Reaching crater lake means dealing with two major camps: diamond lake under kouri in the northwest and wizard island with colonel garret at the center. Access comes through the northern mountain path or highway 97's tunnel, but once you're in there's no going back until later.

For effective movement through the region, clearing the cascade lakes and spruce lake ambush camps should be your first move, they'll reveal the map and cut down on surprise attacks. Three nero sites offer critical upgrades: one's in a mine during that door mission, another needs a bike jump to reach the island, and there's one hidden behind a waterfall. Good to know: taking out those infestation zones at tumblebug river and rimview ranch makes travel way safer.

Watch the terrain carefully since deep water will take you down fast. The northern sections pack more punch than southern areas, so maybe interesting to upgrade your gear before pushing too far. Those nero checkpoints at volcanic legacy and spruce lake are worth hitting for those sweet injector upgrades, just plan your route between objectives using the natural shortcuts to stay efficient.