SAVING, CHECKPOINTS & TECH SUPPORT: This game incorporates autosave checkpoints. If you only rely on one save slot, you may run into trouble if you get stuck, encounter a bug, or if your autosave becomes corrupted. To avoid problems, I highly recommend changing your save slot in the pause menu at least once per level. If you encounter a bug that can't be fixed by restarting the game, reloading a different save, restoring a backup save in the Xbox version, or rebuilding the game cache in the PC version, I encourage you to visit the Official Rise of the Tomb Raider Support Forum and or put in a support request with Square Enix. I also have PC save files for download.
SOVIET INSTALLATION
AREA 5C: LOGGING CAMP (First Visit)
Updated: 4/24/16(†)
Camps: Logging Camp, Cistern Cavern, Sheltered Ridge, Communications Tower
Weapons/Gear: Lockpick, Compound Bow Part (1/4), Semi-Auto Pistol Part (3/4 and 4/4)*
Relics: 4 (18) Documents: 5 (26) Murals: 2 (12) Coin Caches: 1 (9) Survival Caches: 1 (21) Strongboxes: 3 (14)
Monoliths: 1 (3) Archivist Maps: 2 (9) Explorer Satchels: none (6)
Challenge Tombs/Codices: 1 (3) Crypts: none (2) Challenges: 1 (4) Missions: 1 (5)
Area Maps: Logging Camp Detail | Entire Soviet Installation
NOTES: The Soviet Installation is a HUGE area, so I have divided the walkthrough into several sections centered on the main base camps. This walkthrough covers the first visit to the Logging Camp until you enter the Gulag. Check the level menu for the others. The first number in each of the stat lines above is for this area alone. The number in parentheses is for the entire Soviet Installation. While all important items are noted in the walkthrough and annotated level map, you will not be able to get everything on your first pass. Also, while the document, relic, and strongbox locations are fixed, the exact items may vary depending on the order in which you find them.
For subsequent visits, check out the section below on Revisiting This Area Later in the Game and the separate Soviet Installation Collectibles Guides.
*Along with the items noted above, this area includes the SUPPLY SHACK, a store you can revisit to buy additional weapons and gear throughout the game. The items available there are listed below.
OBJECTIVE: Find a Way Into the Old Prison
OLD CABIN AT SOUTH END OF LOGGING CAMP: Lara first enters this area via the zip line from the TRAIN YARD on the other side of the river. As she arrives, she discovers the Logging Camp Base Camp and meets a man who has just killed a pair of Trinity soldiers. An on-screen message tells you there's an ally nearby with a mission for you. Approach this man and press Interact to talk to him. He turns out to be the Remnant General. He asks for your help destroying a series of communication towers and offers a reward, a LOCKPICK, as well as a chance to get into the locals' good graces. Press A/Enter/X to agree to help him. The Mission: Communications Breakdown is noted on your map with green indicators for the mission giver and the towers you must destroy. If you activate Survival Instinct, you'll also see a green beacon for each of the towers. You can just run out and do this now, but we'll cover them here in the course of our exploration. (screenshots)
NOTE: If you say no to the mission and change your mind, just return here and talk to the general again. He'll ask you again and you can accept.
Loot the bodies of the 2 Trinity soldiers. The strongbox near the campfire (screenshot) cannot be opened without the lockpick, so it will have to wait. If you use the base camp, Lara will make a Camp Journal entry titled In the Field, about learning to shoot from her old friend Roth. (Again, camp journals are archived in the documents section of your inventory but are not marked on the map.)
There's a document (5/26), A Closer Look from the Red Arrival series (Russian), in the cabin near the campfire (screenshot), along with some rifle ammunition, which you can't use yet but can pick up and save for later. You can glimpse another strongbox through a hole in the floor. It is accessed through a panel behind the cabin, but you'll need to unlock ROPE ARROWS first. (screenshot)
You may also notice an oil can sitting on the back deck of the cabin. It glows in Survival Instinct, but you can't use it until you obtain the OIL FLASK later on in the game. There's also a Soviet flag flying near the chain link fence to the south. This is part of a challenge that requires the COMBAT KNIFE, another piece of gear you haven't found yet. (screenshot)
Climb the ruined water tower to the southeast to find 2 salvage crates and a supply box, plus a container of cloth in the empty tank at the very top. Climb down or ride the zip line to the ground. Then head up the hill to the north.
