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There are 22 Alan Wake 2 stash locations to discover, each with a code or puzzle of some kind to open them. I've tracked down all their locations, as well as cracked their combinations and solutions so you can open them all without delay. It's worth accessing these cult stashes, as they hold plenty of supplies that will help Saga in Alan Wake 2, and they can also contain particularly useful items such as weapons and inventory size upgrades.
However, you'll need to work for it. With challenges like figuring out number or symbol codes, finding bespoke keys, and two puzzles even require you to solve algebra! If you're stuck on a stash puzzle, or just want to make sure you don't miss any, I've mapped out where you can find every Alan Wake 2 cult stash and provided a walkthrough for how to solve them.
Where to find Cauldron Lake cult stashes in Alan Wake 2
There are five Alan Wake 2 cult stashes in Cauldron Lake. While this is the first area in the game not all of these can be reached when you first arrive - you'll need to play through the story by investigating the crime scene in Alan Wake 2 and progressing the Nightingale murder investigation to access most of the stashes.
1. Cauldron lake mobile home stash padlock combination
Accessible at the start
The mobile home stash can be found just outside the home itself and will have you looking for symbols inside according to the clues on the note above. Specifically:
- Wash your hands - bathroom sink
- Take chicken out of fridge - fridge
- Take a nap - bed
You don't actually have to do any of that, just get the symbols near by the relevant items and use them to open the padlock. The combination you need for the Cauldron Lake mobile home stash padlock is below, but while you're in the mobile home, make sure you pet the Alan Wake 2 deer head.
2. Cauldron Lake shore stash
Accessible after the flood water recedes the first time.
You need to go off the path and under some fallen trees to reach this lake shore container. It's not much of a challenge, with an easy simple Simon lock - just match the order the buttons that bleep and light up. I've marked the ones you need in the image.
3. Cauldron Lake camp stash
Accessible after the flood water recedes the first time.
This camp stash is near a table and some camping gear Alan Wake 2, not far from the bridge over to the Streamside area. You'll know you're in the right area when you see some yellow arrows that light up under your torch. The box has no markings on in save for a picture of a lightbulb so use your torch to follow the arrows to find the streamside stash key. Take that and use it to open the box. I've marked both locations on the map.
4. Alan Wake 2 Cauldron Lake rock rock tree stash
Accessible after the flood water recedes the first time.
The Alan Wake 2 rock, rock, tree stash is a struggle because you need to find three simple sums painted on a tree and two rocks, but the second rock is easy to miss. We've made a specific guide to help cracking this cult stash open with the right padlock code.
5. Cauldron Lake rental cabins stash
Accessible once you've have the bolt cutters.
When you get the bolt cutters, you can get the final Cauldron Lake cult stash in Alan Wake 2 at the rental cabin park, although it requires a bespoke key. The strange drawing on the stash box is unhelpful, but it's roughly trying to show obstacles in the area that will lead you to the key.
Start by heading through the unlocked cabin adjacent to the one with the stash inside, then go left and head under the fallen tree. Carry on through the next cabin to reach the clearing, then look right and head over to the rusty car. Go over to that and shine your light at the trees. Go over to the one marked 'two' and you can pick up the Lake Cabins Stash Key from behind the tree.
Where to find Bright Falls cult stashes in Alan Wake 2
The first time you visit Bright Falls, there are no stashes to find until you complete the first Alan Wake section, at which point you'll return to Bright Falls as Saga and can unlock just one cult stash. Carry on with Saga's investigation and get through Watery to unlock more parts of the Bright Falls map, and access even more stashes until you can eventually get all nine.
1. Bright Falls Elderwood Palace Lodge stash
Accessible after you complete the first playable section as Alan Wake and continue as Saga in the lodge.
The Elderwood Palace Lodge cult stash in Alan Wake 2 is hiding behind a truck and some crates on the road outside the Elderwood Palace Lodge hotel. Leave the hotel as Saga and head right down the road. Look behind the white box truck and you'll spot the stash. This one is locked with a simple 'Simon says' padlock, where you have to repeat the pattern of flashing buttons. It's got some ammo for Saga's pistol and the shotgun you'll should have after solving the Alan Wake 2 shotgun padlock code, so it's worth picking up before you head to Watery for the first time.
2. Bright Falls woods stash 1
Accessible after you complete the Watery chapter as Saga and return to Bright Falls.
