Biomes are the different zones that make up the mountain in PEAK, the co-op climbing game where you play as a Scout trying to reach the summit. Each one has its own look, weather and hazards, from a sunny beach and a snowy cliff to a tower full of traps. Each run climbs through a changing selection of them in order before reaching the Peak at the top.
Route Slot
Start
Shore
The permanent beach start has a crashed-plane supply point before the first cliff climb.
- Route Slot
- Opening region (1)
- Pairing
- Fixed start; it has no alternate.
- Terrain
- A long sandy beach has a broad, low Backshore with palms and rock formations, followed by a more vertical cliff.
- Main Hazards
- Jellyfish poison and knock Scouts into ragdoll; giant urchins poison on contact; weight-limited bridges can break under a group.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Crash-site gear includes a Backpack, Lantern, Flare and Bugle, plus a Compass, Guidebook, Binoculars, Flying Disc and Bing Bong plush; Coconuts and Crispberries grow locally.
- Added In
- Launch (v1.0, June 16, 2025)
Route Slot
Second leg
Tropics
Rain slicks the jungle cliffs, while climbable vines and fruit trees offer routes and supplies.
- Route Slot
- Second region (2)
- Pairing
- Shares the second slot with Roots; only one appears on an island.
- Terrain
- A jungle cliffside with large trees, thick vines and giant ivy roots; vines connect sections and take little stamina to climb.
- Main Hazards
- Rain wets exposed surfaces and slows climbing; explosive spore bombs can launch Scouts, poison bombs and ivy inflict Poison, and ticks build Poison over time.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Kingberries, Berrynanas, Clusterberries, Scorchberries and Honeycomb grow here; Big Trees can hold luggage.
- Added In
- Launch (v1.0, June 16, 2025)
Roots
Redwood platforms and bridges offer routes through wind, spore clouds and forest creatures.
- Route Slot
- Second region (2)
- Pairing
- Shares the second slot with Tropics; only one appears on an island.
- Terrain
- A swampy redwood forest with tall tree platforms, giant mushrooms, vines and bridges between trees.
- Main Hazards
- Wind gusts push Scouts and increase climbing stamina costs; spore clouds and bombs inflict Spores, while spiders, beetles and, on higher Ascents, zombies threaten the route.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Shroomberries, Medicinal Roots, Mandrakes, mushrooms and Honeycomb grow here; Bounce, Cloud, Shelf, Remedy and Warp Fungi can aid traversal or provide tools.
- Added In
- Roots Update (v1.40.a, November 5, 2025)
Route Slot
Third leg
Alpine
A snowy climb where blizzards, cold rocks and cave hazards make shelter and warmth valuable.
- Route Slot
- Third region (3)
- Pairing
- Shares the third slot with Mesa; only one appears on an island.
- Terrain
- Snowy highland cliffs with extensive caves and a hot spring near the upper slopes.
- Main Hazards
- Blizzards build Cold and cut visibility; Ice Rocks add Cold, cave Icicles can fall, Geysers erupt, and Flash Bulbs blind nearby Scouts.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Orange and Yellow Winterberries, Napberries, fungi and Magic Beans can spawn; the Hot Spring removes Cold and shelters Scouts from blizzards, with capybaras nearby.
- Added In
- Launch (v1.0, June 16, 2025)
Mesa
Shade matters on this open desert route, where fake luggage can conceal an antlion trap.
- Route Slot
- Third region (3)
- Pairing
- Shares the third slot with Alpine; only one appears on an island.
- Terrain
- A dry, hot desert divided by a broad canyon, with a plateau, caves and an Oasis.
- Main Hazards
- Direct sun adds Heat; Cacti and Tumbleweeds inflict Thorns, Tornadoes toss Scouts, Antlions hide traps behind fake luggage, cave Scorpions poison, and Dynamite can explode.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Coconuts reduce Heat, Yellow Winterberries heal Injury, and an Oasis provides shade; Scorpions can be cooked, and Aloe Vera, cave Dynamite and fungi can spawn.
- Added In
- Mesa Update (v1.20.a, August 11, 2025)
Route Slot
Fourth leg
Caldera
A lava lake crossed by rock towers and chains, with eruptions and condors near nest sites.
- Route Slot
- Fourth region (4)
- Pairing
- Paired with The Kiln; it is the fourth leg of that route.
- Terrain
- A lava lake broken by tall rock towers and chains; a temple at the far end leads to the next region.
- Main Hazards
- Lava rises and falls, exposing burning ground; eruptions burst from hot rocks, and hot-rock towers are watched by condors that can carry Scouts to their nests.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Rock-top nests can hold Eggs and Cooked Birds; chains link the towers, and the temple has an Ancient Statue and luggage.
- Added In
- Launch (v1.0, June 16, 2025)
Gloom
A purple-fog swamp where belltowers clear pockets of safety between islands and giant trees.
- Route Slot
- Fourth region (4)
- Pairing
- Paired with The Citadel; it is the fourth leg of that route.
- Terrain
- A haunted swamp with small islands and giant trees rising above purple fog, leading to the tower entrance.
- Main Hazards
- Sleepy Gloom adds Drowsy; swamp water slows movement; Flytraps hold and poison, and the Big Ghost hunts Scouts who stay too long in the fog.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Belltowers clear nearby fog, Lilypads remove the water's movement penalty, and Early Worms, Eggs, Cooked Birds, Hot Dogs and Yellow Berrynanas can appear.
