In Grounded 2, exploration is not just about surviving—it’s about decoding secrets hidden throughout the vast backyard landscape. One such task comes in the Signals and Stashes main mission, where you’re required to navigate a particularly hazardous location: the garbage can south of Snackbar Front, in the Entrance area.
This will challenge your environmental awareness, equipment preparedness, and climbing skills. In the thick cloud of lethal gas that surrounds the garbage can, the trash can be lethal without proper equipment. To get the work done—hacking the O.R.C. Transmitter—you will first need to survive within the environment and secondly climb to the top.
Garbage Can Preparation for Entry – Building the Gas Mask
You’re even supposed to get to the trash can before you make your business, which is to craft a Gas Mask. The air is extremely toxic with deadly gases that deplete your HP in one strike, making the mask an essential piece of gear. It gives the Gas Guard status effect when equipped, which protects against nature poisoning.
In order to craft a Gas Mask, you will need:
- Weevil Nose x1
- Gnat Fuzz x4
- Crude Rope
- Stinkbug Part
Once you’ve gathered the necessary materials, head to a Workbench to craft the Gas Mask. If the recipe does not yet appear, be sure to analyze the components at a Resource Analyzer to unlock it. This step is crucial, as the game doesn’t automatically make new recipes available until you’ve scanned the appropriate materials.
Navigating to the Garbage Can and Starting the Climb
With the Gas Mask equipped, make your way to the western side of the Garbage Can. There, you’ll find a wooden branch extending from the ground up toward the trash. This serves as your entry point into the structure. The platforming path from here on involves a series of climbing challenges, both inside and outside the Garbage Can.
Step-by-Step Guide to Reaching the Top
After coming in through the branch, jump to the banana peel on the garbage. Head up once more to find a Raw Science orb that you are able to grab before continuing on. From this point, head back and look for a plastic spoon, which is a doorway to the next level. Use it to head up.
Cross the spoon and follow through to a ceramic plate. From there you’ll be able to look up and see another branch going up and curving back to the outside of the Garbage Can. Jump along the branch carefully around the building’s outside. It takes you eventually back inside.
Immediately upon entry, jump onto the crumpled paper to your right. Stay along with the plate in front of you and look left—you should be able to see a brown rope that you can walk along. Jump onto the rope and continue along with it until you are at the edge of the Garbage Can, marked by star and rocket-design glow stickers.
Navigate your way to the rim and reach a last metal spoon. The spoon will lead you straight to the top of the Garbage Can, where the goal is.
Battling the Roach Boss and Acquiring the Goal
When you finally make it to the top, be ready for a fight. This area is defended by a Roach Boss and some roach minions. Not the game’s strongest enemies, but they’ll pounce on you if you’re not properly armed. Make sure you have good middle-game armor, a decent melee or ranged weapon, and some healing supplies like Fiber Bandages or Smoothies.
Once the roaches have been defeated, a way to the O.R.C. Transmitter can be unlocked. Speak with it to hack into the device, and this part of the Signals and Stashes mission is complete.
