Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower: How to Unlock in Zelda TOTK

If you’ve stumbled across the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you’ve probably met Billson—the Rito maintenance worker standing at the door, rambling about mushrooms he lost in some cave. Here’s the truth nobody tells you: the mushrooms are a complete waste of time. The door isn’t locked; it’s jammed. You need to go through the cave beneath the tower, use Ascend to reach the interior, and remove two long sticks blocking the sliding mechanism. This guide covers everything you need, including where to find the tower, how to navigate the cave, and what Billson’s deal actually is.

Location: Sahasra Slope, north of West Necluda ·
Coordinates: (1344, -1170, 0166) ·
Region Revealed: West Necluda sky and surface ·
Access Method: Cave below tower with bomb arrows

Key details about this location and how to access it are organized below.

How to Unlock Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower in Zelda

Tower Location

The Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower sits in the West Necluda region, northeast of Hyrule Field and overlooking Nabi Lake to the south. Players can pinpoint it at coordinates (1344, -1170, 0166) for fast travel. According to the Nintendo Life YouTube Guide, this location makes the tower visible from much of the eastern sky once activated.

Entering the Cave Below

To start the unlock sequence, paraglide down from the tower base to reach the cave entrance directly beneath the structure. The RPG Site notes that the Sahasra Slope Cave has multiple entrances—including a northeast entrance and an alternate route reached by following the right wall—so players have options if one path feels blocked.

Clearing Rocks with Bomb Arrows

Inside the cave, you’ll encounter breakable rocks blocking your path forward. DualShockers recommends using bomb arrows or rock-fused weapons to efficiently smash through boulders. Smashing rocks along the far right wall eventually leads to a specific chamber containing a large central rock and two smaller flanking rocks.

Ascending to the Tower

In that target chamber, look for a distinct circular slab in the ceiling. The RPG Site confirms that using the Ascend ability on this slab propels you directly into the tower interior above. This is the critical bypass—the sliding door Billson is stuck at is jammed from the inside, so entering from above circumvents the entire problem.

How do you get Billson to open the door?

Finding Billson

Billson is a Rito character whose official role is Skyview Tower maintenance. The Zelda Dungeon Wiki confirms he stations himself at the front door of Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower, convinced the door is stuck because he can’t figure out how to open it. He’s also present at Thyphlo Ruins Skyview Tower on maintenance rounds, according to community reports.

Billson’s Mushroom Quest

During conversation, Billson mentions foraging for mushrooms in the cave at the foot of the tower during construction. This sounds like a quest trigger—and that’s exactly what makes the puzzle tricky. The RPG Site explicitly states that bringing him mushrooms or mushroom-heavy recipes won’t do anything to help unlock the tower.

Mushroom Locations

The mushroom talk is a red herring. DualShockers notes that Billson gets confused and hungry, incorrectly assuming the door is locked despite it being a simple sliding mechanism. Zelda Dungeon Wiki observes that pressing Billson for cave details results in him returning to pondering the stuck door rather than providing useful directions.

How to access Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower?

Surface Approach

Players approaching from Hyrule Field should head northeast toward West Necluda. The tower sits atop a hill above Nabi Lake, with its grey stone construction visible from a distance. DualShockers warns that a Battle Talus with Bokoblins circles the tower exterior—deal with these threats before entering the cave for safety.

Cave Entry Point

The primary cave entrance lies directly beneath the tower. Paraglide down from the tower’s base to reach the opening. Zelda Dungeon Wiki confirms the cave has multiple entrances including a northeast entrance and routes accessible by hugging the right wall, so exploration rewards thorough players.

Bypassing the Door

Once inside the cave, navigate through by smashing rocks along the right-side walls. The DualShockers walkthrough details a path where players turn left after initial rocks, then right, breaking boulders in sequence until reaching the chamber with the large central rock. Use Ascend on the circular ceiling slab to reach the tower interior.

Removing the Sticks

Inside the tower, two long sticks block the sliding door mechanism. Zelda Dungeon Wiki confirms these can be picked up directly or moved with Ultrahand. Nintendo Life notes the sticks can even be fused together humorously before removal—though this serves no gameplay purpose beyond player amusement.

What is special about Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower?

Map Reveal

Like all Skyview Towers in Tears of the Kingdom, activating Sahasra Slope fills in the regional map. The RPG Site confirms the reveal covers both West Necluda sky and surface, opening the area for fast travel and showing previously hidden korok locations, shrines, and other points of interest.