- Added In
- The Final Ascent (v2.0.a, August 11, 2026)
Route Slot
Fifth leg
The Kiln
A vertical volcano shaft with narrow rock holds, lava and little natural food.
- Route Slot
- Fifth region (5)
- Pairing
- Paired with Caldera; it follows that biome in the fifth slot.
- Terrain
- The inside of a tall volcano: a deep shaft with small climbable rocks, sparse bridges and a narrow vertical route.
- Main Hazards
- On higher Ascents, lava at the bottom rises; Hot Rocks, occasional Lava Rivers, Hot Rock Bridges and Petrifying Stones punish contact.
- Food and Items Found Here
- No natural food grows here, but luggage can contain packed food. Chain Launchers, Pitons and rope tools help on walls with few footholds.
- Added In
- Launch (v1.0, June 16, 2025)
The Citadel
A vertical tower where arrow lines, floor plates and moving traps punish rushed climbing.
- Route Slot
- Fifth region (5)
- Pairing
- Paired with Gloom; it follows that biome in the fifth slot.
- Terrain
- A tall stone tower with outer and center cylinders connected by floors, broken stairs, openings and ledges.
- Main Hazards
- Arrow lines trigger wall traps; pressure plates raise spikes; swinging maces, spike rollers, buzzsaws, luggage traps and Petrifying Stones fill the climb. On higher Ascents, Sleepy Gloom rises from below.
- Food and Items Found Here
- Golden chains, ladders and climbable lamps offer routes; the entrance has a campfire and Ancient Statue. There is no natural food, so provisions come from luggage.
- Added In
- The Final Ascent (v2.0.a, August 11, 2026)
How the PEAK Biomes Fit Into One Climb
Every climb starts on the Shore, next to the crashed plane, where you salvage your first supplies. The summit, the Peak, is always the last stop. Between those two, the climb moves through four slots, and each run uses only some of the biomes plus the summit, so no single climb shows you the full set.
The order matters because it builds the challenge. The Shore is made as a place to learn the basics while your stamina, the energy bar that drains as you climb, is still full. The zones nearer the top add more dangerous hazards.
Why PEAK Biomes Change From Run to Run
Four of the slots each have two possible biomes: Tropics or Roots, Alpine or Mesa, Caldera or Gloom, and The Kiln or The Citadel. The game picks one from each pair when it builds the layout, so two climbs can look very different. Two of the pairs are tied together, since Caldera always leads into The Kiln and Gloom always leads into The Citadel.
The layout refreshes once a day, and every player gets the same island that day.
How Fog and Campfires Move You Up the Mountain
In most biomes, a fog wall blocks the way to the next zone until someone reaches the top and lights the campfire there. Lighting it clears the path, and living Scouts earn a badge for it.
The fog is also a clock. On higher difficulty settings, something starts creeping up behind you: fog in most biomes, rising lava in The Kiln, and a sleepy mist in The Citadel. You can't stop for long when that happens.
PEAK Biome Hazards and How to Handle Them
Most of the danger comes from each zone's weather and wildlife. Cold winds and blizzards push you toward caves and warmth, while the hot sun in the desert means finding shade. Rain and wind make climbing cost more stamina, so they wear you down slowly rather than all at once. Bees, spiders, scorpions, frogs and ghosts can knock you off a wall or pull you somewhere you didn't mean to go.
The volcanic zones bring heat and lava, where the ground itself can hurt you. The Citadel is a different kind of challenge, a tower full of traps where you need to watch where your hands and feet go. Across all of them, the same habits help: look over the next section before you commit, find a safe spot to rest, and bring the right tool for the zone you're entering.
Which PEAK Biomes Matter Most for Food and Gear
The third slot, Alpine or Mesa, changes the kind of kit you need most, since a cold zone and a hot one call for different things. The Caldera and The Kiln are the pair where planning pays off the most. The Caldera has natural food, such as eggs and cooked birds, but The Kiln has none, so it's worth stocking up before you climb in.
The Gloom works differently from the rest. You barely climb there, and the real threat is drowsiness, so preparing for it is different from getting ready for a steep cliff.
FAQ
How do I stay awake in the Gloom?
Keep a light source burning while you're in the mist, since any active light pushes back the Sleepy Gloom. Candlesticks and Faerie Lanterns are the usual picks for longer trips, though a Lantern clears the fog without stopping drowsiness from building. Belltowers clear the mist for good within a short range once they're lit, and the Book of Bones or the Ancient Idol can stop drowsiness from building in the first place.
How do I keep cool in the Mesa?
Direct sunlight heats you fast, so get out of it. A Parasol, a Glider or Sunscreen can block the sun while you're exposed. Aloe Vera brings down heat you've already picked up, and the Oasis has a cold pool that removes it. Crossing the plateau at night means there's no sun to deal with.
Do I need special gear for The Kiln?
Usually, yes. Some sections have few handholds or overhangs, and that's where equipment earns its keep. Chain Launchers are the top pick because they can get around the tight, circular layout. Pitons, Anti-Rope Spools and Anti-Rope Cannons help too, so if you find them early, save them unless you need them to move on.
Where do I find Yellow Winterberries?
Most Winterberry trees in the Alpine bear no fruit, and the ones that do usually carry orange berries. The better lead is the Hot Spring, where capybaras carry yellow ones on their heads. Yellow Winterberries are rare on trees and give you Bonus stamina, so they're worth the hunt.