Piloting to the Mines[edit]
You will need to pass through three gold rings to open the forcefield to DarkIce Mines. Fail to do so would require you to do it again.
The lava pit[edit]
The Arwing will land at the bottom of a lava pit. There are two paths out of the pit: one in front of the Arwing and one behind it. It doesn't matter which one you choose because they will soon converge, and the path will narrow dramatically. At that point, you might want to walk instead of run. Be careful of fireballs shooting from the lava and the numerous gaps (including a hidden one where the bridge will collapse on contact) that are scattered across the trail.
The gap in the path[edit]
Have Tricky dig a tunnel through the pile of snow that is blocking the entrance to shed on the left side of the trail. Destroy the two Sharpclaw inside to get rid of the red barrier, and press 
while in front of the newly-revealed container to open it. There is a Shackle Key inside. Use it to free the shackled Snowhorn outside of the shed. She will ask that you help Belina Te, Garunda Te's daughter, and she will give you a Bridge Cog, an item that she discovered during her captivity.
Continue along the path, and you'll come across a small gorge with a river flowing at its bottom. Climb down the stones on the far left, and cross the wooden dock at the bottom to the machine behind the waterfall. Place the bridge cog where indicated by a 
, raise the lever on the left with , and a bridge will appear across the gorge.
NOTE: If you fall into the water, get out as quickly as possible because you will gradually lose health if you stay there. Also, watch out for enemies hiding in the walls of the gorge that fire green projectiles. You can destroy them by using the Fire Blaster on the green eyes that pop up in the nooks of those walls.