As you travel through the woods to reach the nursing home outside of Bright Falls, you can open this easy cult stash that has a 'Simon says' lock - just enter the code it displays to get inside. I got some rifle ammo in this stash, which is for the hunting rifle that you get by solving the Alan Wake 2 door knob puzzle in the Wellness Center ahead.
3. Bright Falls abandoned truck stash
Accessible after you complete the Watery chapter as Saga and return to Bright Falls.
Getting inside this Alan Wake 2 car and bike stash requires you to solve a maths problem to get a three-digit code. To save you the hassle, the number of cars, and therefore the code, is 1 7 7, though you can check out my full guide in the link.
4. Bright Falls forest bunker stash
Accessible after you get through the Valhalla Nursing Home chapter.
After leaving the nursing home you can get this Alan Wake 2 cult stash by following some blue signs with white arrows through the woods – the painted yellow arrows will just lead around you in circles! Follow the signs south down the hill and you'll eventually get to the end of the route where you can collect the Bunker Woods Stash Key. Return to the stash and use the key to crack it open to get a fancy single-use rocket flare weapon.
5. Bright Falls woods stash 2
Accessible after you get through the Valhalla Nursing Home chapter.
For the cult stash further into the woods, between Bright Falls and the nursing home, you need to use your torch to follow a trail of yellow arrows. Along the way, you'll happen upon red triangular cult symbols that form the code needed for the padlock – see the below image for the symbols. This stash is especially useful as you get another rocket flare, a flashbang, and more ammo for the powerful hunting rifle.
6. Bright Falls Ranger station stash
Accessible after you get through the Valhalla Nursing Home chapter.
The Ranger Station cult stash is on the hill opposite the station itself. There's a rather unhelpful note on it that's meant to help you find a key for the stash. All you need to do is head over to the north side of the station and look around the stone chimney to find the key. Take it back to the stash to get it open to loot more useful supplies for the investigation ahead.
7. Bright Falls pier stash
Accessible after you get through the Valhalla Nursing Home chapter.
The cult stash on the pier can be accessed with the bolt cutters, but you need to figure out the three-digit code to crack the padlock open. The stash drawing is essentially telling you to look at the number cards on the poles around in the water around the pier. With the code going from tallest card to lowest card, you'll get the code 6 9 7. This is an extra important stash as it provides one of several Alan Wake 2 inventory upgrades.
8. Bright Falls stash behind Sheriff's Station
Accessible after you get through the Valhalla Nursing Home chapter.
Crack the wooden fence gate next to the Oh Deer Diner and behind the Sheriff's Station using your bolt cutters to get at this Alan Wake 2 cult stash. The work log note has some vague information about where you might find cult symbols for the code to unlock the stash in the Bright Falls Park. Head over to the park and look at the satellite dish, flower bed, and gazebo, in that order, to uncover the necessary symbols, then return to the stash and enter the code.
9. Bright Falls Sheriff's Station Evidence Room stash
Accessible after you gain access to the basement of the Sheriff's Station after getting through the Valhalla Nursing Home chapter.
If you've got every other cult stash as you've been following along with Saga's story, this should be the last one you need. You can only get it once you've spoken to the FBC agent and got the Sheriff's Station Keys that grant you access to the basement to get the power on. Head down and use your bolt cutters to get into the Evidence Room where you'll find the stash has a note with three shapes on it. The code corresponds to the number of lines or edges each shape has, so it's 1 4 6.
From this cult stash, I got a flashbang, rocket flare, shotgun and rifle ammo (don't miss the Alan Wake 2 pump-action shotgun in the station's ground floor), and the Alan Wake 2 Lighthouse Key – it seems that you get this key from whichever stash you open last, so you won't necessarily get it here.
Where to find the Watery cult stashes in Alan Wake 2
Watery has eight cult stashes, with one of them even containing a new weapon for Saga. You'll find them all over the area, from the main town, to Coffee World, and to the lighthouse, though some can only be accessed after your first visit to the town as the flood water needs to recede as in Cauldron Lake.
1. Watery Suomi Hiking Trail stash
Accessible as soon as you get to Watery.