The next small shack on the left contains some pistol ammo, a document (6/26), Captured from the Red Arrival series (Russian), and a padlocked metal locker, which you'll be able to open later when you get the LOCKPICK. (screenshot)
ABANDONED SAWMILL: Continue uphill to the sawmill. (It's the largest building in this area, so it's easy to spot on the map if you get disoriented.) Watch out for wolves nearby. There may be several in the open area southeast of the mill building. If you shoot at them, some will charge, but others may run into their den just north of here. Whether or not you kill them, the wolves respawn at intervals so always be cautious in this area. If you do kill them, remember to collect their hides for crafting. When the coast is clear, climb up into the Sawmill building and use your axe to destroy the first communication tower (1/5) for the Communications Breakdown mission. (screenshots)
There are boxes of rifle and pistol ammo near the large boulder just below the transmitter. In and around the building are several salvage crates and a few dangling objects that you can't get yet since you don't have the proper gear. Inside, climb the yellow ladder to the upper level and pry open the strongbox (2/14) to get a SEMI-AUTO PISTOL PART (3/4). (screenshots)
Drop back down to the middle level and move onto the outdoor deck that's on the left when facing the ladder. Here you'll find more salvage and a cell containing a relic (2/18), a Family Photo from the Gulag Possessions set. Examine the back of the photo for extra XP and Russian language proficiency. Return inside and climb over to the ledge behind the yellow ladder. Turn around to face the back of the ladder and jump over to the thick beam on the left and from there to the sloping roof ahead. Examine the mural (4/12) on the wall for XP and Russian language proficiency. This one is Star of Progress from the Soviet Crests series. You can also reach the mural by scrambling up the outside of the building. (screenshots)
CHALLENGE TOMB ENTRANCE: As you explore this area you'll see a notification about a nearby challenge tomb. Again, exploring these tombs is optional, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Follow this link for the ANCIENT CISTERN CHALLENGE TOMB WALKTHROUGH, which includes the Cistern Cavern Base Camp, relics (3/18 and 4/18), documents (7/26 and 8/26), a mural (5/12), and and Archivist Map (2/9), plus the codex for the Natural Instincts skill. The CAVE (C2 on the annotated level map) leading to the tomb also counts toward the Into Darkness Challenge.
FIRST WOLF DEN: There's a CAVE (C3 on the map) just north of the SAWMILL and CHALLENGE TOMB ENTRANCE. (screenshot) Prep a few poison arrows and use them to kill the 2 wolves lurking inside. Skin them for hides. Exploring this cave counts toward the Into Darkness Challenge. You'll also find several poison mushrooms and magnesite ore deposits, as well as an Archivist Map (3/9), which reveals the locations of various documents and relics on your in-game map. (screenshot)
NOTE: When you return to this area later, you may encounter more wolves, sometimes inside the cave and sometimes in the open area in front of it. If you can hear the game sound, you'll notice howls and dramatic music. Lara will also go into a defensive crouch when there are wolves nearby.
The next tower for the Communications Breakdown mission is on top of the tall rock formation directly above this cave. There is also a coin cache up there that will not be revealed on your map for a while. If you really hate backtracking, you may want to wait to complete the tower challenge until this cache is available. If you want to finish the challenge now, start by climbing the rock wall to the right of the cave entrance. When you reach the ledge at the top of the climbable wall, grab the narrow ledge and climb around to the right. Then jump to grab the next ledge, just a little bit above and to the right. Pull up and squeeze through the narrow gap in the rocks. Scale another climbable wall. Then shimmy along a narrow ledge until you can drop down onto a wider ledge on the left. Scramble up the wooden wall and continue around to the right. Jump across the gap onto the next flat ledge. Climb another wooden wall, then a section of rough stone, to reach the top. Use your axe to destroy the communication tower (2/5). (screenshots)
Slide down the zip line onto a wooden platform to the northeast. Crack open a salvage crate. Then drop down and climb onto the rock ledge just to the right of the nearby cave. Destroy the communication tower (3/5) here with your axe. (screenshots)
SNOW LEOPARD LAIR: If you explore this CAVE (C4 on the map) on your first visit to this area, it will be empty except for a few mushrooms and magnesite ore deposits. It still counts toward the Into Darkness Challenge. There is a rope-wrapped door inside the cave that you can't open until you unlock rope arrows. This is the entrance to another CHALLENGE TOMB. When you return here after visiting the Gulag, there will be a snow leopard waiting for you. See the Logging Camp Second Visit Walkthrough, for details.
NOTE: There is another CAVE just south of here (marked C7 on the map). It has a wooden impact barrier that can be destroyed with your pistol, but leave it for now. When you return later, there will be a coin cache nearby that isn't available yet.