Nearby Features

The tower overlooks Nabi Lake to the south. Inside the cave, players find ore deposits for mining, Horriblins as enemy encounters, and a Bubbulfrog that rewards a Bubbul Gem upon defeat. The Nintendo Life video confirms cave resources respawn on blood moon cycles, though smashed rocks remain broken permanently.

Activation Rewards

Once Billson enters and activates the tower, players can launch skyward from the activation platform. Zelda Dungeon Wiki documents that Billson expresses surprise and gratitude before performing his maintenance duties. The tower then functions as a standard fast-travel beacon and launcher for the remainder of gameplay.

Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower cave location?

Cave Entrance

The cave entrance sits directly beneath the tower structure. Players can reach it by paragliding from the tower base or approaching from ground level in the valley below. Zelda Dungeon Wiki confirms at least two separate entrances exist, giving players route flexibility.

Bubbulfrog Inside

A Bubbulfrog lurks within the cave depths. Nintendo Life documents Horriblins as additional enemy encounters inside the cave. Defeating the Bubbulfrog yields a Bubbul Gem—a collectible currency for the Cave Shop. These resources make cave exploration worthwhile beyond the tower unlock itself.

Path to Tower

The cave path is linear but requires some navigation. DualShockers maps a route through rock-smashing chambers to the Ascend chamber. The YouTube step-by-step guide confirms players turn left after initial obstacles, then right, breaking rocks in sequence until reaching the distinct circular ceiling slab needed for tower entry.

Mining Opportunities

Sahasra Slope Cave contains valuable ore deposits for mining. The YouTube guide notes mining rocks appear throughout the cave system. Zelda Dungeon Wiki confirms broken rocks remain smashed permanently, allowing easy re-entry on future visits without re-clearing obstacles.

Step-by-step unlock process

Four distinct steps get you from tower exterior to full activation:

1. Locate and approach: Fast-travel to coordinates (1344, -1170, 0166) in West Necluda. Clear any Battle Talus and Bokoblins circling the exterior for safety.
2. Enter the cave: Paraglide from the tower base to the cave entrance below, or approach from ground level via the northeast entrance.
3. Navigate and ascend: Use bomb arrows or rock-fused weapons to clear rocks along the right-side path. Turn left after initial obstacles, then right. Smash through to the chamber with a large central rock and two smaller rocks. Use Ascend on the circular ceiling slab to enter the tower interior.
4. Clear the door: Once inside, grab and remove the two long sticks blocking the sliding door using Ultrahand or direct pickup. Open the door—Billson thanks you, performs maintenance, and activates the tower.

Confirmed facts and rumors

• Cave access via Sahasra Slope Cave using Ascend ability (confirmed via RPG Site, Zelda Dungeon Wiki)
• Door blocked by two long sticks inside the tower (confirmed via Zelda Dungeon Wiki)
• Billson is a Rito Skyview Tower maintenance worker (confirmed via Zelda Dungeon Wiki)
• Door is a sliding mechanism, not a locked door (confirmed via DualShockers)
• Mushrooms do not affect tower unlock (confirmed via RPG Site)
• Billson appears at both Sahasra Slope and Thyphlo Ruins towers (confirmed via Zelda Dungeon Wiki)
• Broken rocks in cave remain smashed permanently (confirmed via DualShockers)
• Activating tower reveals West Necluda sky and surface map (confirmed via RPG Site)

• Billson’s full dialogue transcript and all variations (unconfirmed—community-documented snippets only)
• Exact in-game coordinates for individual cave entrances (unconfirmed)
• Post-activation korok seed locations near tower (unconfirmed—varies by save file)

Expert perspectives

Bringing him mushrooms, or even mushroom-heavy recipes, for instance, won’t do anything.

— RPG Site guide (Game Guide Author)

Billson will correct himself when he mentions the wrong way to open the door; he was briefly confused as, in his own words, he’s hungry.

— DualShockers guide (Game Guide Author)

This is why in life we should ask questions—we should never overthink things we assumed the mushrooms were the answer.

— Nintendo Life YouTube narrator

The pattern across multiple guides is consistent: Billson’s mushroom hint is deliberate misdirection, and the actual puzzle solution relies on core TOTK mechanics rather than item collection.

Summary

The Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower presents one of Tears of the Kingdom’s more memorable NPC puzzles. Billson’s desperate mushroom talk fools most players into unnecessary gathering expeditions, but the real solution sits inside the cave below—accessible through the Ascend ability and blocked by two simple wooden sticks. For players who’ve been circling the tower wondering why their cave mushrooms don’t work, the answer is straightforward: ignore Billson’s hunger, head into the cave, and remove the sticks yourself. Once inside, the activation is automatic—and West Necluda opens up for exploration.