Anyone who’s spent dozens of hours wandering the misty northern highlands of the game has probably stumbled on vague NPC hints about a remote ridge where winds meet mounts, but most players write it off as throwaway dialogue instead of a clue to one of the most rewarding hidden areas in the entire map. I first heard the phrase from a wandering merchant 70 hours into my playthrough, and I spent three weeks combing every steep slope and frozen valley before I finally found the spot, and it was 100% worth the effort. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to find it, unlock its secrets, and walk away with loot that will make mid-to-late game challenges feel trivial, no cheats or glitches required.
What Makes Where Winds Meet Mounts One of the Game’s Most Underrated Spots
Local NPC lore says the ridge got its name because it’s the only point where cold northern gales collide with warm southern updrafts between the two tallest peaks in the highlands, and it’s also the mythical resting place of the wind deity’s personal mount. Most players who stumble on the area accidentally only stop for a quick screenshot of the sweeping valley views, then leave without realizing how many exclusive rewards are hidden just out of plain sight. You don’t need endgame gear to access any of its content either, which makes it perfect for players who just hit level 40 and want to power up before tackling the main story’s next big arc.
The three most valuable rewards tied to the area are all permanent, so they’ll benefit you for the rest of your playthrough and even carry over to new game plus runs. First, you’ll get an exclusive wind glider skin that cuts gliding stamina consumption by 20% — it’s way better than any glider you can buy from the in-game store or earn from main quests. Second, you’ll unlock the rare storm steed mount, which has a 3x higher jump than standard mounts and can glide short distances using natural wind currents. Third, a hidden side quest gives you a permanent 10% stamina boost that applies to every character on your account. I’ve done four full playthroughs now, and I still make a point to visit this spot first every time I start a new save.
How to Reach the Ridge Without Wasting Hours on Dead Ends
The biggest mistake new players make is trying to head straight for the ridge marker they find online, without completing the required prerequisite quest first. You’ll need to finish the short “Mountain Messenger” side quest from the old hunter in Frostpine Village first, which only requires you to turn in three winter fox pelts. If you skip this quest, a invisible magic barrier will block the entrance to the ridge, and you won’t get any prompt explaining why you can’t get in. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen new players complain on forums that the area is glitched, when they just missed the 10-minute prerequisite quest.
You have two route options once you finish the prerequisite, depending on your level and what fast travel points you’ve unlocked. If you’re under level 45 and haven’t unlocked the Skyview Overlook fast travel point, take the eastern river valley route from Frostpine Village. It’s a 40-minute walk, but the only enemies you’ll face are low-level ice foxes and hares, so you won’t waste resources on unnecessary fights. If you’re level 45 or higher, you can fast travel to Skyview Overlook and glide 1,200 meters straight to the ridge entrance, cutting the travel time down to two minutes flat.
Make sure you pack these essential supplies before you leave, no matter which route you take:
- At least 3 cold resistance potions – the wind chill at the ridge drains 2 HP per second even with level 3 cold armor, and the effects stack if you’re caught in a sudden wind gust
- 2 full stacks of stamina restoration food – the final climb to the ridge has 4 consecutive wall scaling sections with no flat rest spots to regenerate stamina naturally
- One ranged weapon (bow or magic staff) to knock down flying ice vultures that attack mid-climb — they’ll knock you off the wall if you don’t take them out first
Top Hidden Rewards You Don’t Want to Miss at the Ridge
When you first step onto the ridge, you’ll see a carved stone altar in the center of the open clearing. Place the wind charm you got from the old hunter at the end of the “Mountain Messenger” quest on the altar, and you’ll trigger a 90-second cutscene where the storm steed appears and bonds to your character. I still get excited watching that cutscene every time, because the storm steed makes traversing the game’s mountainous areas so much faster and easier. You can even use its wind jump ability to reach certain hidden areas that are only supposed to be accessible with late-game gliding upgrades.
Walk behind the altar, and you’ll find a narrow cave entrance half-hidden by icicles. Inside, you’ll meet the ghost of the peak’s former warden, who will give you the “Warden of the Peaks” hidden side quest. All you have to do is collect the three wind shards scattered across the ridge (they’re marked on the map the travelers gave you if you helped them) and bring them back to him. This permanent stamina buff is one of only three account-wide buffs in the entire game, so it’s worth taking the 15 minutes to track down the shards even if you don’t care about the other rewards.
If you glide off the western edge of the ridge and follow the rock face down 200 meters, you’ll find a hidden chest tucked into a small cave opening. The chest holds the Tempest Bow, a legendary wind weapon that deals 120 base damage per hit and has a 25% critical strike chance. Any critical hit with the bow triggers a small tornado that deals 80 damage per second to up to 5 nearby enemies for 3 seconds, which is incredibly useful for clearing large groups of overworld enemies or crowded dungeon rooms. I used this bow all the way until level 60, when I finally got a endgame raid drop that barely outperformed it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting the Area
I made almost every possible mistake the first time I visited the ridge, so I can save you a lot of frustration by pointing out what not to do. First, don’t try to visit the ridge when the in-game weather forecast shows a blizzard warning. The ridge will be completely shrouded in fog, you’ll take 3x more cold damage, and the entrance barrier will stay up even if you completed the prerequisite quest. Blizzards only last 20 in-game minutes, so just wait it out at Frostpine Village instead of wasting supplies trying to push through.
Never attack the white stags roaming near the altar under any circumstances. They’re considered sacred to the wind deity, and hitting one will trigger all enemies in the area to attack you, including two level 60 elite ice giants that will one-shot most players under level 50. Even if you manage to escape, you’ll be locked out of the ridge permanently until you bring the old hunter 10 golden winter fox pelts, which can take 10+ hours of farming to collect. I learned this the hard way when I tried to hunt one for a crafting material, and I spent almost a whole week fixing the mistake.
Don’t try to ride a regular mount up the final climb to the ridge, either. The slope is so steep that standard mounts will slip and slide backwards, and you’ll likely fall all the way back to the valley floor if you don’t dismount first. The only mount that can climb the slope is the storm steed itself, which you won’t have until after you reach the altar, so just stick to climbing on foot for that final section. Also, don’t jump into the large wind tunnel on the eastern edge of the ridge before you unlock the storm steed. The wind will blow you straight off the map and back to your last spawn point, and you’ll lose any unsaved progress you made collecting items on the ridge.
Whether you’re hunting for better gear, a faster mount, or just want to explore every hidden corner of the map, where winds meet mounts is a spot that deserves a spot at the top of your to-do list. It doesn’t require any fancy endgame gear or tricky exploits to access, just a little preparation and willingness to wander off the main quest path. I still visit the spot every few playthroughs to show new players the ropes, and it never gets old watching someone’s face light up when they unlock the storm steed for the first time. Take your time, bring the right supplies, and you’ll walk away with some of the best rewards in the game.
