Icicle Abyss

The Icicle Abyss is the second cave in the Rugged Tundra and likely fifth cave overall in Pikmin: Connection of the Worlds. This cave is located near the very summit of the mountain, and due to its location, the entirety of the interior is frozen over. All sorts of ice hazards await you in this cave, such as icicles, slippery floors, bitter-cold streams, etc. Within this cave nest the Cyan Pikmin, a must have for accessing other regions of the Rugged Tundra. This cave is six sublevels deep and has nine treasures.

Ship's comments
"''Interesting! The interior of this mountain seems to be hollow...

''However, further analysis shows subterranean terrain, as well as frigid conditions.

''Expect many ice objects and ice enemies. Preparation is always useful!''"

Accessing the Icicle Abyss
The Icicle Abyss is located on the Frostbite Ridge, so getting there may there may take a while. You will need to walk up past where the Bronze Mega Key once rested, and build a pair of bridges over the river, using Yellow Pikmin. Next, you need to get your way through the maze that's right after the bridges. Beyond the exit of the maze is the Icicle Abyss.

Sublevel 1
This first sublevel gives you a good reason why the cave is called the Icicle Abyss: there is a maze floating over an abyss with icicles that fall when you're under them. Be careful; this maze has no edges, so if your group falls into the abyss, there's no coming back (unless you reset, of course). This maze has a treasure at one of its dead ends, but get it later. Carefully maneuver your group through the maze. At the other end is an enclosed area with some Chill Dweevils and Icy Blowhogs, some of which are guarding a treasure, along with some poison pipes. You don't have any ice-resistant Pikmin yet, so be careful defeating these arctic enemies. After you defeat the enemies and destroy the poison pipes to make room for your squad, take a small group of Pikmin to the end that has the treasure in it. Switch to one of the other leaders at the cave, then go down the hole once both treasures are collected.

Sublevel 2
The sublevel starts out as a small chamber. Don't venture too far away from the Research Pod; immediately beyond the landing area is a long, icy slide with various hazards. When you're ready, go down the slide and be prepared to deal with many hazards, such as icicles falling from the ceiling and a few Tundra Cannon Beetles that shoot snowballs at you. There are even a few bends in the slide! At the base of the slide is a treasure, a path leading upwards, and the cave. Have your fastest Pikmin carry the treasure as the Research Pod is now quite distant. Once they get it up there, leave the sublevel.

Sublevel 3
You land in a fair-sized chamber. Immediately in front of you are three Teal Candypop Buds. Throw your Pikmin in them, and they will pop out as the Cyan Pikmin! Cyan Pikmin are resistant to ice and water, they can attack icy enemies, and even melt snow! In front of you is a gate that looks like four pipes with liquid nitrogen flowing through them. Use your newfound Cyan Pikmin to break it down. Beyond this chamber is a circular tunnel, and at the opposite end is the entrance to another chamber. Inside this chamber is the hole, a treasure inside an Arctic Clamclamp, and three Freezing Dirigibugs. Break the Clamclamp's membrane to retrieve the treasure, and defeat the Dirigibugs, if necessary. Jump down the hole when you're done.

Sublevel 4
Most of the sublevel's ground is encased in ice, making this sublevel quite slippery. Take only your Cyans with you, as bringing the rest is meaningless in this sublevel. Once you move forwards a bit, the camera automatically shifts to an overhead view, and you are on ice. Because you're on ice, you can only go in one direction. When you stop, you can move in another direction. Several rocks poke out of the ice; use these to get about the ice. There's a treasure by one of the rocks, but don't get it just yet. When you get to the other side of the ice, go forwards a bit. Another maze! However, some boulders might fall, so be hasty about it! When you get to the other side of this maze, the path splits in three ways: the left path takes you back to the landing site. It rises a bit, then turns into an ice slide. Then, to the front is an arena with one Icy Bulblax and a few Hairy Bulborbs; the Icy Bulblax holds a treasure. Be careful, though, as only Cyan Pikmin can attack it. To the right is the hole. Defeat the Bulborbs in the arena and collect the treasure. Then, following the treasure's carriers, go back to the landing site, and find the other treasure in the first ice maze. After getting both treasures, go to the hole and leave.

Sublevel 5
This sublevel is unique in the fact that you ride giant blocks of ice on an icy river! Wait for a block of ice to stop at the coastline, then get on it. To move the block of ice, shift your group to one side of the ice; it will move to that side. A large block of ice impedes the river's progress; use Cyan Pikmin to destroy it and allow the river to continue flowing. If you explore the river, you'll find another coastline. Two paths split off from here; one goes left and the other goes forwards. If you take the forwards path, you find a maze. In the center of the maze is a conspicuously large pile of snow, and buried underneath is a treasure. Going back, if you go along the left path, you'll end up at a subterranean waterfall (water from the river above is falling down a hole here). Behind the waterfall, a liquid nitrogen gate blocks an alcove which has a treasure, so break the gate. After receiving both treasures, find the hole to battle this cavern's boss...

Sublevel 6
You fall into a small chamber. Walk a bit into the bigger chamber and a Beady Long Legs falls from the sky! ...Except this Beady Long Legs has cyan skin. This is the Snowy Long Legs, a variant of Arachnorb. The Snowy Long Legs is pretty much the same as the Beady Long Legs, except it can dump liquid nitrogen on your Pikmin and it can jump, causing icicles to fall down. Evade its attacks and time yours carefully, and the Snowy Long Legs, once dealt enough damage, will die in a snowy explosion. After the snow clears, you'll find the Treasure Gauge, which will let you find treasure easier. After collecting it, hop on the geyser and return to the tundra above.

Enemies

 * Arctic Clamclamp
 * Chill Dweevil
 * Freezing Dirigibug
 * Hairy Bulborb
 * Icy Blowhog
 * Icy Bulblax
 * Tundra Cannon Beetle
 * Boss: Snowy Long Legs