PEAK Beginner Guide: Done the Mountain Essentials

After your crash landing in PEAK, gather essential tools, grab coconuts, and get ready to manage your stamina and hunger. Learn how your backpack works, cook food only once, and always stick with your teammates. Help others climb, dodge poison, and travel light. Don’t trust green berries or shaking bridges — and check the PEAK Food Table to avoid deadly snacks.

This PEAK beginner guide covers everything you need to know to survive your first climb. From managing stamina and food to supporting your team, every decision counts. Follow these core tips and make it out alive — or at least further up the mountain.

First Steps After a Crash

Once you wake up at the crash site, don’t wander off. First, grab a stone or any object that can be thrown — you’ll need it to break coconuts. Next, collect a few coconuts from nearby trees. Toss them hard to crack them open. Each coconut gives you two edible halves that can be cooked at the nearby fire.

Make sure to equip your backpack — it’s the fourth inventory slot and can hold extra items. You can’t open it while wearing it, so put it on the ground when you want to move items in or out. Keep it light early on and prioritize food, antidotes, and light tools.

PEAK Essentials: Stamina

Your stamina is your lifeline. The green bar shows how much energy you have to climb. Hunger lowers your max stamina, while heavy backpacks, poison, and fatigue all shrink it further. Resting or eating cooked food restores it. Boosts like energy drinks add temporary stamina (shown in lime green) that won’t regenerate once used.

Avoid Overpacking

Carrying too much makes climbing harder. A heavy backpack shrinks your stamina bar, and extra weight slows movement. Take only what helps survival — food, healing, rope tools — and skip bugles or toys unless you're just vibing.

Use Rope Cannons for Vertical Gaps

Rope cannons help you go up, while chain launchers are better for horizontal crossings. Don’t waste them on small jumps — save rope aids for areas with no climbable path. Remember, the rope is short, so don’t aim too high.

Beware the Bridges

Bridges aren’t always safe. If one starts shaking under you, you have about five seconds before it breaks. Run or jump fast. Even if a teammate crossed it safely, it might collapse on your turn. Always plan your next move before stepping on a bridge.

Look Sideways Before You Climb

Sometimes the straight path up isn’t the safest one. If a climb looks too steep or dangerous, try circling around or heading down briefly — the mountain often hides easier routes just off the obvious track.

Give a Friendship Hand

Helping others is essential in co-op. Press RMB (Right Mouse Button) while facing a teammate to pull them up. You can also throw them items, let them stand on your head by crouching, or carry their backpack if needed. Reviving someone with a First Aid Kit is possible, and placing a flare can help teammates find you. But beware of friendly trolling — some players might hand you poisonous food "for science." It’s risky, but often played for laughs in squads.

Food is Necessary and Might Be Dangerous

Hunger slowly reduces your maximum stamina, so you must eat often. Cooked food gives more stamina, but only if cooked once — cooking twice resets the benefit, and a third cook will poison you. You can cook food at any campfire, portable stove, or even the plane wreck's fire. Coconuts, berries, and mushrooms are common, but not all are safe. Packaged food from luggage (like trail mix or energy drinks) can’t be cooked, but they’re reliable. See PEAK Food Table to tell helpful food from poison. Stick to red and yellow berries early on, avoid green or speckled mushrooms, and always test new food on flat ground.

Overall

PEAK is a test of awareness, teamwork, and survival instincts. Every decision, from what you pack to when you rest, matters. Learn to manage your stamina, watch what you eat, and always support your team. Don’t rush the climb — observe the terrain, respect the hazards, and use every tool wisely. With practice, planning, and a few cracked coconuts, you'll not only survive the mountain but start to master it.