SHELTERED RIDGE BASE CAMP: The next transmitter is located on a high ledge to the north of this cave. To get there, either climb the tall tree near the ledge or use the climbable rock wall to work your way up and around to the right. Destroy the communication tower (4/5). (screenshot)
While you're here, break open a few salvage crates, and use the Sheltered Ridge Base Camp if you need to make any upgrades. When you use this camp, Lara's memories of her father are noted in the Camp Journals section of the Documents menu under the title Important Work.
BASE OF THE NORTHERN CLIFFS: There's a path leading away from the Sheltered Ridge camp along the upper cliffside. This takes you toward the next story objective. We still have a little unfinished business here, so don't go that way yet. Instead, climb down and follow the frozen streambed to the west. When you see the old SAWMILL on your left, look to the right to spot the last communication tower (5/5) in a small, fenced-in area at the base of the cliff. Destroy the transmitter with your axe. (screenshot)
Inside the hut behind the transmitter, you'll find rifle ammo, salvage, and a strongbox (3/14) containing a COMPOUND BOW PART (1/4). There's more salvage just outside, and a box containing a relic (5/18), a Wish Maker Toy from the Gulag Possessions set, in the nearby guard tower. (screenshot)
NOTE: There's also a CAVE here (marked C9 on the area map), but it is blocked by a metal barrier that requires explosives to clear. (screenshot)
To complete the Communications Breakdown Mission, return southwest to the Logging Camp. Talk to the Remnant General and he'll give you the LOCKPICK. (screenshot) You'll also earn XP and Expedition Credits. Use your new toy to open the strongbox (4/14) near the campfire to obtain a SEMI-AUTO PISTOL PART (4/4). If you've found the other parts, you can now use the base camp to combine them into the SEMI-AUTO PISTOL. You may also have the necessary supplies to make some upgrades to this pistol. If not, keep looking for salvage crates and looting slain enemies.
NOTES: If you missed any of the previous pistol parts, you can fast travel back to previous areas to find them. One is in the Siberian Wilderness, one is in the building below the Installation Vista base camp, and the third is in the old SAWMILL just up the hill from here. (See above.) The lockpick will also open the padlocked door back in the TRAIN YARD to get a relic you couldn't reach before, but if you wait a while you'll have another reason to return there. Then you can combine the two trips to save time. See The Unlucky Ones Mission in the Logging Camp Second Visit Walkthrough for details.
If you've followed this walkthrough, there are still a few unexplored areas to the northwest and southeast of the logging camp. To save backtracking, we'll cover those later. (If you must peek ahead, these are covered in the Logging Camp second visit walkthrough.) For now, let's move on with the story.
CLIMBING TO THE COMMUNICATONS TOWER: Return to the Sheltered Ridge Base Camp in the northeast corner of this area, either via fast travel or on foot. From there, climb onto the sandy-colored stone ledge and follow the path westward along the cliffside. When you come to the edge, jump and latch onto the climbable wall with your axes. Climb upward and to the left. Jump and latch onto the next climbable section to the left. Then climb onto the ledge above. Continue forward to a rickety wooden walkway. It's possible to run and jump quickly across as the walkway collapses beneath you, but it's much safer to just scramble up the painted wall on the right and then use your axes to scale the climbable wall. At the top, climb onto the low ledge on the left and continue forward to the wooden staircase. (screenshots)
Go downstairs just far enough to find a box of supplies and a salvage crate. Then climb the stairs, use a tree branch to swing across the gap, and pull up. Lara goes into a defensive crouch as she notices 3 Trinity soldiers ahead. They can't see her from here, so you're OK if you stay quiet. Move forward and examine the monolith (1/3) for XP, Russian language skill, and a map update showing the location of several coin caches. You also receive a new goal at this point. (screenshots)
OBJECTIVE: Use the Communication Cables to Zip Line into the Prison Grounds
Now turn around and get ready to fight. There are 3 Trinity soldiers ahead. One is standing on the deck of the wooden shack above on your left; the other two are near the Communications Tower Base Camp at the top of the stairs. If you want to attack aggressively, it's not too hard, since they aren't very powerful. You can probably work out your own stealth approach—there are lots of options—but one possibility is to move up the stairs and duck behind the pine tree on the left. Shoot an arrow into the bushes to the right of the 2 men near the campfire. One should go check it out. You can then take him out with a silent headshot. Kill his buddy, hopefully before he notices you. Then deal with the third man near the shack. You can try to stay hidden in the bushes, but this doesn't always work. If he notices Lara, switch to your pistol if you like and kill him quickly. (screenshots)
There's an area above that is unreachable at first. Once you unlock CLIMBING ARROWS, much later in the game, you can use them to scale the wooden wall. (screenshot) For now, use the base camp if you need to make any upgrades. Then dig up the coin cache (1/9) just to the south. (screenshot) The other coin caches can wait.
