How to Catch the Thief Jack Frost at the Hot Spring in Genshin Impact

Catching the Thief Jack Frost at the hot spring in Genshin Impact is one of Snezhnaya’s hidden exploration encounters — and the reason most players get stuck is that you cannot chase the snowman down on foot. To catch the Thief Jack Frost in Genshin Impact, place a Grappling Gun nearby and wait for the snowman to get caught. In the southwestern parts of the Central Station, you will come across a hot spring while exploring. This guide covers where to find the hot spring, how to trigger the encounter, how to use the Grappling Gun to catch the thief, and what rewards you get — including a bonus achievement hidden at the same location.

This encounter is part of Snezhnaya’s broader Jack Frost exploration content. For more Jack Frost puzzles and quests in the region, check out our guides on the Jack Frost Train Puzzle, Hide-and-Seek Jack Frosts Quest, and the Excitement-Loving Jack Frost Challenge. You will also need the Prime Ice Construct system fully unlocked — see our Gunfire in the Silent Lands quest guide if you have not yet completed that Archon Quest step.

TL;DR

Hot spring is located in the southwestern area of Central Station (Everfrozen Earth, Snezhnograd)
Approach the barrels in the corner — a voice calls out asking for help retrieving stolen clothes
Head east to find a Jack Frost, which will run away when you approach
Chase it behind the hot spring building — it will be too fast to catch on foot
Use the Prime Ice Construct menu to place a Grappling Gun nearby
The Grappling Gun hooks the Jack Frost’s back and catches it automatically
Return the clothes to the barrel — reward is a Precious Chest and 3 Common Chests
Bonus achievement: Speak to Kintutu southwest of the hot spring and place a Cube to stop her bird for the Koski, Options achievement

Table of Contents

How to Unlock the Thief Jack Frost Encounter

This is an open-world hidden encounter, not a formally named world quest, so there is no quest marker pointing you toward it. You simply stumble upon it while exploring Snezhnaya. To access it you need to have already completed Gunfire in the Silent Lands, the second chapter of the Everwinter Without Mercy Archon Quest. Most Snezhnaya world quests and exploration encounters unlock only after completing Gunfire in the Silent Lands. Once in Snezhnaya, use the Eye of Graeae gadget you receive upon arrival.

You also need the Eye of Graeae equipped in your gadget slot and enough Kresnik Energy to place a Grappling Gun construct. If your energy is low, refill it at Mini Kresnik Torches or by breaking Kresnik Kristall Ores. For full details on how the construct system works, our Prime Ice Constructs guide covers all nine types and how to manage them.

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Hot Spring Location

In the southwestern parts of the Central Station, you will come across a hot spring while exploring. Central Station is Snezhnograd’s main train hub in the Everfrozen Earth region — the large city that serves as Snezhnaya’s capital. The hot spring sits to the southwest of the station, slightly off the main road. It is easy to spot thanks to the steam rising from the water and the barrels clustered in one corner of the enclosure.

The fastest route is to teleport to the Central Station Teleport Waypoint in Snezhnograd and head southwest on foot. The hot spring appears within a short walk. Look for the wooden fence and the steaming pool — the barrels you need to interact with are in the corner of the enclosed area.

How to Catch the Thief Jack Frost — Step by Step

Step 1: Approach the Barrels and Listen to the Voice

A Shrill Voice greets you upon approaching the barrels in the corner. The one inside the barrel had their clothes stolen by a thief after taking a dip in the hot spring. They ask for help retrieving their belongings because they are freezing without them. Agree to help to trigger the encounter.

Step 2: Spot the Thief and Give Chase

Head east towards the Jack Frost standing at the corner, only for the snowman to run away. The thief basically revealed their identity by panicking and running away. Follow the Thief Jack Frost behind the hot spring building. It runs into a corner but moves too fast for you to catch with normal movement — no amount of sprinting will close the gap.

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Step 3: Place a Grappling Gun to Catch It

This is where most players get stuck. You cannot tackle the Jack Frost directly. Approach it slowly and build a Grappling Gun to successfully catch the Thief Jack Frost, as the construct pulls them from the hook on the back.

Here is exactly how to place the Grappling Gun:

Open the Prime Ice Construct menu using your Fab-Vision: T on PC, L1 + Square on PlayStation, LB + X on Xbox, or the on-screen button on mobile
Select the Grappling Gun construct from the menu (costs Prime Ice to build)
Position the placement preview near the Thief Jack Frost — make sure it is close enough for the hook to reach
Confirm the placement when the preview turns blue
Wait — the Grappling Gun automatically latches onto the hook on the Jack Frost’s back and holds it in place

Every Jack Frost has a hook on its back, which is exactly what Grappling Guns are designed to catch. This is the same mechanic used in the Jack Frost race challenge south of Central Station, where players place Grappling Guns along the race route to slow down the competing snowmen.

Step 4: Retrieve the Stolen Clothes

Once the Grappling Gun catches the Thief Jack Frost, it can no longer run. Approach the caught Jack Frost and interact with it to retrieve the stolen clothes. The snowman gives them up without a fight now that it is held in place.

