I have now thus far wandered the cold mountains of Skyrim for many hours, and I have seen many "ore" deposits that seem "mine-able". When I attempt to interact with these deposits I get a message that says something to the effect of "you need a pickaxe to mine that". I'll check the exact message text next time I'm playing. I've been to several towns, and I haven't seen a pickaxe for sale anywhere. Am I missing something? Where do I get what I need to mine ore?
Get a pickaxe
the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim
Related Solutions
Look for the stables outside of the major cities. You can buy them there.
You can see where the stables are in relation to you (if there are any nearby) by keeping an eye out for the following horseshoe icon in your HUD compass:
They also show up with a similar icon on your map:
And finally, here's what the stables look like when you're in visual range:
You can also steal horses (found at stables or in the wild), but there's a 50 gold bounty placed on your head each time a guard is made aware of you mounting one. Stolen horses also run away when dismounted, while owned horses stay where you leave them.
I just climbed Skyrim's tallest mountain for you. The notched pickaxe increases smithing by five.
It is not leveled loot, and does not stack.
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Best Answer
Picks turn up commonly in and around mines - look for the crossed hammer icon on the maps (shown here):
How do I find an ore mine?
You'll also see them in some of the shops in the villages.