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.
AREA 7C: GEOTHERMAL VALLEY (Third Visit)
Updated: 7/15/17(†)
Camps: Ridgeline, Whirlpool Sanctuary
Weapons/Weapon Parts: none
Relics: 3 (13) Documents: 4 (33)* Murals: none (4) Coin Caches: 1 (9) Survival Caches: 4 (20) Strongboxes: none (8)
Monoliths: none (3)* Archivist Maps: 2 (9) Explorer Satchels: none (5)
Challenge Tombs/Codices: 1 (4) Crypts: none (2) Challenges: 1 (5) Missions: none (4)
Area Maps: Geothermal Valley - third visit | Entire Geothermal Valley
NOTE: The Geothermal Valley is a HUGE area, so I have divided the walkthrough into several sections. This walkthrough covers the Ridgeline area, which you can only access after completing the FLOODED ARCHIVES. It also includes the fourth Challenge Tomb. Check the level menu for the others. The first number in each of the stat lines above is for this section alone. The number in parentheses is for the entire Geothermal Valley. While the document, relic, and strongbox locations are fixed, the exact items may vary depending on the order in which you find them.
*The 4th document (and the last in this level) is actually not available until you unlock one more piece of special equipment. For details, check out the section below on Revisiting This Area Later in the Game. If you were not able to decipher the 3rd monolith (near the Ruins Encampment Base Camp) earlier, don't forget to do that now. If you missed any collectibles the first time through, refer to the separate GEOTHERMAL VALLEY COLLECTIBLES GUIDES.
OBJECTIVE: Find Your Way Up the Mountains to the Observatory
CLIFFSIDE NORTHWEST OF THE VALLEY: After escaping the FLOODED ARCHIVES with the Atlas, you emerge from a tunnel onto a ledge overlooking the valley. There's a survival cache (17/20) buried just ahead, near the right wall. Dig it up. Then follow the path to the northwest. (screenshot)
NOTE: A pop-up notifies you of a nearby challenge tomb. This is actually way down on the valley floor, so don't waste time hunting for it up here.
Follow the path to the north and you'll meet a Remnant sentry looking out over the valley. When you're done talking to him, crack open 2 salvage crates—one near where he's standing, one beneath the elevated wooden platform. Then use your grapple axe to climb onto the platform to find a document (30/33), The Remnant from the Diary of the Resistance series (Greek). Drop to the ground, grapple swing across the gap with the broken footbridge, and continue along the path, gathering salvage and other supplies, including a container with cloth and possibly a few gold coins along the way. (screenshots)
Continue along the path to a stream. On the far side, to the right, is a rock ledge with another survival cache (18/20). Ahead on the left is the Ridgeline Base Camp, and Jonah is waiting just behind the rocks on the right. (screenshot)
IMPORTANT: Approaching Jonah triggers a cutscene that will carry the story forward and prevent you from returning to the valley for a while. So, if you want to explore the Geothermal Valley, AVOID JONAH FOR NOW. Then, when you're ready to move on, return to the stairs leading up to the tower and talk to him. If you accidentally trigger the cutscene, don't worry. You'll be able to return to the valley later via fast travel.
Stop at the camp to make upgrades and unlock a journal entry, The Deathless Ones from the new document set Camp Journals III. There's also an Archivist Map (8/9) laid out on the table, plus a salvage crate and 2 supply boxes nearby. (screenshot) Get all these goodies and then carefully approach the boarded-up alcove without getting too close to Jonah. Destroy the barrier to find a relic (11/13) inside. It is an Ancient Dagger, part of The Early Inhabitants set. (screenshot)
Head down the path to the south. A little way down the hill on the left you'll see a group of people praying. Move close to them to unlock the Paying Respects Achievement for attending a funeral. (screenshots) If you didn't dig it up earlier, there's also a survival cache (10/20) nearby. (This was covered in the first Geothermal Valley walkthrough, so it isn't counted in the totals at the top of the page, but you can see the spot where it was buried in the last of these screenshots.)
NOTE: If you miss the Paying Respects Achievement, it's possible to get it later by visiting the area where the funeral took place. It's shown in these screenshots and marked on my annotated level map. If you return to the Ridgeline Base Camp from the next fast travel camp, and then head downhill to the grave site, you should find a tombstone and unlock the achievement. Later in the game this won't work, so you'll need to replay the Flooded Archives level in Chapter Replay mode (i.e., choose Expeditions from the main menu, then Chapter Replay, Flooded Archives, any difficulty level, then start). After completing the level, you'll end up back in the Geothermal Valley. Avoid the stairs leading up to the observatory, since this will end the level. Instead head down the hill to the left (south) to find the grave site and unlock the achievement.
