the platforms are moving, let alone moving in the right direction. So you might use the Tornado Rod at the wrong moment and plummet to your doom.

The key to getting the right timing is studying your surroundings carefully–look for the distant pillar in the background and use that to judge your position and thus determine how the platforms are moving. At the end, watch out for the Chasupas and take the exit up. Outside, you’ll be in an isolated area; to the right is a tall pillar with a doorway to Hyrule. Go through the doorway and you’ll arrive in a similarly isolated area in Hyrule; this time, there’s a Piece of Heart nearby.

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Finally, from the central platform, head up to reach the Ice Ruins . Step onto the narrow platform and ride it up. When you step onto the third platform, keep to the left or right side to avoid a moving spike coming from the centre. Then head for the stationary platform to the right, minding the Chasupas. From here, the following platforms to the right will lower and raise. Make sure your current platform is higher than the next before moving on. You will also need to move when the platforms are at their lowest point to avoid the moving spikes.

This is where 3D comes in handy. However, if you don’t have 3D vision (or play with 3D off), just study the other platforms to judge your platform’s height. At the end, watch out for the flock of Chasupas again, and go through the door to the right.

Finally; take the exit down to leave this cave once for all. Outside, head all the way left and melt the frozen gargoyle statues with the Fire Rod to reach a chest containing 100 rupees. Next, make your way right and exit the screen right.

In the next screen, the Ice Ruins dungeon is located in the very centre. First, head right to find Maimai #100 stuck to the north-facing wall.

Anyway, go left and then down to find the dungeon entrance and a weather vane. Blocking the dungeon entrance is a frozen gargoyle statue–use the Fire Rod to melt it and proceed inside.