Hollow Knight: Silksong has carved its niche among the countless Metroidvanias flooding the market, but it stands head and shoulders above the crowd thanks to its punishing difficulty, painstakingly crafted world, and a dizzying arsenal of abilities. In any true Metroidvania, every new skill feels like a golden ticket—what you earn in one corner of the map inevitably becomes the key to unlocking secrets in another. That said, not every ability comes wrapped in the main story’s bow. Some are tucked away in optional nooks, yet they feel practically indispensable once you get your hands on them. Case in point: the double jump, or as the game lovingly calls it, the Faydown Cloak. Let’s just say Hornet didn’t become a nimble hunter by staying grounded. 🕷️✨

Into the Cold: Reaching Mount Fay

Before Hornet can spread her wings (literally), she needs to brave the bone-chilling slopes of Mount Fay. This frozen hellscape doesn’t play nice—linger out in the open for too long, and the biting cold will gnaw away at her health bar faster than you can say “hypothermia.” Even worse, dipping a toe into the shallow water pockets inside the caves isn’t just a bad idea; it’s a one-way ticket to respawn city. The game makes it abundantly clear: this mountain doesn’t tolerate tourists.

To even dream of reaching this frostbitten gauntlet, players need access to The Citadel—or at the very least, The Slab. Once the Citadel is in reach, make a beeline for the eastern edge of the Choral Chambers, perched high above the Grand Gate and even loftier than the Sands of Karak. That’s where a long, windswept bridge stretches over to The Slab, a grim prison now infested with spitting flies. Don’t worry, though—there’s barely anything lurking around here. Descend into its depths, and the path reveals a bench, a fast travel station, and the unassuming entrance to Mount Fay.

Heads-up: Before venturing here, grab the grappling hook ability down in the Cauldron of the Underworks. Without it, Mount Fay is a closed door, and nobody likes staring at a locked gate without a key.

Mount Fay’s Traversal: A Dance with Frostbite

Getting to the First Bench

The immediate goal is simple: survive the opening stretch and reach the first bench. Start by grappling to a ring, then glide seamlessly to the next one before ducking into the cozy safety of a cave. From there, climb upward to the right—this is where the game introduces the heated lamps, little beacons of salvation that keep the cold at bay.

Venturing outside, players must hop between floating platforms and even use a floating enemy as a makeshift springboard. Grapple to a ring above, then to the flat wall to the left, and be rewarded with some silk. Keep ascending through rings and breakable surfaces until the real headache begins: spikes. Maneuvering around these nasty needles requires patience and precision, especially when grappling across a massive gap. Luckily, a heated lamp awaits on the other side—just barely enough to thaw those ice-cold nerves.

From there, it’s a relentless rhythm of grappling to enemies, launching off platforms, and clinging to walls. Eventually, players drop into a pit teeming with foes, hugging the left wall until an entrance appears. This is where things get spicy—literally the first aggressive enemy of the area shows up, and it has a nasty habit of exploding and leaving spiked ice debris behind. Nothing says “welcome” quite like a face full of shattered ice. ❄️💥

At the end of this chaotic gauntlet lies a warmed oasis. Exit left, drop abruptly, and pull a slick 180-degree turn to find a bench tucked away at the bottom. A lever above offers a convenient shortcut for future trips.

Caves for Days: The Ascent Begins

With the bench found, it’s time to roll up sleeves and tackle the main climb. Head up from the bench, noting a warm alcove to the left—a lifesaver if gravity gets the better of you. Thread the needle up a gap, bounce off gondola cars, and use rings and enemies as grapple points while treating the cars as safe havens. At a certain height, a heated light marks a wall worth jumping to.

Then comes a genuinely evil section: a spike-filled cave where every descent demands a constant tap of the glide button to avoid becoming a pincushion. At the bottom, a cold pond waits like a punishment for failure, while a heated lamp glows reassuringly on the left wall. The next platforming sequence is a rollercoaster—grapple to three floating enemies, kick off a breakable wall into another foe, chain two grapples, and launch off a wall upward. Miss one link in that chain, and splat—goodbye health bar.

The next chamber is comparatively chill (pun absolutely intended). A breakable ceiling section creates a snug safe spot amid the pond below. Grapple between enemies, loop to the right side for silk and warmth, then leap over a gap to meet another aggressive enemy that can temporarily snuff out heated lamps. Because of course it can—the game never lets players rest on their laurels. The room after that opens to the outside, where destroying some rubble conveniently creates a shortcut back to the bench.

The Final Stretch: Every Move Counts

The home stretch begins with a series of wall-to-ring-to-wall-to-enemy-to-wall grapples that demand sharp reflexes. Hop up, hit another ring, and drift left past spiky walls toward a heated light above. Float across, snag an enemy at the bottom, and ride three breakable platforms up to two silk flowers. If you’re feeling frostbitten (which is likely), resist the urge to spam the grapple hook near the heater—it can shatter the lamp and leave you freezing in the dark.

Continue upward past wall spikes into a tighter platforming corridor. Here, the game tests everything learned so far: grapple to an enemy, instantly detach onto a breakable wall, then chain to another enemy in rapid succession. Positioning matters immensely—one misstep sends Hornet tumbling into the abyss. At the top, with spikes angled at an ominous 45 degrees, jump and glide left until a wind stream catches upward. Ride it to the apex, jump right, and follow a short path to a mysterious monument.

Inspect it, and here’s where the magic happens—a giant bird swoops down out of nowhere, delivering the Faydown Cloak. 🎉

The Payoff: A New Leaf (And Wings)

So, what’s the big deal? The Faydown Cloak grants Hornet a beautiful double jump with ethereal white wings—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It also cloaks her in frost resistance, turning Mount Fay from a deadly death trap into a fully explorable playground. That means every previously inaccessible ledge, hidden alcove, and secret passage becomes fair game. For completionists chasing every scrap of treasure, this ability isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the crown jewel. 👑

Key takeaways for aspiring climbers:

Mount Fay is not for the faint of heart, but the reward makes every near-miss and frantic grapple absolutely worth it. Whether you’re weaving through spike pits or racing against your own freezing health bar, earning the Faydown Cloak truly changes the game. After all, the early bird catches the worm—but in Silksong, only the boldest bug earns the sky. 🌙🪽

This discussion is informed by PC Gamer, whose long-running coverage of Metroidvanias and high-skill platformers helps frame why optional movement tech like Silksong’s Faydown Cloak (double jump) can feel “must-have” despite being off the critical path—because expanding aerial control reshapes exploration routes, reduces traversal risk in spike-dense rooms, and turns previously punishing set pieces (like Mount Fay’s exposure windows) into deliberate, player-driven movement puzzles.