Glacial Basin

The Glacial Basin is a large above-ground biome in Subnautica: Below Zero that is accessed from either the Glacial Bay or the Glacial Connection. Players accessing the biome through the Glacial Bay will find themselves near the Phi Robotics Center. Players taking the latter route will find themselves surfacing a lake in the southern portion of the biome. The biome plays a vital role in Samantha Ayou's part of the story.
The biome borders the Glacial Bay and Glacial Connection.
== Description==
The Glacial Basin is a large, empty basin most likely created thousands of years ago by the movement of a long collapsed glacier. Two notably tall ice mountains–one located near the center of the biome and one located northwest– mark the locations of the caves containing the Phi Robotics Center and the Phi Excavation Site, respectively. The latter also marks the location of Parvan’s Bunker. Multiple Ore Veins and Snowfox fragments can be found throughout the biome. The area also contains the majority of the game’s Spy Pengling sites. The player may trek a full circle around the biome, as it loops.
Towards the south of the biome, a lake harboring a dock contains the entrance to the Glacial Connection, one of the two ways in or out of the Glacial Basin as well as an underwater cave that leads the player back to the frozen river leading to the Phi Robotics Center. The area surrounding the lake harbors the basin’s Pengwings and Penglings.
The Glacial Basin can be devised into seven regions:
<tabber>
Basin=
The main section of the Glacial Basin is the exterior portion. It is a very rocky biome surrounded by tall, icy cliff sides. The area is dominated by hills, cliffs, and ridges, as well as a few rivers and waterfalls. It also features many blasting vents that can propel the player upwards while riding on the Snowfox. The Basin is the second-largest outdoor section of the map after the Arctic Spires. Numerous Frosted Sinew Trees can be found throughout the area. The north-eastern portion of the basin houses the Phi Robotics Center as well as the river that leads to an underwater cave. The player may ascend a nearby hill to access the southern portion of the biome, which contains the lake leading into the Glacial Connection and the entrances to the previously mentioned underwater cave. The south-western corner of the basin is a series of hills and cliffs, with a small tech site bordering another river where the player can unlock the Snowfox Hop Module. The aforementioned river separates the main basin from the Glacial Forest.
=== Gallery ===
GlacialBasin DayOverview.png|Overview during the day
GlacialBasin Nightoverview.png|Overview at night
GlacialBasin Icemountains.png|The two ice mountains within the biome
GlacialBasin NEQuadrantDay.png|Overview of the north-eastern portion of the biome
GlacialBasinSpyPenglingSite.png|One of the biome's spy pengling sites
GlacialBasin hiddensupplycache.png|A small supply cache adjacent to biome's eastern river
GlacialBasin SouthOverview.png|Overview of the southern portion of the biome
GlacialBasin GCLake.png|The Glacial Connection lake
GlacialBasin PenguinOverhang.png|An overhang providing shelter for the basin's pengwings and penglings
GlacialBasin SupplyCache.png|A supply cache located beneath an overhang
GlacialBasin SWoverviewremake.png|Overview of the south-western portion of the biome
|-|
Blue Ice Caves=
These caves are identified by the skeletal remains near their entrances or within the caves themselves, and provide shelter for Snow Stalkers. Fevered Pepper Trees can be found within these caves as well.
=== Gallery ===
GBIceCave InteriorShot2.png|Overview of a blue ice cave
GBicecave Skeleton.png|Skeletal remains, a common sight within most blue ice caves
GBIcecave largearea.png|A large cave housing a pack of Snow Stalker Babies and a singular Snow Stalker
|-|
Dark Caves=
These caves are distinguished by the Glow Fungi that hang off their ceilings. Two of the caves are nearly pitch black, encouraging the player to use a Flashlight or Headlamp to navigate through, though the only exception is the smallest dark cave containing an abandoned flashlight illuminating the cave as well as triggering biophosphorescence within a few glow fungi. There are three dark caves within the Glacial Basin.
