Reaching the snow-covered northern edge of the Sinnoh region is a major milestone for trainers in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, as well as their modern remakes. Snowpoint City houses the seventh gym leader and serves as the gateway to the legendary temple nearby. Navigating the treacherous mountain passes and frozen routes requires careful preparation and the correct Hidden Moves.
Preparing Your Pokémon Team for the Journey
Before leaving Celestic Town or Hearthome City, you must ensure your team is ready for heavy environmental exploration. The journey to the far north requires several critical Hidden Moves to bypass natural obstacles. Trainers will need to bring along party members capable of using Strength, Rock Smash, and Surf to clear the paths ahead.
Additionally, having the move Rock Climb registered to your Pokétch or learned by a compatible companion is necessary to navigate the vertical cliffs. While some players find managing these utility moves tedious, utilizing a versatile team member makes the travel significantly smoother. Bringing a well-balanced Fire or Fighting-type Pokémon will also help you deal with the Ice-type encounters along the way.
Navigating the Depths of Mount Coronet
The primary gateway to the northern wilderness is the massive mountain range dividing the Sinnoh continent. You should enter Mount Coronet from Route 211, which lies just to the east of Celestic Town. Once inside the dark cavern, use the Strength move to push the heavy boulders out of your way and head toward the northern exit.
As you descend deeper into the underground passages, you will encounter a misty area that severely reduces visibility in certain game versions. You can push through the fog carefully or use the Defog move to clear the air for easier pathfinding. Following the subterranean steps upward will eventually lead you out of the cavern and onto the frozen slopes of Route 216.
Surviving the Blizzards of Route 216 and Route 217
Stepping out of Mount Coronet introduces you to a dramatic shift in weather where snow blankets the landscape entirely. Route 216 features narrow wooden bridges and specialized trainers who will challenge your team to cold-weather battles. Continuous hailing during combat will gradually damage non-Ice-type Pokémon, so managing your healing items becomes crucial here.
Continuing northward transitions you into Route 217, where a severe blizzard slows your walking speed and obscures the environment. While exploring the deep snowbanks, keep a close eye out for a small cabin on the western side of the path. Near this building, you can find the essential Rock Climb technical machine lying in the snow, which is required to advance further north.
Arriving at the Frozen Settlement
Once you successfully navigate past the swirling blizzards of the northern routes, the path clears to reveal the isolated harbor town. Snowpoint City welcomes exhausted trainers with its unique frozen aesthetic, sliding floor puzzles, and ancient architecture. From here, you can challenge the local gym leader Candice or prepare for late-game legendary events at the massive temple nearby.
