The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/Ice Cavern

'Long ago, when arctic winds whipped through Zora's Fountain, a temple of ice stood there. Over time, it melted into the lake. However, the cavernous hot springs of the fountain are starting to resemble another one...'

An Arctic Wind
Navi will mention that an arctic wind is blowing from Zora's Domain. That is your next destination. Head to Zora's River. When you are near the end of the path, it will begin to snow. When you get inside Zora's Domain, you will find that it has completely frozen over! The King and the shop entrance are frozen solid as well. When you head out to Zora's Fountain, you will find that Jabu-Jabu is no longer there, but a series of ice platforms leading to a cave. That cave is the Ice Cavern, your next dungeon. Be careful of the Octocroks and make your way towards the cavern.

Note: Before attempting this dungeon, make sure your bottles are empty before filling them with Blue Fire. You can find bottles throughout your quest before attempting this.

The Ice Cavern
Make your way down the frozen path, being wary of icicles that may fall from the ceiling. When the room widens out into a large area with a frozen floor, you will encounter three frozen enemies called "Freezards". You may destroy them with the weapon of your choosing. They are able to freeze you. When this happens, tap your buttons to break free. Be careful of the Blade Trap circling the room. If you play the song of storms in the middle of the room, a fairy will appear restoring your full health.

Note: There is an invisible Freezard that follows wherever you walk in the room, keep that in mind as you make your way to the other side.

Silver Rupees
Head north into the next hallway. Cut your way through the stalagmites and enter the next major room. A frozen, spinning scythe is located directly in the center of the room. When a blade comes towards you, duck using your shield. To progress, you will need to gather the Silver Rupees in the room. Three rupees are easy to find, but are also located in the scythe's path. There is another silver rupee behind three blue stalagmites in the corner (to the left as you first enter the room, there is also a gold skulltula above that rupee). The last rupee hangs above the room. To reach it, climb up the cliff in the back of the room and jump out to grab the rupee. The door at the top of the cliff will now unlock. Climb up and go through it.

Blue Fire
Continue along the path until you enter a wider room. This room contains a new kind of Keese, the Ice Keese. Upon impact, they will freeze you. Even worse, they do not lose their freezing effect once they touch you. The best method of attack against Ice Keese is the bow and arrows. You can also use your hookshot once you target them.

Climb up onto the ledge near the front of the room. Move slowly along it and eliminate the Freezard at the end. Jump to the platform on the left, and jump to the next platform. It contains a pillar which houses an altar of Blue Fire. Blue fire can be used to melt the Red Ice that you've seen around Zora's Domain and thus far in the Ice Cavern. Store Blue Fire in a bottle.

Use the Blue Fire to unfreeze the large chest within the room. It contains the Dungeon Map. Return to the room with the scythe.

Look to the left and right from the cliff where you emerge from the Dungeon Map room. You should see two bits of ice that have an red tinge near their base. These are barriers that can be melted with Blue Fire. Melt the barrier on the left (west side) first, and go down the hall. You may want to get in the middle of the next room and run in a small circle a few times to get rid of falling icicles.

You should find yourself in a room containing another Blue Fire altar. Unfreeze the chest. It contains the Compass. Make your way back to the scythe room and look for the other "barrier" with a red-tinge base on the east side of the room. Melt the wall, then make your way down the hall and into the next major room.

Block Puzzle
To progress, you will need to collect all Silver Rupees while moving a sliding block in the correct direction to get them. Grab the block from its east side and push forward. Now, climb on top of it, and use it to reach the silver rupee on top of the tall stone block. Go to the south side of the block, and push it north. Get on top of it, and climb into the small alcove. Use your remaining bottle of Blue Fire to melt the Red Ice and take the Silver Rupee inside. Drop back down out of the alcove and push the ice block to the east or west and off the cliff to make it re-appear at the entrance to the room.

Now, grab the block from its north side and push it south. Get on the ice block and use it to reach the silver rupee on top of the rock. Grab onto the east side of the stone block and push it west. Get on top of the ice block, and grab the silver rupee on top of the stone. Jump back down and get on the south side of the ice block. Push it to the north. Grab the silver rupee from the stone that the ice block has to come rest on, and the door will open.

Hop on the ice block's east side and push it to the west, then get on its north side and push it south. Get on the ice block and jump over to the Blue Fire. Refill your bottles with Blue Fire. Drop back down to the ground, and push the block from its west side going east. Now, push it north going south. The block will run into the wall. Jump up onto the block, and jump diagonally to the doorway. Eliminate the Freezards along the way and melt the wall of Red Ice you encounter.

The Iron Boots
Continue along the path and you should come to a large, decorative room. Here, you will fight the White Wolfos, a slightly larger version of a normal Wolfos. Defeat it the way you would a normal Wolfos. You can stun it with a Deku Nut when it drops guard and jump slash it. Once it is dead, a chest will generate. Retrieve the Iron Boots from it. They will allow you to walk underwater.

As soon as you obtain the Iron Boots, Sheik will appear before you. It is revealed that the Zora's have been sealed under the ice. The source of this great freeze is the monster in the Water Temple. Unless it is destroyed, the ice will never melt. Sheik managed to save Ruto though. She already went to the temple. Sheik then teaches you the melody that will lead you to the Water Temple, the Serenade of Water.

 The Serenade of Water :


 * Nintendo 64: A, C-down, C-right, C-right, C-left
 * Nintendo GameCube: A, Z, X, X, Y
 * Wii Classic Controller: A, ZR, X, X, Y
 * Nintendo 3DS: L, R, Y, Y, X

There is a small square of water behind the chest you got the boots from. Equip your new boots and move along the underwater path. Be careful, if you stay underwater too long, you will drown. Enter the sliding door, and you will find yourself in the room with the spinning choppers. Simply take the hallway to the right after jumping off the cliff, and make your way out of the dungeon from there, but bottle up some Blue Fire before you leave.

The Zora Tunic
Return to Zora's Domain and unfreeze King Zora with your bottle of Blue Fire. He will reward you with the Zora Tunic, a garment that will allow you to breathe underwater. It is also a good thing to keep a second bottle of Blue Fire with you so that you can unfreeze the Zora Shop entrance as well. You can buy a Zora Tunic here, but it costs 300 Rupees. If you already have the Zora Tunic, King Zora will give you a kiss instead.

Note: This is your chance to get the Biggoron Sword. You can attempt this after you unfreeze him with Blue Fire. Present him with the prescription and get ready to run and if you have Epona, ride to Lake Hylia.