In Elden Ring, from the Mountaintops of the Giants, you can spot a large area to the west: the Consecrated Snowfield. However, it's not directly accessible. In this guide, we explain the route you need to take to reach the area west of the Mountaintops of the Giants.
If you've made it to the Mountaintops of the Giants in Elden Ring, it should be pretty clear by now: In Elden Ring, not only many battles are extremely challenging, but many puzzles in the game are very demanding and almost impossible to solve without help as well – Ranni's Quest is a good example.
One of these countless puzzles revolves around the Consecrated Snowfield, located to the west of the Mountaintops of the Giants. While exploring the snowy area, you will eventually notice that you cannot enter the region west of the Mountaintops of the Giants – a huge abyss blocks your way. In this article, we explain how you can still reach this area.
Elden Ring: How To Reach The West Of The Mountaintops of the Giants
First of all, it's important to understand: You cannot access the western area without some effort, and without a certain level and gear, it's nearly impossible. So if you want to get there early in the game for any reason – forget it.
To reach the western part of the Mountaintops of the Giants, aka the Consecrated Snowfield, you need two special items, which you must combine into a medallion, the Secret Haligtree Medallion.
Consecrated Snowfield: Finding The Left Medallion Half
The left part of the medallion is located in the eastern part of the Mountaintops of the Giants in Castle Sol, similar in size to Castle Morne on the Weeping Peninsula. The map screenshot shows where to find it.
In the castle, some tough enemies await you. If you master your character well, have reasonably decent equipment, have upgraded your weapons, and are slowly approaching Level 100, you should eventually be able to get to Castle Sol's final boss: Commander Niall.
Commander Niall: Quick Guide
Commander Niall spawns two adds right at the start, which you should prioritize taking out first. Use his summoning time to call forth your spirit ashes – ideally, either the Mimic Tear (for more damage) or the Jellyfish (very tanky). Initially, Niall acts quite passively, so focus on the add with the two swords first and then take down the shield-bearer.
Afterward, the commander becomes significantly more aggressive. A general rule: when Niall starts swirling his weapon, make sure to keep your distance. Otherwise, stick to the classic basic rules for boss encounters in Elden Ring: attack when the enemy finishes a longer attack combo, and then try to get one to two quick hits (don't get too greedy!). Ideally, your spirit ash is still alive, significantly easing the fight with its ability to distract. As a caster, you should find this fight considerably easier than as melee; just keep your distance and bombard Niall with spells until he is defeated.
After the boss fight, you'll find the left side of the Haligtree Medallion at the top of the tower.
Finding The Right Medallion Half For The Consecrated Snowfield
Fortunately, obtaining the right half of the medallion is much simpler: You'll find it in the Village of the Albinaurics in Liurnia. The Village of the Albinaurics is not on a plateau, as the map suggests at first glance, but underneath it – just ride along the north side of the plateau until a ravine appears. There, a small path leading upwards appears on the left.
Ride as far up as you can until you reach some old huts and hear a lamenting voice. The voice comes from a pot standing around – destroy it and an NPC will appear, giving you the right half of the Haligtree Medallion.
Where To Use The Haligtree Medallion
Almost there: You now have both halves of the Haligtree Medallion. To get to the western area of the Mountaintops of the Giants, go back to the Great Elevator of Rold, which already took you to the eastern mountaintops area. Stand on the round indentation on the floor, as you did on your first visit, until the tooltip appears.
Important: Instead of lifting the normal medallion, now switch to the option "Raise Secret Haligtree Medallion". The elevator will now take you to the western area of the Mountaintops of the Giants, the Consecrated Snowfield, where among many other things, you'll be able to encounter the hardest boss of Elden Ring!