Step 5: Return the Clothes and Collect Your Reward

After catching them and retrieving the stolen clothes, go back to the barrel and give the clothes. Turns out the owner of the hot spring was the one inside the barrel, and they force the Thief Jack Frost to work for them as apology.

Return to the barrels in the corner of the hot spring enclosure and interact with the voice inside to hand over the clothes. A short scene plays out where the hot spring owner emerges and puts the Thief Jack Frost to work as punishment. This rewards a Precious Chest in Genshin Impact, which contains some buttons for exchange. Additionally, three Common Chests appear where the owner was trapped.

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Rewards for Catching the Thief Jack Frost

Precious Chest — contains Intricately Patterned Buttons and other regional rewards
3 Common Chests — appear at the spot where the hot spring owner was hiding

The Intricately Patterned Buttons you receive can be spent at the Jack Frost Goodie Shop in Jack Frost Village. Items available there include the “A Touch of Frost in Scorching Summer!” weapon skin, the Construct Appearance: Jack Frost cosmetic, and character level-up materials. The Goodie Shop becomes available after completing the Small Jack Frost, Big Trouble world quest in the same village.

Bonus: How to Get the Koski, Options Achievement at the Same Location

While at the hot spring, you can solve another problem to unlock an achievement. Go south-west to speak with Kintutu about her problems. She’s from Natlan and her Flowfire Bird companion, Javita, has been running around warm water non-stop.

This is a quick bonus puzzle attached to the same hot spring area. Here is how to complete it:

After finishing the Thief Jack Frost encounter, head southwest from the hot spring
Find and speak with Kintutu, an NPC from Natlan who is having trouble with her Flowfire Bird
Her companion Javita has been looping around the warm water and will not stop
To stop the bird, build a Cube in the fence gap to stop it. Open the Prime Ice Construct menu and place a Cube in the gap in the fence that the bird is running through
The Cube blocks Javita’s path and stops the looping behaviour
Once Kintutu thanks you and the bird settles, you will get the Koski, Options achievement.

This achievement requires almost no effort if you are already at the hot spring — just a quick detour southwest and one Cube placement. Make sure you have Kresnik Energy available before starting the Thief Jack Frost encounter so you can handle both puzzles in the same visit without running low on resources.

Tips for the Thief Jack Frost Encounter

Do not try to outrun the Jack Frost. Its speed is scripted to be faster than your movement. The only solution is the Grappling Gun construct, not sprinting or using movement abilities.
Position the Grappling Gun between the Jack Frost and its escape path. Place it slightly ahead of where the snowman is standing so the hook can latch cleanly when it tries to move.
Check your Kresnik Energy before you start. The Grappling Gun costs Prime Ice to build. Refill your Eye of Graeae energy beforehand so you are not caught short mid-encounter.
Collect all four chests before leaving. The three Common Chests appear in the same corner where the barrel was — do not leave the area without picking them all up.
Do the Kintutu bonus while you are already here. The Koski, Options achievement only takes a minute and a single Cube placement. It would be a shame to come back for it separately.

More Jack Frost Guides in Snezhnaya

The Thief Jack Frost is just one of many Jack Frost encounters scattered across Snezhnaya. Here are the other Jack Frost puzzles and quests worth doing while exploring the region:

Genshin Impact is free to download on Android, iOS, PlayStation, Epic Games, and Xbox. Visit the official Genshin Impact website for more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Thief Jack Frost hot spring in Genshin Impact?

The hot spring is located in the southwestern area of Central Station in Snezhnograd, Everfrozen Earth, Snezhnaya. Teleport to the Central Station waypoint and walk southwest — look for the steam rising from the pool and the barrels clustered in the corner of the enclosure.

How do I catch the Thief Jack Frost?

You cannot outrun it on foot — its speed is scripted to be faster than the Traveler. The solution is to open the Prime Ice Construct menu (T on PC, L1 + Square on PS, LB + X on Xbox) and place a Grappling Gun near the Jack Frost. The construct automatically hooks onto the hook on its back and holds it in place so you can retrieve the stolen clothes.

What do I get for catching the Thief Jack Frost?

You receive a Precious Chest and three Common Chests. The Precious Chest contains Intricately Patterned Buttons, which can be spent at the Jack Frost Goodie Shop in Jack Frost Village for items including a weapon skin and the Construct Appearance: Jack Frost cosmetic.

How do I get the Koski, Options achievement?

After finishing the Thief Jack Frost encounter, head southwest from the hot spring and speak with an NPC named Kintutu. Her Flowfire Bird Javita is running loops around the warm water. Place a Cube Prime Ice Construct in the fence gap to block the bird’s path. Once it stops, Kintutu thanks you and the Koski, Options achievement unlocks.

Why can’t I catch the Jack Frost by running after it?

The Thief Jack Frost is scripted to be faster than the Traveler’s normal movement speed. No sprint or movement ability closes the gap. The Grappling Gun is the intended solution because every Jack Frost in Snezhnaya has a hook on its back that the construct latches onto automatically.

Do I need to complete any quest before finding the Thief Jack Frost?

Yes. You need to complete Gunfire in the Silent Lands, the second chapter of the Everwinter Without Mercy Archon Quest, before Snezhnayan exploration encounters unlock. You also need the Eye of Graeae gadget equipped and Kresnik Energy available to place the Grappling Gun construct.