Return up the hill toward the Ridgeline Base Camp. Again, avoid Jonah for now if you want to keep exploring here. There are 2 buried caches near the campfire: a survival cache (19/20) just to the right of the tree near the rock wall and a coin cache (9/9) to the right of the red diving board. (screenshot)
This diving board (4/4) is part of the High-Dive Challenge, which you may have started on an earlier visit to this level. To swan dive off the board, stand at the edge—or run toward the edge if that works better for you—and simultaneously press Forward and Jump, then a split second after takeoff press LT/Right Mouse/L2 to go into a dive. If it doesn't work the first time, press the Menu/Start button on the Xbox controller or Esc on the keyboard and reload the last checkpoint. Then you can try again without having to run all the way back up the hill. When you complete the fourth high dive, you'll receive XP and 2,000 Expedition Credits. You should also unlock the No Guts, No Glory Achievement. (screenshots)
NOTE: The other three high-dive locations are shown on the same page as the screenshots for this one. There are also a few tips and notes on alternate controls.
When you land in the pool after the high dive, look to the right to spot a CAVE entrance (C3 on the level map). Now that you have the REBREATHER, you can swim inside to find some magnesite and mushrooms. (screenshot) Then return outside and climb out of the water on the northeast bank. (screenshot)
CHALLENGE TOMB ENTRANCE - BATHS OF KITEZH: This clearing has the distinctive, barren look of a place that's been ravaged by a bear. Naturally, in order to explore the cave and the tomb beyond, you must defeat that bear. Details and screenshots are in the separate BATHS OF KITEZH CHALLENGE TOMB WALKTHROUGH, which also includes the Whirlpool Sanctuary Base Camp, 2 relics (12/13 and 13/13), 3 documents (31-32/33), an Archivist Map (9/9), and a codex which unlocks the Iron Grip skill.
Either before or after raiding the challenge tomb, head for the rock wall on the east side of the barren area in front of the bear's cave. Document (33/33), Autumn from the Pages of the Ledger series, is located on the flat ledge above and behind the tall tree with the rough bark. (screenshot) To reach the ledge, double-jump toward the rock wall and quickly press Interact to hook the edge with the grapple axe. Then climb up. If you can't manage this, don't worry. Just return later after completing the Copper Mill Bridge section of the SOVIET INSTALLATION and use a climbing arrow or two to reach the ledge, as described below.
REVISITING THE UPPER VILLAGE: There's no hurry to do this, but in order to get 100% completion for this level, you'll need to return to the upper village on the northeast side of the valley, where you fought all those Trinity soldiers earlier. Most of them have gone now, but stay alert as you explore, since you may run into a few enemies.
If you've just completed the BATHS OF KITEZH CHALLENGE TOMB, you may first want to fast travel to the Ruins Encampment Base Camp and head up the hill to the Remnant herbalist to tell her about your adventures. (screenshot) Remember, she gives you 10 gold coins for each tomb you raid as part of the Ancient Secrets Mission. (This was introduced in the Geothermal Valley First Visit walkthrough.) From there, follow the path past the monolith, up the hill to the north (screenshot), and on through the marsh to the village, like you did when you first visited that area.
NOTE: You could also fast travel to the Cliffside Lookout or the Cathedral Courtyard Base Camp and climb down into the village from there. Dropping down from the Cathedral Courtyard is a little tricky. It's easier to jump from the wall over to the large cabin below on the right. (screenshot)
Retrieve the last survival cache (20/20), which is buried on the west side of the village, near strongbox #8, which you probably opened earlier. (screenshot) The cache is shown on the level map and should be marked on your in-game map if you found the Explorer Satchel near the Aqueduct Ruins Base Camp.
