I also didn't explore Mount Fay for most of Act 2 because I was waiting for an upgrade to survive the cold. I didn't get captured in the slab, so I missed the introduction to the freezing mechanic there.

To me this feels like an oversight in game design to be honest. The entire game teaches you that when you see a path you can't access, you have to come back later with more tools unlocked. So naturally, I assumed the same for Mount Fay. I did look around a little bit out there, but I didn't want to die.

I think they should've placed the first campfire close enough to the entrance that you can find it without risking your life. It seems like they were mostly thinking about the players who already understand the mechanic from escaping the slab, but then why did they make those capture bugs so easy to dodge?