If you’ve spent dozens of hours wandering the frozen peaks of Elden Ring’s Mountaintops of the Giants, you’ve probably walked right past dozens of hidden spots you never even knew existed. I stumbled across where winds meet horse on my second playthrough, when I got lost trying to avoid a group of giant frost wolves that had already one-shot me three times in a row. I had no idea what the odd stone marker tucked between a frozen pine and a cliff edge was at first, but after digging into it, I realized it’s one of the most rewarding small secrets in the entire game. Most players rush straight through this area to get to the Fire Giant boss fight, so they never stop to check the nooks and crannies that hold some of the game’s rarest rewards.
What Makes Where Winds Meet Horse Such a Sought-After Hidden Spot?
You won’t find this spot marked on any of the default in-game maps, and there’s no nearby site of grace to clue you in that you’re near something important. That’s part of why so many players miss it entirely, even on repeat playthroughs. The small, unmarked stone marker is the only indication you’re in the right place, but the rewards you get for stopping are well worth the short detour.
You’ll get a free Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone just for interacting with the marker, which is one of the rarest upgrade materials in the game, used to max out standard weapons to +25. You’ll also unlock the Unique Gesture: Wind’s Call, a fun emote that triggers a small gust of frost wind around your character, and the chest piece of the Zamor Armor Set, one of the best frost resistance armor sets for the endgame Consecrated Snowfield area.
There’s also a hidden NPC tucked behind the frozen tree next to the marker, but you’ll have to meet a specific requirement to get him to talk to you. A lot of players think the marker is just a random world detail, so they interact with it once, grab the smithing stone, and leave without checking the rest of the small area. That’s a huge mistake, because the NPC’s side quest gives you even better rewards if you take the time to complete it.
Step-by-Step Directions to Reach the Spot Without Getting Lost
Getting to the location is surprisingly easy, as long as you know where to look and don’t get distracted by all the aggressive enemies in the area. Start at the Zamor Ruins Site of Grace, which you unlock after beating the Godskin Apostle boss in the ruins below the Mountaintops of the Giants. Head straight north from the grace, past the group of three giant frost wolves that patrol the path. Don’t stop to fight them if you don’t have to; they hit hard and can stun lock you if you get surrounded.
When you see the large frozen waterfall on your right, turn left and start walking along the edge of the cliff. You’ll run into a few small gusts of wind that will push you slightly towards the cliff edge, but don’t panic, that’s a sign you’re going the right way. Walk for about 30 seconds along the cliff edge, and you’ll see the small, weathered stone marker half buried in snow next to a large frozen pine tree. If you reach the Fire Giant boss entrance fog gate, you’ve gone too far, so turn back and walk south along the cliff edge until you spot the marker.
I recommend bringing a torch if you’re exploring this area at night, because the ice patches along the cliff are almost invisible in the dark, and you can slip off and fall to your death before you even realize you’re standing on one. You can also equip a frost resistance armor set if you have one, to reduce the slow effect from the constant cold wind in the area.
Hidden Quests and Interactions You Can Unlock Here
Once you reach the marker, you can grab the free smithing stone and gesture right away, but the real reward is the hidden NPC quest. The old Zamor warrior is tucked behind the frozen pine next to the marker, and he won’t even acknowledge your presence unless you have the Zamor Helm in your inventory. You get the Zamor Helm from beating the Zamor Knight boss in the lower levels of the Zamor Ruins, so if you skipped that fight, you’ll have to go back and finish it first to access the quest.
When you talk to him with the helm equipped, he’ll tell you about his family that got separated during the war against the Erdtree, and ask you to deliver a small locket to his sister who’s hiding in the Consecrated Snowfield. If you bring the locket to her, she’ll give you a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone, which lets you max out unique somber weapons to +10. That’s an incredibly rare reward, since there are only 12 of these stones in the entire game.
Before you start the quest, make sure you have all the required items to avoid having to backtrack halfway through:
- Zamor Helm, looted from the Zamor Knight boss in the lower Zamor Ruins area
- At least one unlocked Site of Grace in the Consecrated Snowfield to fast travel to after you pick up the quest
- 5 or more frost resistance consumables, like Frozen Raisins or Smoldering Butter, to survive the harsh wind gusts between the spot and the Snowfield
- No active Volcano Manor assassination quests targeting Zamor knights, which will flag all Zamor NPCs as hostile before you can talk to them
If you don’t care about the quest, you can attack the warrior to get his unique Zamor Curved Sword, a frost-infused curved sword that deals bonus damage to Erdtree-aligned enemies. But you’ll lose access to the somber ancient dragon smithing stone if you do this, so I don’t recommend it unless you’re doing a specific build that uses that weapon.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting
I’ve seen dozens of players mess up this hidden spot because they’re in a rush or don’t know what to look for, so there are a few key mistakes you should avoid to get the most out of your visit. First, don’t run straight through the area on your way to the Fire Giant. It only takes 5 extra minutes to detour to the marker, and the rewards are way more valuable than the time you save by rushing.
Second, don’t attack the Zamor warrior before talking to him. The curved sword he drops is decent, but the somber ancient dragon smithing stone is far more useful for almost every build, and you can’t get that reward anywhere else in the Mountaintops of the Giants area. Even if you don’t need the stone right now, you’ll be glad you have it later when you find a unique weapon you want to max out.
Third, don’t forget to check for the invisible assassin enemies that spawn when you get within 10 feet of the marker. There are three of them, all using black knives that cause bleed build up, and they can one-shot most low to mid level players before they even see them coming. You can’t summon spirit ashes to help you fight them, so either come prepared with high bleed resistance, or run straight past them to the marker. Interacting with the marker will trigger the NPC to spawn, and the assassins will despawn immediately once he appears.
Fourth, don’t leave the area after just grabbing the smithing stone. A lot of players don’t realize the NPC is there, because he’s completely hidden behind the pine tree unless you walk around to the back of it. Take 10 extra seconds to circle the tree, and you’ll unlock one of the most rewarding small side quests in the game.
Elden Ring is full of tiny, easy-to-miss details that reward players who take the time to slow down and explore, and where winds meet horse is one of the best examples of that. You don’t need any special items or high level gear to reach it, and the rewards you get are more than worth the short detour from the main story path. I’ve done four full playthroughs of the game now, and I still make a point to stop by this spot every single time, even if I don’t need the upgrade materials. The small story of the Zamor warrior and his sister is one of my favorite little side plots in the entire game, and it’s the kind of thoughtful, hidden detail that makes FromSoftware’s worlds feel so lived in. Next time you’re heading to the Fire Giant fight, take a quick detour off the main path. You won’t regret it.
