The ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector is a handheld gadget for finding buried objects in the snow on Pendola Pass and in sand on Riven Tides. When active, its antenna gives visual and audible proximity feedback; the beeps become faster as you approach a hidden object.
It can be found through scavenging. Current crafting data also lists a Workbench recipe of 2 Calculators, 1 Dockmaster’s Detector and 3 Magnets. The detector does not make an object appear automatically; you use its feedback to narrow down where the buried item sits.
ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector acquisition and recipe
Mountaineer’s Detector is a Rare quick-use gadget introduced in Frozen Trail. It weighs 1.0 and has a listed sell value of 2,000 Coins. Scavenging is a documented source, while the item-crafting index lists a Workbench recipe using two Calculators, one Dockmaster’s Detector and three Magnets.
The ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector is not listed as a current quest reward. It is separate from the Dockmaster’s Detector, which was used for buried sand objects; the new version works on snow as well as sand.
How to use the Detector on Pendola Pass
Equip the gadget in a quick-use slot and activate it in snowy terrain. You move at a slow walk while it scans. Pay attention to the antenna, on-screen feedback and audible beeps. If the beeps speed up as you advance, you are getting closer to a detectable buried object.
Sweep an area in a short pattern rather than sprinting past it. The ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector is a proximity tool: its main value comes from following the changing feedback until you reach the concealed object.
Detector energy and recharge
The gadget has an energy meter that drops while scanning and refills when it is no longer in use. Starting a new scan consumes a small immediate portion of energy, so repeatedly tapping it wastes energy compared with scanning for a continuous period.
The ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector shares one energy meter across all equipped detectors. Carrying several does not multiply your total scan duration or bypass the recharge mechanic.
Where it works: snow and sand
Pendola Pass has snowy surfaces, while Riven Tides has the older sand-search gameplay. The Mountaineer’s Detector is explicitly described as useful in both environments. It locates buried objects, not regular loot chests or other players.
With the ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector, look for accessible open terrain where concealed objects are plausible. A faster beep indicates proximity, not the guaranteed rarity or exact reward inside the hidden cache.
How to craft the Detector from collected materials
Save two Calculators from Technological or Electrical loot and three Magnets from your scavenging runs. You also need a Dockmaster’s Detector. Current crafting records place the Mountaineer’s Detector recipe at the Workbench, while the separate item-source listing also confirms scavenging.
Check your workshop’s live recipe before recycling the Dockmaster’s Detector: it is a required ingredient for the ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector in the Workbench recipe. Crafting consumes those component items.
Mountaineer Detector versus camera and other gadgets
The camera records photographs and quest evidence. The detector identifies proximity to buried objects. A Grappling Hook changes movement; a Tether Launcher connects two points. These are distinct loadout purposes even though all are found among Frozen Trail’s expanded gadgets.
Use the ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector when searching for buried materials, especially on a snow run where the visual terrain gives no obvious clue. Switch back to your firearm when a threat appears, since scanning reduces movement speed.
Why the detector seems unresponsive
Confirm that the gadget is actively scanning, the energy meter has enough charge and you are in terrain that supports the buried-object mechanic. Listen for how the beeps change as you move. An area with no nearby detectable object will not yield a positive signal.
The ARC Raiders Mountaineer’s Detector does not guarantee a nearby object every time you use it. Its value is saving time on searches when there is one within detection range.
Official game source: Embark Studios Frozen Trail 2.0 release notes.
