Stepping Stones was a more simple challenge, used intermittently throughout the show's 10 season run. All you had to do was cross a series of extremely unstable stepping stones (!), without falling off, to collect gold. If you fell, you'd lose a life.
Season 1
Stepping Stones made its debut on the first Wednesday of the tournament, set at Deep Loch. Set at the bank of the lake, there was a wooden jetty with two paths of stepping stones coming off it. One path has five stepping stones, close together; the other path has three stepping stones, but they're much further apart. At the end of each path was a giant gold-coloured hoop, which the warrior would have to jump through, if/when they got the end of their path. After jumping through the hoop, they'd land in the lake again, then have to swim under the hoop and back to the bank to collect their gold treasure ring.
However, the warriors attempting this challenge only have a single attempt to get the ring. If they fall off their path at any time, they will lose a life.
Trivia
- Most warriors picked the five stone path.
- Usually, the pass rate at this challenge was 40% or 60% (statistics taken from weeks 1 and 2 attempting it).
- Stepping Stones would contribute to Galle's withdrawal from the tournament. She fell off one of the stones and caught her knee on it. This injury would be made worse at Long Staff.
Stepping Stones was rarely played after season 1.
Season 2
With an overall change around in season 2, Stepping Stones was turned into a race, across two parallel paths of five stepping stones. Once a warrior reaches the end of their path, they have to jump through the hoop, swim out to the raft where the treasure is and collect it. That warrior keeps the treasure; the other loses a life. The same goes if they fall off.
Seasons 3 and 4
Stepping Stones didn't really appear all that much in seasons 3 and 4.
Seasons 5 and 6
With a redesigned map symbol on the season 5+ map, Stepping Stones was changed slightly. All they had to do was cross a very long path of stepping stones, from one side of the pond to the other, and collect rings from the tower of skulls on the other side of the pond. The same basic rules apply here.
Season 7
Main article: Stone Bridge, which is what replaced Stepping Stones in this season.
Season 8
Main article: Pool Plunge, which is what replaced Stepping Stones in this season.