Death Mountain

Death Mountain (デスマウンテン, Desu Maunten) is a tall, fiery mountain located in Hyrule that has been featured in several Zelda games.

The Legend of Zelda
In The Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain is located in northern Hyrule and is in the appearance of a large, sprawling expanse of rock covering the northern border of the map. The mountain range is usually home to some of the more stronger enemies in the game, such as Lynels. Occasionally boulders will also fall from the hills and the mountains also have a few streams and ponds that are home to Zoras.

Death Mountain also has two distinctive landmarks. The first being Lost Hills, a mountainous counterpart of the maze-like Lost Woods. Beyond this maze is the fifth dungeon Lizard Labyrinth in the first quest. The mountain also has Spectacle Rock, in which Ganon keeps his hideout, the Death Mountain Labyrinth.

The Adventure of Link
In The Adventure of Link, the area of Hyrule that was seen in the game's prequel, The Legend of Zelda, can be seen in the deep south of Western Hyrule, although was made considerably smaller but still retaining much of the same shape. This area of Hyrule also includes the Death Mountain region, but greatly expanded in The Adventure of Link. Death Mountain, located south of the Water Town of Saria, is comprised of a dozen or so different tunnels that house many enemies, several of which lead to dead ends if the wrong paths are taken. A few tunnels also have pools of lava, usually with a bridge suspended above them. Only a few paths lead to the southern region of Hyrule, where Link can find a hammer hidden in a cave.

A Link to the Past
Once more, Death Mountain returns as a huge mountain on the northern border of Hyrule in A Link to the Past. It is home to the Tower of Hera, Spectacle Rock, and many Deadrocks and Lynels. Its Dark World counterpart is home to Turtle Rock and Ganon's Tower. In the Japanese game, the mountain is only named Death Mountain in the Dark World. In the Light World, it is known as Mt. Hebra (ヘブラ山).

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain is home to the Gorons, a peaceful race of people who eat rocks and are exceptionally good at forging blades. It can only be reached via a gate in Kakariko Village, but anyone wishing to travel up to Death Mountain will need the King's permission. It is said that the state of the mountain is reflected by the clouds surrounding the peak: if they look normal, then Death Mountain is at peace.

Death Mountain Trail
In order to reach the upper part of Death Mountain and the Goron City itself, Link must travel through the Death Mountain Trail, which proves to be a challenge due to its abundance of Tektites and giant boulders. However, the path to the Death Mountain Trail is initially closed off and will not open until Link shows Zelda's Letter to the knight guarding the gate.

Death Mountain Trail takes Link to all of the prominent locations of Death Mountain. It is home to Dodongo's Cavern, where young Link faces the giant King Dodongo, eventually receiving the Goron's Ruby in the process. By scaling up the trail, the young hero can arrive to the home of the Gorons. Death Mountain Crater, the inner part of the volcano of Death Mountain and the location of the Fire Temple, can be accessible either via the Goron City or by climbing up the mountain through the Death Mountain Trail.

Atop the mountain trail is a Great Fairy Fountain where the Great Fairy living within will grant Link the Magic Meter. Another Great Fairy Fountain is found inside the crater, which doubles the young hero's magic meter.

During young Link's time, Death Mountain is an active volcano. Any time the young hero approaches the northernmost part of the mountain in an attempt to climb it up to the crater, the volcano will activate itself. As such, Link must equip himself with a proper shield in order to safely climb it. Biggoron, the giant Goron involved in the Biggoron's Sword sidequest, resides behind the mountain next to the crater entrance, although since he is always rolled up, Link cannot see him until he approaches him. Kaepora Gaebora can also be found top the highest point of the trail near the Great Fairy Fountain entrance. He will offer to give Link a ride down to Kakariko Village.

After Link withdraws the Master Sword from its pedestal, Ganondorf revives the ancient dragon Volvagia and stirs up trouble at the depths of the crater, causing Death Mountain's white clouds to turn into red, fiery ones. It isn't until Link defeats Volvagia that Death Mountain returns to normal and the volcano stops its spontaneous eruptions, allowing the young hero to safely scale up the mountain.

Four Swords
Death Mountain appears in the Four Swords as one of the four initial stages. By clearing the stage and defeating the boss, the Links received a key from a Great Fairy. The key received depends on how many Rupees were collected.

The symbol of Death Mountain is the Fire Element.

Boss
The Guardian of Death Mountain is a ball of fire, similar to Hot Head. The boss of Death Mountain was practically invincible when he was fully covered in flames. He attacked the heroes with balls of colored fire. If the Link of the same color hit the ball of fire, it would be reflected back at the monster. When the ball of fire made contact with him, his flames diminished. He then became vulnerable to the heroes' swords. After several attacks the monster was defeated.

Four Swords Adventures
Death Mountain is also the third level in Four Swords Adventures. It consists of three stages: Death Mountain Foothills, The Mountain Path, and Tower of Flames.

Twilight Princess
Death Mountain is featured once again in Twilight Princess, and is still home to the Goron tribe. Due to its volcanic nature, the mountain also boasts a number of geological curiosities, like powerful steam jets, and even mineral-rich hot springs. While the mountain is not quite as active as it was during child Link's climb in Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain experiences frequent eruptions early on in the game due to events related to the Twilight.

When visiting the hot springs, you'll find several Gorons bathing as well as a shop which is easily accesible via elevator when completing the Goron Mines temple. It sells a wooden shield, potions, and arrows. One baby Goron will tell you that he is practicing holding his breath, but strangly doesn't need to breath. This is probably since Gorons have some sort of breathing hole on their heads. Later on in the game, you will find Zoras at the hot springs, where one sighs and enjoys the heat. Another says he will be sun-dried in no time, when a third worries he will dry out and has stayed far too long. They can be found on the rocks, sunning themselves, with one standing at the entrance of Death Mountain. A Goron will tell you he is pleased that the tribes are intermingling in such times of peace. A similar steaming hot spring is found in Kakariko, above the Inn, and one Goron will tell you that he visited them and they weren't too bad, but he likes the Death Mountain hot springs better.

Sticking to the Gorons' reputation as skilled metal smiths, metal structures have be erected around the face of the mountain to provide access to areas which are otherwise unreachable, and the Gorons themselves can give each other (and Link) a leg-up unscalable surfaces. The Gorons also have a mine inside the volcanic interior of the mountain, where materials are mined and transported with the assistance of impressive magnetic cranes. The mine is also home to a number of familiar monsters, like Torch Slugs and Dodongos.

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
In Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, a mountain called Mount Desma (デスマヤマ Desuma Yama) appears. This might be just a new name for Death Mountain, as in one of the Yamatami tribe's ancient books is written that Mount Desma is "the Mountain of Death". Comparision of the Japanese names further suggests this. "Yama" is the Japanese word for "mountain", whereas "Desuma" differs only one Japanese letter from "Desu".

Trivia

 * In Majora's Mask, Woodfall Temple is housed inside an dormant volcano filled with water. Some assume this mountain to be Termina's counterpart of Death Mountain.
 * Also in Majora's Mask, Woodfall, from the outside, looks incredibly similar to the Death Mountain of Ocarina of Time, down to the ring of smoke surrounding the top.
 * Many fans believe that Death Mountain appears in The Wind Waker, as Dragon Roost Island.
 * The music of Death Mountain in Twilight Princess is a mix of a new drum beat and that of the original music from Goron City in Ocarina of Time.