How to Get to High Hrothgar in Skyrim

Last Updated: April 10, 2020

To learn one of the most powerful shouts in the game, you’ll need to meet the legendary Greybeards and prove your worthiness. The mute monks are located on the peak of Skyrim’s highest mountains, living a life of solitude. Ascending the Throat of the World is an exhausting and perilous trip, with many enemies and hazards along the way. You can reach High Hrothgar after receiving the quest “The Way of The Voice” from Jarl Balgruuf.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting to Ivarstead

1
Stock up on supplies and equip some good weapons. The journey to High Hrothgar is long and treacherous, so make sure you stock up on supplies. Grab some health potions as well as the best armor and weapon that you can afford.
- The stores in Whiterun can help prepare you for the climb. "Warmaiden's", located near the entrance of Whiterun, has two shopkeepers offering weapons and armor for sale. If you’re an archer, you can buy bows and arrows from Elrindir in the "Drunken Huntsman". For more spells and staffs, you can visit Farengar in Dragonsreach.
- "Belethor's General Goods" has a variety of items for sale each day.
- "Arcadia’s Cauldron" specializes in potions and elixirs.
2
Get Lydia to join you. You'll encounter Lydia immediately after defeating the dragon outside of Whiterun. Having Lydia (or any other companion) with you for the climb will make things much easier.
- If she’s not already following you, you can find her in Dragonsreach (unless you've purchased Breezehome, in which case you can find her there). Talk to Lydia and request that she follow you.
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3
Activate the "Way of the Voice" quest. You can start this quest by talking to Jarl Balgruuf after defeating the dragon in Whiterun. He will inform you of the Greybeards in High Hrothgar and mark the town of Ivarstead on your map.
- If you're pressed for time or don't want to make the long journey, you can fast-travel to Helgen (where the game's prologue occurred) and then make a quick walk east to reach Ivarstead. This can be good if you need to quickly get to Ivarstead, but you'll miss out on a lot of locations and opportunities to gain XP.
4
Head east out of Whiterun. Before you can climb The Throat of the World, you'll need to get to Ivarstead. This journey will take around the base of the mountain. Along the way, you'll likely discover a variety of locations that you can visit either on the way or come back to later.
- Continue on the road east past Horningbrew Meadery and over the White River. You'll see a signpost that directs you towards Ivarstead.
5
Continue following the path around the mountain. You'll face some bandits that expect a toll, as well as a Sabre Cat or two. You'll cross Darkwater River and reach a fork in the road. Head southwest at the fork. If you pass Snapleg Cave and Sarethi Farm, you're going the right way. If you see Mistwatch, you're headed the wrong direction.
- Head north after when you reach Honeystrand Cave. After crossing another small bridge, you'll enter Ivarstead.
- Pay attention to the signs on the road if you lose your bearings. Follow the signs to Ivarstead.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Climbing the Mountain

1
Talk to Klimmek. Once you have arrived in Ivarstead and approached the bridge leading to the 7,000 steps, you’ll come across two men conversing. Talk to Klimmek, and he’ll warn you of all the dangers ahead of you. You can also take the optional quest to deliver supplies to the Greybeards.
- It's highly-recommended that you take the quest to deliver supplies, as you don't have to go out of your way and it earns you some easy gold.
2
Inspect the first shrine. There are ten shrines along the stairs leading up to High Hrothgar. The first of these shrines can be found on the other side of the bridge where you met Klimmek. Make sure to read the Etched Tablet; reading all of the tablets on the way up will unlock another Shout for you to use.
- See the next section for details on all of the shrine locations.
3
Make your way up the stairs. Once you reach the snow, you'll likely encounter some wolves. Use the marker stones to find the trail if you lose it in the snow.
4
Fight or run from the Frost Troll. You are likely to encounter the troll when you reach the granite gully. The Frost Troll is the most dangerous adversary you will face on the climb. There are several ways you can get past it.^{[1]
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- You can try to sneak past the troll at night.
- You may be able to scale the sides of the gully to avoid it. You can also use ranged attacks from the cliff to do damage without worrying about a counter-attack.
- You can fight the Frost Troll to the death. Having Lydia with you will make the fight a little easier. Use fire attacks for maximum damage.
- Get the troll's attention and retreat back down the stairs. Karita will help you fight the troll.
5
Continue walking up the steps. You'll know you've reached the top when you encounter the dual-staircases. This is the entrance to High Hrothgar.
- The journey should take about 15 minutes total, depending on the enemies you faced.
6
Put the offering in the chest. If you accepted the quest from Klimmek, make sure to put the offering into the chest before entering High Hrothgar.
7
Find and speak with Arngeir. He is the leader of the Greybeard monks, and speaking with him will advance the main story quest.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finding the Shrines

1
The first shrine. You will find this at the base of the stairs, on the other side of the bridge in Ivarstead.
2
The second shrine. This can be found right before snow starts appearing. Barknar can usually be found praying at it.
3
The third shrine. This shrine can be found on a small plateau after you've encountered wolves.
4
The fourth shrine. You'll find this shrine near a small grove of fir trees. You may find Karita at this shrine.
5
The fifth shrine. This shrine can be found immediately after the area where the Frost Troll attacks you.
6
The sixth shrine. You'll come across this shrine near a stone marker after the blizzard starts getting worse.
7
The seventh shrine. This shrine is located on a treacherous outcropping to the west of the path.
8
The eighth shrine. This shrine is in front of several rocks jutting out of the ground.
9
The ninth shrine. You'll find this shrine in front of a statue of Talos as you approach High Hrothgar.
10
The tenth shrine. You can find the tenth and final shrine to the right of the staircase leading up to High Hrothgar.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I become a graybeard and if so, how?

Community Answer

Not quite, you can learn the shouts but you, as Dovahkiin, can't become a proper graybeard. You can kill them and take their robes after a certain point though.