Where to Find Steel Cables in ARC Raiders: Pendola Pass Observatory Route
The best place to find steel cables in ARC Raiders is the Observatory kitchen on Pendola Pass, where one run gave us five before we had finished searching. Enter through a window, search the kitchen cabinets and drawers first, then check the tables, chairs, and dustbin.
The team here at MetaForge tested this route on Pendola Pass, and the sections below cover the loadout, the spawn distance that makes the trip worthwhile, and the order to search in.
What Steel Cables Are Used For
Steel cables are the material you need to upgrade your Outpost from level 1 to level 2 in ARC Raiders, and the Steel Cable entry lists 3 for that upgrade. Embark’s preview describes the Outpost as a home away from home for Raiders exploring Pendola Pass.
The same preview introduces the Research Workstation for weapon customization. One Observatory run gave us five cables, which covers the level 2 upgrade, so bring them back to your Outpost and upgrade it.
What to Bring for the Observatory Run
You can use any loadout you are comfortable with, but bring a 
Snap Hook or a 
Grappling Hook. Either gadget lets you climb through the Observatory windows, which is the safest way into the room, so equip it before you reach the building and use it at the nearest window.
They are separate items in MetaForge’s database, and the Snap Hook uses 2 Steel Cable to craft while the Grappling Hook uses none. Craft the Grappling Hook first if you still need a gadget and want to keep your cables for the Outpost.
When the Observatory is Worth the Trip
Go to the Observatory when your spawn is under about 600 meters away, and skip it when you spawn farther out. Under that distance you can usually reach the room in time to loot it properly, while longer trips are rarely worth the run in our testing.
Embark’s August 12 announcement describes the new map’s setting as once home to villages, factories, research facilities, and an observatory.
The 600 meter figure is a judgment call from our runs, not a game rule, and the spawn we tested from was not ideal but still doable. Measure your own spawn on the ARC Raiders Interactive Map before you commit, and treat distances there as estimates.
Example Scenario (hypothetical): You spawn on the far side of the map, well beyond 600 meters from the Observatory. You skip it and look for a closer objective, rather than spend the raid travelling. This is an illustration of the decision, not a recorded result.
How to Loot the Observatory for Steel Cables
Follow these steps in order to reach the kitchen quickly and search the room without wasting time:
- Equip your gadget: Equip your Snap Hook or Grappling Hook before you reach the building.
- Climb through a window: Use the gadget to get in through one of the windows on either side of the Observatory.
- Run to the kitchen: Go straight to the back of the room, where the kitchen sits.
- Search every cabinet and drawer: Open all of them, since our first steel cable turned up in the kitchen.
- Check the tables, chairs, and dustbin: Search the rest of the room, including the dustbin, where we also found a steel cable.
- Exit and extract: Leave through the door, drop down to the left, and head to extract.
What You Can Find in the Observatory
The kitchen holds several items you may need besides steel cables. The table below lists what we picked up in one run and where each item is used, according to MetaForge’s database.
| Item | Amount in our run | Where we found it | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel cable | 5 by the time we tallied, more afterward | Kitchen cabinets and drawers, plus a dustbin | Outpost Level 2 upgrade (3 needed) |
| Epoxy Bucket | 3 | Kitchen first, then the rest of the room | Outpost Level 3 upgrade (3 needed) |
| Calculator | 2 | Kitchen | Research Station Level 2 upgrade (3 needed) |
 Adrenaline Shot | Many | Kitchen and tables | Restores stamina when used |
We also found a key, thermal shakers, and pumps, which we did not count or check against the database. These counts come from one run and are not drop rates.
Pick up the epoxy buckets and calculators if you are working toward Outpost Level 3 or Research Station Level 2.
Windows or Doors: Which Entry to Use
Use the windows. The doors lead to ice you have to break open, and a 
Shredder waits on the other side, while a window gives you a quick in and out. A pop and fireball can happen when you enter, but it is far easier to handle than the Shredder.
| Entry | What you need | Main risk | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Snap Hook or Grappling Hook | Pop and fireball on entry | Recommended |
| Doors | Break open the ice | Shredder behind the ice | Avoid |
Hook through a window, and read the Shredder entry in our database before you consider the doors.
Start Your Outpost Level 2 Upgrade with One Observatory Run
You can now run the route yourself: check your spawn distance, equip a Snap Hook or Grappling Hook, hook through a window, and clear the kitchen. Bring the cables back to your Outpost and start the level 2 upgrade, then hold the epoxy buckets for Level 3.
Once the Outpost is upgraded, put the Research Workstation to work on weapon customization. Then try Redirection on your next Pendola Pass run, and track active windows on ARC Raiders Event Timers, where timer data is an estimate and may not match your game exactly.
FAQs
Do you need the Frozen Trail update to reach Pendola Pass in ARC Raiders?
Yes, Pendola Pass in ARC Raiders is only available with the Frozen Trail update, which launched on October 8, 2026, so the Observatory steel cable route requires it. Install the update, then queue for Pendola Pass; our Frozen Trail hub covers the rest of the update.
Can Redirection payloads drop steel cables in ARC Raiders?
No steel cables appear in the documented early-access Redirection payload loot, which lists couplers plus the Pneumatic Actuator and Pressure Regulator. The Observatory kitchen on Pendola Pass remains the better source for steel cables, so run it instead of waiting on a Redirection payload to drop near you.
Does the Frigate affect steel cable runs on Pendola Pass?
Yes, the Frigate can affect Observatory runs, because it is a map condition shown under the map name that early reports place on Pendola Pass. We have not tested its effect on the Observatory, so check the map condition before you queue and expect more squads nearby.
What should you do if the Observatory in ARC Raiders is already looted?
If the Observatory cabinets and drawers are already open, other Raiders have likely looted the room. Check the kitchen quickly, take any steel cables that remain, and extract instead of searching every table, then try the route again on a later run with a closer spawn.