Go around behind the shack side to find a survival cache (5/21) buried in the snow near the northwest corner of the building. (screenshot) Return to the shack and Crack open a salvage crate sitting on the shack's wooden deck. Then go around to the left side of the building and examine the mural (6/12) on the outer wall. It is A Happy Land from the Soviet Crests series. Reading it increases Lara's Russian proficiency. (screenshot)
SUPPLY SHACK: Now pry open the door and enter the shack. A rogue entrepreneur has set up shop here. He's willing to trade useful items for the Byzantine coins you've collected. Approach the items on the counters to examine them. Hold X/Enter to buy. As you'd expect from a guy selling contraband in the middle of the wilderness, there are no refunds or exchanges. These items do not change during the course of the game, and you can return here via fast travel from any other base camp. So don't feel pressured to decide right now.
My preference is to save up for the GRENADE LAUNCHER and buy that first, since it lets you access areas blocked by impact barriers and will also be very helpful in a certain fight during the Geothermal Valley level. (See the notes about the Grenade Launcher below the table.) The CRAFTING TOOL or TACTICAL SHOTGUN would be my second choice, but it won't take too long before you can afford both.
| CRAFTING TOOL* | 175 coins | Upgrade tool that unlocks an additional tier of upgrades for all weapons.* |
| COMMANDO OUTFIT | 50 coins | Black tank top, camo pants, and tactical gear. Lara's health begins to regenerate sooner after taking damage. |
| RIFLE LASER SIGHT | 25 coins | Red dot laser sight that increases accuracy. Automatically applied to all rifles. |
| RIFLE GRENADE LAUNCHER | 120 coins | Under-barrel grenade launcher that fires explosive rounds. Automatically applied to all rifles. |
| ROPE ASCENDER | 30 coins | Allows rapid traversal up ropes. Hold X to activate when on rope lines. |
| PISTOL SUPPRESSOR | 25 coins | Universal pistol suppressor that quiets shots and keeps enemies from becoming alerted when fired. Automatically applied to all pistols. |
| TACTICAL SHOTGUN | 140 coins | Riot police large-capacity shotgun geared towards taking out large groups. |
| MILITARY RIFLE | 140 coins | Special Forces, high rate of fire, military-grade tactical rifle. |
*NOTE: There are four tiers of weapon upgrades. The first is available as soon as you acquire each weapon. The other tiers are unlocked when you obtain each of three tools: the CRAFTING TOOL, the ENHANCEMENT TOOL, and the REFINEMENT TOOL. You'll find two in strongboxes and buy the third from the SUPPLY SHACK. So if you return here after finding one of these tools, the tool available for purchase will be the next higher level.
In addition to buying the Grenade Launcher, I also recommend taking the Grenadier Skill soon after reaching the Geothermal Valley, since this will allow you to craft grenades instead of just finding them. There's no sense taking this skill sooner, though, since you need oil to craft grenades, and you can't collect oil until you acquire a certain piece of gear in the Valley. I include reminders about all of this in the Geothermal Valley walkthrough.
ENTERING THE GULAG: Exit through the back door of the Supply Shack to find a document (9/26), New Intel from the series Conspiracy Theories, sitting on a crate. (screenshot) In case it's not obvious by now, the conspiracy nut in these documents and the guy who runs the Supply Shack are one and the same. Then climb the ladder and slide down the wire into the GULAG. (screenshot)
REVISITING THIS AREA LATER IN THE GAME: If you are playing through the story, you'll re-enter this area when you return from the prison camp. This is covered on a separate page: LOGGING CAMP (Second Visit). Later visits to this area to complete challenges and obtain items you couldn't reach before are included at the end of the second-visit walkthrough.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 12/23/15 - First draft of walkthrough posted online.
12/24/15 - Added note about upgrade tools in the supply shack.
1/3/16 - Modified supply shack recommendations. If you explore thoroughly, you should not have any trouble buying both the grenade launcher and the shotgun by the time you reach the middle of the Geothermal Valley level, but if you can only afford one, I would recommend the grenade launcher.
4/24/16 - Added Quick Collectibles Guides, renumbered a few items in the process, and revised the level maps accordingly.
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