If you're treating Cairn like a button-masher, you're going to spend most of your time watching Aava tumble down Mount Kami. The stamina system isn't just another meter to ignore, it's the difference between reaching the summit and becoming a cautionary tale. Here's the thing: most players burn through their energy in the first ten seconds, panic when their arms start shaking, and wonder why they can't grab the next hold. Let me show you how to actually survive this mountain.
Why Does Stamina Matter?
Every movement costs energy. That reach for the overhead hold? Energy. Pulling yourself up that ledge? More energy. Hanging from one arm while you figure out your next move? You're draining fast. What most players miss is that stamina in Cairn simulates real climbing physics—your body weight, limb positioning, and hold quality all affect how quickly you fatigue.
When Aava's stamina drops too low, you'll see visual warnings. Her limbs shake. Her breathing gets rapid and panicked. Your controller vibrates. These aren't just cosmetic touches, they're your last chance to find a safe position before you fall.
Warning
Ignoring the shaking means accepting the fall. Once fatigue sets in completely, Aava lets go whether you want her to or not.
The game tracks stamina depletion based on your climbing posture. Overextended reaches drain energy faster. Hanging from poor holds accelerates fatigue. Even your grip strength deteriorates over time, making each subsequent move more costly than the last.
Cairn Stamina System Guide
How to Recover Energy While Climbing
You have three primary methods for recovering stamina, and knowing when to use each one separates survivors from corpses.
The Shake-Out Recovery When you find a stable position—meaning three limbs securely placed and no shaking—hit Triangle on PlayStation, Y on Xbox, or Q on PC. Aava shakes out her tired limbs, and you'll see a colored flash indicating your recovery status:
- Green flash: Full recovery achieved, you're good to continue
- Yellow flash: Minimal recovery, you're still in danger and need a better rest spot immediately
The key here is finding genuinely stable positions. You can't just stop anywhere and expect a full recovery. Look for ledges, large holds, or positions where your weight distributes evenly across multiple contact points.
Hanging from Pitons This is your nuclear option for stamina recovery. When you place a piton and go off belay (attach yourself to it), your stamina bar fully restores regardless of your position. The catch? Pitons are limited resources, and you need them for checkpoints to prevent catastrophic falls.
Pro tip: Save piton recoveries for sections where you've climbed past your last checkpoint and desperately need energy. Don't waste them on casual rest stops.
Bivouac Camping Setting up camp at a bivouac gives you complete recovery—stamina, health, everything. You'll also get the chance to cook food, drink water, and repair damaged gear. Think of bivouacs as your hard save points before tackling particularly brutal wall sections.
Important
Bivouacs require flat surfaces. You can't set up camp while dangling from a cliff face, so plan your climbing routes around these natural rest areas.
The Center of Gravity System
Here's what the tutorial barely explains: Aava has a center of gravity that shifts based on limb placement. If you lean too far in any direction without proper support, physics takes over and you're going down.
The game gives you feedback through body positioning. Watch Aava's torso—if she's leaning heavily to one side or stretching awkwardly between holds, her center of gravity is off. This creates instability, which burns stamina faster and increases fall risk.
Maintaining balance requires:
- Keeping three points of contact whenever possible
- Positioning your weight over your feet, not hanging from your arms
- Making controlled, deliberate movements instead of desperate lunges
- Using your legs to push upward rather than pulling with your arms
Real climbers know this instinctively: legs are stronger than arms. When you spot a high foothold, crouch into it and explode upward. This technique conserves arm stamina while giving you reach to previously impossible handholds.
Cairn Stamina System Guide
Reading Your Body's Warning Signs
The game communicates Aava's physical state through multiple channels. Audio cues often arrive before visual ones—listen for breathing patterns. Calm, controlled breathing means you're managing well. Fast, panicked gasps mean you're pushing too hard and need to rest immediately.
Controller vibration intensity correlates with fatigue level. Light rumbles indicate minor strain. Heavy, sustained vibration means you're seconds from losing grip. On PC with mouse and keyboard, you'll rely more heavily on visual cues since you lose the haptic feedback.
