What is the best strategy for placing portals in the Mountains biome?

The Mountains biome in Valheim is one of the most challenging areas to navigate due to its steep terrain, freezing temperatures, and dangerous enemies like Drakes and Stone Golems. Efficient portal placement is critical for survival and resource gathering. To begin, you’ll need to craft portals using Fine Wood, Surtling Cores, and Greydwarf Eyes. Always carry portal materials with you when exploring the Mountains, as you’ll need to establish quick escape routes or fast travel points.\n\nWhen entering the Mountains biome for the first time, prioritize finding a relatively flat area near the base of the mountain. This location should be easily accessible from other biomes, such as the Black Forest or Meadows, to ensure you can quickly return if needed. Place your first portal here and name it something memorable, like ''MountainBase.'' This portal will serve as your primary entry point and a safe fallback location if things go wrong.\n\nAs you ascend the mountain, look for natural landmarks such as large rock formations, silver veins, or abandoned stone structures. These areas are ideal for placing additional portals because they are easy to spot and often contain valuable resources. For example, if you find a silver vein, place a portal nearby and name it ''SilverMine1.'' This allows you to quickly return to mine the silver and transport it back to your base without risking multiple trips through dangerous terrain.\n\nOne common challenge in the Mountains biome is the freezing effect, which drains your health over time unless you have Frost Resistance Mead or Wolf Armor. To mitigate this, place portals near sheltered areas, such as caves or under overhangs, where you can warm up by a fire. For instance, if you find a cave with a fire source, set up a portal inside and name it ''MountainShelter.'' This provides a safe haven to recover health and stamina before continuing your exploration.\n\nAnother important consideration is enemy spawns. Drakes and Stone Golems are particularly dangerous and can destroy your portals if left unchecked. To protect your portals, build a small stone or wood enclosure around them. This prevents enemies from targeting the portal directly and gives you time to react if attacked. For example, if you place a portal near a Drake nest, surround it with a stone wall and name it ''DrakeNestPortal.'' This ensures your portal remains intact even during combat.\n\nFor experienced players, consider creating a network of interconnected portals across multiple mountain peaks. This allows you to quickly traverse the biome and access different resource-rich areas. For example, if you find a peak with multiple silver veins, place a portal there and name it ''PeakSilver.'' Then, connect it to other portals in the biome for efficient resource gathering and exploration.\n\nFinally, always carry extra portal materials and a hammer when exploring the Mountains. If you encounter an unexpected challenge, such as a sudden blizzard or a swarm of enemies, you can quickly set up a new portal to escape. For example, if you’re caught in a blizzard, find a sheltered spot, place a portal, and name it ''EmergencyExit.'' This ensures you can retreat to safety and return later with better preparation.\n\nIn summary, the best strategy for placing portals in the Mountains biome involves careful planning, resource management, and enemy awareness. By establishing a network of well-protected portals near key landmarks and resources, you can navigate this dangerous biome with confidence and efficiency.