Once you reach the Great Glacier, your objective will be to find the base of Gaea's Cliff (the check mark on the map). Determine where you've landed and proceed from there. Keep in mind you WILL pass out if you don't find shelter quickly. Win your battles in swift fashion and don't waste any time moving from place to place. If you chose the left path twice, you should land in the middle of a forest. Search the far side of the forest to find a MIND SOURCE, then take the path to the right to the next area. Proceed along the edge of the lake until you can walk out onto the ice. Pick up the POTION and head for the center of the lake. Cross the ice floes* and enter the cave to find a SAFETY BIT. Return to shore and take the far-right path to the next area. Head past the lone tree, take the path to the right to the next area, and take the path in the far-right corner. Look carefully along the second section of path and you'll find an ADDED CUT MATERIA lying in the snow. Proceed to the next area and examine the edge of the left pool. Touch the hot spring and continue to the far-left to reach a swirling snowfield. Begin by heading for the far side of the area, placing flags [O] frequently to mark your course. When the snowfield begins to spin, watch the flags and try to maintain your original trajectory. Just to the left of center, you'll see a small cave. Take note of it, but ignore it for the time being and keep heading in the same direction. If all goes well, you'll reach the cabin at the base of the cliff before passing out. Go inside and talk to Holzoff in the next room. He'll tell you about Gaea's Cliff and insist you get some rest. If you do pass out (or if you pass out during any subsequent expeditions), you'll come to in Holzoff's cabin anyway. From this point on, you'll be able to return here to rest and save your game.


Return to the swirling snowfield and head for the cave you spotted earlier and go inside to pick up an ALL MATERIA. When you first exit, the mouth of the cave will be pointing directly toward the near side of the snowfield. Head left and take the path to the next area. Take the path to the left of the moai face and proceed to the next area. Enter the cave in the center of the area, pick up the ELIXIR, and return to the swirling snowfield. Cut directly across to the right side of the snowfield and take the path to the next area. Enter the cave in the far-right corner and talk to the woman huddled in the corner. Defeat her, pick up the ALEXANDER MATERIA, and sprint back to Holzoff's cabin.

*NOTES



Ice floes:
This obstacle is a classic brainteaser. You can only jump on chunks of ice when they are completely afloat (large). Jumping on an ice chunk causes all adjacent chunks to switch: afloat chunks will submerge, submerged chunks will surface. If all surrounding ice chunks are submerged, you'll fall into the lake and you'll have to start over. Basically, if you're about to jump on an ice chunk completely surrounded by afloat chunks, think again, you're about to jump the wrong way.