Now step into the nearby PUMPKIN PATCH, which was not accessible when you first visited this area. Pick a pumpkin and then move past the spot where you just dug up the survival cache. Look over the barrier made of fallen trees to spot a barrel with a wooden backstop. (It will glow in Survival Instinct view if you've unlocked the Eye for Detail skill.) Hold LT/Right Mouse/L2 and use the right stick or mouse to aim at the open barrel. The angled backstop doesn't really allow you to bounce the gourd off of it but will help with targeting. If you move the white targeting circle up the front of the barrel, it disappears when it's directly over the open barrel and then reappears if you keep moving the target up the backstop. You want to hit that sweet spot where you can't see much, if any, of the white circle. When you've lined up the shot, press RT/Left Mouse/R2 to throw the pumpkin. A successful throw initiates the Tossing Gourds Challenge. To complete it, throw 4 more pumpkins into 4 more barrels, which are hidden around the village. (screenshots)
There are 2 more barrels (2/5 and 3/5) on the other side of the spiked log fence near the pumpkin patch. One is is just beyond the boulder and white birch trees near the pumpkin patch. The other is a little closer to the shelter with the strongbox, behind a spiked log fence. They're a little difficult to see (and hit) thanks to the branches in the way. Take your time and line up your shots. (screenshots)
The next barrel (4/5) is on the ledge above and behind the strongbox. For this one, I found it helped to stand fairly close and toss the pumpkin from below. You could also throw the pumpkin onto the roof of the shelter, or onto the ledge, climb up, and toss from there. (screenshots)
The last barrel (5/5) is some distance from the others. Grab a pumpkin and carry it back through the village and around to the back of the first cabin on the right. The barrel is behind another spiked log fence adjacent to the cabin. There are no obstructions, so this shot should be fairly easy compared to the others. When you've made all 5 pumpkin free throws, you'll receive a lovely XP bonus plus 2,000 Expedition Credits if it's your first time beating the challenge. (screenshots)
NOTE: If you run out of pumpkins before completing the challenge, you can reload the current checkpoint and the pumpkins will respawn; however, if you came into the village by wading though the marsh, reloading will put you way back at the ruins. So before you do this, it helps to first head toward the bonfire on the north side of the village, where you climbed the wall to the cathedral courtyard earlier, in order to trigger a new checkpoint. (screenshot) Then when you reload, you won't have to go very far.
CONTINUING THE STORY: When you're ready to move on, return to the Ridgeline Base Camp in the northwest corner of the valley and approach Jonah to trigger a series of cutscenes that will take you back to the Soviet Installation.
NOTE: Again, don't worry if you start the cutscene in the observatory too soon. You'll be able to return to the valley later to gather any missed collectibles and take care of unfinished business.
REVISITING THIS AREA LATER IN THE GAME
WHEN YOU UNLOCK CLIMBING ARROWS: If you didn't already obtain document (33/33) as described above, return to the area in front of the bear's cave with the entrance to the BATHS OF KITEZH CHALLENGE TOMB. Shoot a climbing arrow or two into the rough-barked tree shown in this screenshot, and use them to reach the ledge with the document.
Check the separate GEOTHERMAL VALLEY COLLECTIBLES GUIDE for help locating any major items you missed.
AFTER COMPLETING THE CHALLENGE TOMB IN THE LOST CITY: The final challenge tomb in the game is located in the last level: THE LOST CITY. When you've raided it, return to the Remnant herbalist near the Ruins Encampment Base Camp (screenshot/map) to complete the Ancient Secrets Mission. She'll give you 10 Byzantine coins for each tomb you've completed since you last saw her. Pess Interact to talk to her once more to complete the mission. In addition to XP, you'll receive the Sacra Umbra Outfit.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 2/5/16 - First draft of walkthrough posted online.
2/27/15 - Updated the section on completing the Ancient Secrets Mission. I had forgotten this unlocks an outfit as well.
6/5-6/7/16 - Combined first two sections of Geothermal Valley into one, resulting in the renumbering of this level from 7D to 7C. Created separate maps for the second and third visits with collectibles and challenge items noted. Fixed misnumbered document in the Baths of Kitezh Challenge Tomb section. (Whoops!)
6/9/16 - Added comprehensive valley map.
6/11/16 - Added separate collectibles guides and renumbered challenges. All were included but numbers in stats lines at the top of the walkthroughs were incorrect.
6/25/16 - Added reminder about third monolith
being accessible on 2nd or 3rd visit to the valley.
10/11/16 - Added PS4 controls.
7/15/17 - Added alternate method for obtaining document #33 using the grapple axe, thanks to a tip from Jeff Reid and TRANCID.
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