Pendola Pass: Loot, Flash Freeze & Extraction

Last updated: 2026-10-30

Pendola Pass is a frozen Italian mountain village and Exodus transport hub beyond the peaks surrounding the Rust Belt, crowned by the Cielo Sereno Observatory. One of the Emperors has fallen here, and the ARC Frigate patrols overhead. It was added in the Frozen Trail 2.0 update on October 8, 2026, and is the biggest map ARC Raiders has seen since launch, dwarfing the previous Riven Tides map in both scale and zone count.

• Unlock: after completing 25 rounds on other maps (you can also join a squad if a teammate has unlocked it)
• Difficulty: Medium
• Environment: Frozen alpine valley with Flash Freeze storms

What Makes Pendola Pass Different

The most immediate difference is Flash Freeze: an ice storm that deals constant damage to anyone caught outside without cover, functioning similarly to the Frostbite condition from the Cold Snap event. Plan your routes between buildings carefully — sprinting across open ground during a Flash Freeze drains your health fast.

Doors on Pendola Pass can also freeze shut. You need a Flame Thrower (Flame Spray) to thaw them before entry; a Flame Spray melts frozen shelter doors faster than a Raider Tool.

The other major quirk is Dynamic Loot Zones: there are no permanently designated high-loot zones. Every raid, the priority areas shift. Loot categories stay tied to their zones, but the value of items changes between runs — knowing all nine areas matters more than memorizing one or two “best spots.”

Map Conditions and Weather

Beyond Flash Freeze, two special map conditions can activate during a raid:

• Frigate: a flying ship appears over the map. Sabotage it and board it via a Reclaimer drone to claim its loot. The Frigate is also associated with the Hydra, a three-part turret enemy.
• Redirection: damaged Emperor Beacons appear across the map. Raiders can use them to call Harvester Payloads down to their position, loot the payloads, and deploy the beacons anywhere to redirect loot flow.

Harder conditions include Night Raid and the ARC Operation variant of the Frigate: no free loadouts, no Raider Hatches, no locked doors, and less loot overall. Neither Frigate nor Redirection should be treated as guaranteed features of every Pendola Pass raid.

All Areas and Key Locations

The map divides into four geographic regions:

Because loot randomizes each raid, adapt to what that run offers:

The Fallen Emperor

The Fallen Emperor is the standout location on the map, tied to Almatera Village. You cannot walk in without an Emperor Gateway Conduit. You can craft one at a level 1 Workbench using:

• 1 ARC Insulated Coupler
• 1 ARC Conductive Coupler
• 1 ARC Plated Coupler

These materials come from Emperor Payloads during Redirection. The free Frozen Trail Reward Pass also offers a conduit at level 60. Treat the Fallen Emperor dungeon as a late-raid objective once you have the key crafted.

Ballistic Gondola Extraction

The Ballistic Gondola is Pendola Pass’s distinctive extraction option. To call one in, use a Gondola Transceiver — there are four transceiver locations: Northern, Glacial, Reckless, and Supermarket.

Each gondola ride holds up to three Raiders, so extraction timing matters. Calling one attracts attention, and other players may contest the area. Update 2.1.0 increased the gondola marker’s visibility range from 120 to 175 meters — but still check nearby approaches and avoid lingering in the open while you wait.

Locked Rooms

Pendola Pass has four notable locked rooms:

• Old Town Room
• Train Station Room
• Railyard Room
• Observatory Room

The Cielo Sereno Observatory locked room specifically needs the Pendola Pass Observatory Key. Keys are found in places like supply crates and on elite ARC enemies. If you obtain a key, only detour for its room when it fits your planned route — crossing the whole map for one locked room can cost you a successful extraction.

Enemies on Pendola Pass

Two new ARC types debut on this map: the Bully, which charges aggressively, and the Skulker, which uses cover and shadows to stalk targets. Both are more common here than anywhere else in the game currently. The Frigate encounter brings the Hydra — a three-part turret enemy. Prepare a loadout accordingly, especially if you usually run light builds.

Exploring Pendola Pass Quest

The Exploring Pendola Pass quest has four objectives:

1. Eliminate 20 ARC enemies.
2. Visit the Observatory control room.
3. Bring a Wire to repair the antenna on the tallest Railyard tower.
4. Search three containers in the Supermarket.

Listed rewards include a Breathtaking Snow Globe, Medium Shield, and Osprey I. Combine the quest objectives with your regular loot route to avoid unnecessary backtracking.

Tips for Your First Raids

1. Plan around your target loot: Railyard and Loading Platforms for industrial loot, Old Town for Research items, or the Supermarket for medical supplies.
2. Adapt to Dynamic Loot Zones — change your route when the rewards on offer are poor.
3. Identify Avalanche Shelters (Storm Huts) before Flash Freeze starts. Their locations are fixed, but their markers appear only when the storm begins; inside you can find Epoxy Buckets, Insulation Rolls, Radial Presses, healing items and weapon cases (not guaranteed).
4. Bring a way to melt frozen doors — a Flame Spray beats a Raider Tool.
5. Locate the nearest Gondola Transceiver early and watch for Raiders before calling the gondola.
6. Leave when the objective is complete — extract with valuable loot instead of risking everything for one more container.