=== Gallery ===
GlacialBasin DarkCave.png|Overview of a cave
GlacialBasin PreilluminatedDarkCave.png|The perpetually illuminated dark cave
GlacialBasin DarkCave2.png|Another dark cave
GBDarkCave Spypenglingsite.png|A Spy Pengling site within the largest dark cave
|-|
Glacial Forest=
The northwestern portion of the biome possesses a unique region known as the Glacial Forest, an open area populated with Frost Acacias. The entrance to the Phi Excavation Site, indicated by a few crates and light sticks can be found in the northwest corner of the area.
=== Gallery ===
GlacialForest Day.png|Day overview of the forest
GlacialForest Night.png|Night overview of the forest
GlacialForest River.png|A river near the southern border of the forest
|-|
Ice Fissure=
This unique region is characterized by the unique ice wall formations, as well as the ice composed floor. This fissure hosts one flora species, Frost Vase Plants. Ore Veins can be found within the fissure. If the player is not cautious, they may fall into the area from above. The player can enter the fissure safely by climbing down a set of ladders positioned near the edge of the area, or through a hole within the side of a cliff. It is located northwest from the Phi Robotics Center.
=== Gallery ===
GBIceFissure Day.png|Day overview within the Ice Fissure
GBIceFissure Night.png|Night overview within the Ice Fissure
GBIceFissure CliffExit.png|Exiting tunnel to the area
GBicefissure ladders.png|Supplies and a set of ladders near the edge of the area
|-|
Temperate Caves=
These caves are characterized by their Ice Stalagmite growths and exclusive Marbled Anemone. The largest of the temperate caves contains an underground waterfall leading into a small river. The temperate cave serving as one of the two Glacial Bay entrances to the Glacial Basin contains a Pathfinder Tool fragment. Fevered Pepper Trees can be found within these caves. There are three temperate caves within the Glacial Basin.
=== Gallery ===
GlacialBasin ATemperateCave.png|A temperate cave
GBTemperateCave Entrance.png|The temperate cave serving as one of the entrances to the Glacial Basin
GBtemperatecave underwatercaveentrance.png|Entrance to the southern underwater cave from its adjacent temperate cave
GBtemperatecave waterfall.png|The underground waterfall found in one of the temperate caves
|-|
Underwater Caves=
Two underwater caves are located within the Glacial Basin. The underwater caves have rocky, sandy floors, and house several stalactites covered with green, self-illuminating spots. Whether these are organisms or part of the stalactite itself is unknown. Both caves host a handful of Arctic Peepers and Bladderfish. Small, harvestable flora can be found around the Hydrothermal Vents within these caves. Seagrass from the Arctic Kelp Forest dots the cave floors. Sealed Ice Bubbles and Ore Veins can also be found within both caves. The southern underwater cave takes the player to and from the Glacial Connection lake and the frozen river that leads to the Phi Robotics Center. The northern underwater cave takes the player to and from a temperate cave and a path back to the Phi Robotics Center; it is also accessible from a hole above the cave.
=== Gallery ===
GBunderwater north.png|Overview of the northern underwater cave
GBunderwater south.png|Overview of the southern underwater cave
GBUnderwater Icebubble.png|An ice bubble found within an underwater cave
GBUnderwater ThermalVent.png|A Hydrothermal Vent along with a few flora species surrounding it
GBunderwater arcticpeeper.png|An Arctic Peeper found within one of the underwater caves
GBunderwater bladderfish.png|A Bladderfish found within one of the underwater caves
</tabber>
===Trivia===
* Early in development, the Glacial Basin originally had the goto ID hoverarea.
** This makes the Glacial Basin one of the three original "Hover" biomes, the other two being the Arctic Spires (hoverzone2) and the cut Hoverzone 3.
Category:Biomes
Category:Glacial Basin
Category:Above Sea Level
Category:Subnautica: Below Zero
Category:Caves