Follow your cases in Watery and you'll eventually be directed to the Suomi Hiking Trail which leads up and around to the Coffee World amusement park. Follow the main trail path and eventually you might spot a stash high up on a ledge on the east side that you can't reach. Continue walking up the trail but keep an eye out for a path on your right that allows you to go back and up to where the stash is. It's another 'Simon says' lock, so just repeat the pattern of lights and you'll gain access to what's inside.
2. How to get the crossbow from the Watery shooting range stash
Accessible as soon as you get to Watery.
From the previous stash, continue following the main path and you'll easily notice the Break Room hut on the west side of the path. Outside this hut is a crossbow shooting range, and you'll find a cult stash under the wooden shelter. This stash is locked with a three-digit combination padlock. Look at the number cards to the right of the shelter with the crossbow bolts in them to get the code numbers, then look at the number of bolts in each card to get the order – you'll find that the code is 5 2 7. Enter that to get inside the stash and collect the Alan Wake 2 crossbow weapon for Saga.
3. Watery Coffee World Ferris wheel stash
Accessible as soon as you get to Coffee World in Watery.
There's one Alan Wake 2 cult stash next to the Ferris Wheel, or Slow Roaster, in Coffee World. It's locked with a three-digit combination, but has a clue that says, 'ONLY STRIPED CUPS'. So, to learn the code, just look at the numbers on the white-and-blue striped cups on the Slow Roaster. You'll end up with 1 4 7.
4. Watery Coffee World wishing well stash
Accessible as soon as you get to Coffee World in Watery.
The other Coffee World cult stash is just behind the Huotari Well on the west side of the park. This one has a standard key lock and features an illustration of park mascot Mr. Drippy saying 'what hides behind the smile?'. To find the key, head up behind the large Mr. Drippy statue near Coffee World's main entrance – on the map, this statue is roughly between the Espresso Express and Percolator rides. Head to statue's left side and look on the ground to collect the Coffee World Stash Key. Take it back to the well stash and open the crate to get some pistol and shotgun ammo and a flare.
5. Watery Lighthouse stash
Accessible after going to the trailer park.
If you've reached the Lighthouse stash, you've probably noticed a few triangular cult symbols lying around with luminous yellow paint markings nearby. You'll need to use these to enter the correct symbol code into this stash's padlock. To discover the code, find the cult symbols with paint markings that look like Roman numerals. The triangular symbol marked 'I' comes first, then the symbol marked with 'II', then 'III'. See the below image for the full triangular symbol code.
6. Watery trailer park stash
Accessible after completing the Watery boss fight.
For this Alan Wake 2 trailer park cult stash you need a specific key which can luckily be found very close by. To the right of the stash itself, you'll notice a pole with an electric box attached and a nearby blue crate. Climb onto the crate and look over to the top of the electrical box to spot the Trailer Park Stash Key. Grab that and take it to the stash to loot what's inside.
7. Watery docks stash
Accessible after completing the Watery boss fight.
Just before you leave Watery for Bright Falls, you should grab this Alan Wake 2 cult stash on one of the dock jetties. It's a simple three-digit combination padlock, but discovering the code requires some algebra. Yay. We've made a full guide on this Alan Wake 2 battery stash puzzle, but to save you the effort, the code you need is 4 9 6.
8. Watery motorcycle club workshop stash
Accessible only once you've got the bolt cutters.
The final Watery cult stash is in the Kalevala Knights MC workshop, and has a code that links it to the number of spare parts for the attractions in Coffee World. You'll need to go around the workshop grounds counting how many spare Slow Roaster Ferris Wheel cups, Espresso Express rockets, and Latte Lagoon boats you see. By doing this, you'll get the code 5 4 2. Enter this into the stash's padlock to get inside.
Alan Wake 2 cult stashes map
While we've got useful maps and tips for finding and cracking into these stashes, keep any eye out for this in-game map that marks all cult stash locations for you. It's quite a ways into the game though, so it will take you a while to reach.
Once you've got through Coffee World and make it into the Kalevala Knights MC workshop, you'll uncover the Cult of the Tree's hideout and break room. Look at the noticeboard on the back wall of this room and you can collect the information from this map. Cult stashes will be marked on your existing maps with black circles with questions marks. Remember, it won't reveal the solution to each stash's puzzle, so you will need to figure those out or use this guide!
Furthermore, if you want even more help, be sure to visit Mayor Setter in Suomi Hall to collect their charm, which reveals items and collectibles near to Saga.
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