Manual Limb Control
The automatic limb selection tries to help, but it frequently makes terrible decisions. You'll reach for a handhold when you desperately need to move a foot. The AI doesn't understand your intended route—only you do.
On PlayStation, hold R1 and use the left stick to manually select which specific limb moves next. Xbox players use RB plus left stick. PC climbers hold Spacebar and scroll with the mouse wheel to cycle through limbs.
This manual override becomes essential during complex sequences. You'll want to specifically place your left foot on that small edge, then reach with your right hand to the crack above, then bring your right foot up to match. The AI can't predict this three-move sequence—you need to execute it manually.
Tip
Practice manual limb selection on easy sections until it becomes muscle memory. When you're hanging from an overhang with failing stamina, you won't have time to fumble through the controls.
Route Planning Prevents Stamina Disasters
Before you start climbing any new section, use the free-cam mode. Hit L1 on PlayStation, LB on Xbox, or Tab on PC to pause and scout the wall. You're looking for:
- Natural rest ledges where you can fully recover
- Sequences of good holds that won't drain stamina excessively
- Dead ends or trap routes that look climbable but have terrible holds
- Alternative paths if your primary route looks too demanding
The best climbers in Cairn spend more time planning than actually moving. Each wall section functions like a puzzle—there's usually an optimal path that respects your stamina limitations. Rushing blindly upward guarantees you'll hit a section with no good holds and insufficient energy to backtrack.
Resource Management for Extended Climbs
Your chalk bag isn't just a cosmetic detail. Using chalk improves grip quality, which reduces the stamina cost of each hold. Hit 4 on PC or D-Pad Right on console to apply chalk. The effect is temporary, so reapply before difficult sections.
Finger tape serves a similar function, it protects your hands and helps maintain grip endurance over long climbs. You'll find both resources scattered around the mountain or in your bivouac supplies.
Essential items for stamina management:
- Chalk: Reduces hold stamina drain
- Finger tape: Prevents grip deterioration
- Water: Affects stamina regeneration rate
- Food: Provides temporary stamina buffs when cooked at bivouac
Don't hoard resources. If you're struggling with a section, use your supplies. Finding more chalk is easier than recovering from a fatal fall.
Advanced Recovery Techniques
Once you've mastered basic stamina management, you can start optimizing your climbing efficiency. Experienced climbers use these techniques:
Dynamic movement conservation: Instead of static reaches that drain stamina continuously, use quick, dynamic movements to grab distant holds. You'll spend less total energy on a controlled lunge than slowly reaching while your arms shake.
Downclimbing for better positions: Sometimes the best way up is temporarily going down. If you've climbed into a bad position with no good holds above, downclimb to a previous rest spot and find an alternative route. Fighting gravity costs less stamina than opposing it.
Traversing instead of ascending: Horizontal movement often costs less energy than vertical. If you're low on stamina, traverse to a better line with easier holds rather than forcing the direct route upward.
Putting It All Together
Stamina management in Cairn isn't about memorizing button combinations—it's about reading the mountain, understanding your body's limits, and making smart decisions under pressure. Every climb becomes a negotiation between ambition and energy reserves.
Start each new wall section by scouting with free-cam. Identify your rest points before you begin climbing. Move deliberately, maintain three points of contact, and use your legs whenever possible. Watch for warning signs—shaking limbs, rapid breathing, controller vibration. When you see them, stop and recover properly.
Place pitons regularly as safety nets and emergency recovery stations. Use chalk and tape to improve grip efficiency. Cook food at bivouacs for stamina buffs before tackling particularly brutal sections.
Most importantly, learn from every fall. Each one teaches you where you pushed too hard, rested too late, or chose the wrong route. For more climbing fundamentals, check out our Cairn Beginners Guide. And if you're struggling with the controls themselves, our Cairn Controls & Input Guide breaks down every button and technique you need to master. The summit of Mount Kami is waiting. You just need need to take a breather to reach it.