ARC Raiders Pendola Pass Map Guide: Layout, Danger Zones and What to Expect

Pendola Pass is the biggest new addition coming to ARC Raiders with the Frozen Trail update. The snowy mountain region takes Raiders beyond the peaks surrounding the Rust Belt and introduces a completely different environment built around vertical terrain, enclosed locations, environmental hazards, and new PvE threats.

The map is scheduled to arrive on October 8, 2026. Before deploying for the first time, it is worth understanding the basic layout and the areas that are likely to create the most dangerous encounters. If you are preparing your stash and planning to buy ARC Raiders Items, learning the map structure should come before deciding exactly what gear to bring.

Pendola Pass Map Layout

Pendola Pass is an old Italian village and former Exodus transport hub. Unlike a simple open-field map, the region combines narrow mountain routes with buildings, underground areas, and major landmarks.

Several locations have already been confirmed:

A supermarket
An abandoned town square
An observatory
A buried train depot
The fallen Emperor
The area surrounding the Frigate

The map's vertical design is particularly important. Players will have to think about elevation as well as distance when moving between locations. High ground can provide useful visibility, but exposed mountain routes can also leave you vulnerable to both ARC machines and other Raiders.

The Fallen Emperor

The fallen Emperor is one of the main points of interest on Pendola Pass.

Rare technology can be found inside the fallen ARC machine, making it an obvious destination for Raiders looking for valuable loot. However, it is also likely to become one of the most contested areas because the reward is directly tied to the reason players are visiting the new map.

Do not treat the Emperor as a simple loot room. Expect other players to be interested in the same objective, while ARC forces can create additional pressure around the area.

Flash Freeze Is a Major Danger

The biggest environmental threat on Pendola Pass is Flash Freeze.

When the weather changes, Raiders caught in exposed areas can quickly find themselves in serious danger. The correct response is to move toward enclosed buildings or designated shelter instead of attempting to continue crossing open terrain.

This changes how you should plan routes.

Before leaving a building, look for the next available piece of cover. A route that appears short on the map may become extremely dangerous if a Flash Freeze starts while you are halfway across it.

Avalanche Shelters also provide important protection, so learning their locations should be one of the first priorities after the map launches.

The Town and Transport Areas

The old village provides a mixture of interiors and open spaces. The supermarket and surrounding buildings offer enclosed routes that can be useful during bad weather, but they can also create close-range encounters.

The town square is more exposed. Crossing it without checking nearby buildings can leave you vulnerable to players positioned around the surrounding structures.

The buried train depot is another important landmark because underground and enclosed areas naturally create different combat situations from the mountain routes above.

The Frigate Danger Zone

The Frigate is one of the most dangerous encounters connected to Pendola Pass.

This enormous ARC vessel patrols the area after the Emperor falls. Raiders can board it and fight their way through its internal passages while searching for valuable rewards.

The Frigate introduces the Hydra, a large stationary ARC defense system made up of three independently operating sections. Close-quarters fights, limited escape routes, and other squads competing for the same objective can make this encounter particularly risky.

It should be treated as a dedicated high-risk activity rather than a normal loot stop.

What About Extraction Points?

One important detail is that the complete extraction-point layout has not been officially revealed yet. That means players should avoid relying on unofficial maps that claim to show every fixed exit before the map is live.

The safest approach is to learn extraction locations during the first few deployments and always identify a fallback route before committing to a high-value area.

Best Way to Prepare

Once Pendola Pass launches, focus your first runs on learning the terrain rather than chasing maximum loot.

Bring equipment that works at different ranges, keep enough healing and defensive supplies for unexpected encounters, and always keep nearby cover in mind.

The new ARC Raiders Items introduced with Frozen Trail will also give players additional options for dealing with the map's movement and combat challenges.

Pendola Pass is designed around more than simple point-to-point looting. Its vertical terrain, Flash Freeze events, fallen Emperor, Frigate, and new ARC enemies all encourage Raiders to think about positioning before committing to a fight.

The first few runs should be about learning the map. Once you know the safest routes, shelter locations, major landmarks, and extraction options, Pendola Pass will become much easier to navigate.