a. Western Mountains

The Western Mountains climbing area in western Maine sits about a mile from Locke Mills and makes a compact base for climbers and hikers alike. It draws climbers with a mix of traditional, sport and bouldering routes and sits close to several other trails and climbing areas. The area has 25 routes in total, with 12 traditional, 8 bouldering, 3 sport and 2 top rope. Grades run from YDS 5.5 to 5.11b/c, with bouldering from V0- to V9. Among the named routes are Noah's Ark at 5.5, Crystalline Fracture at 5.7 and Resist This at 5.11b/c. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs near 79°F in July, with lows around 57°F, while January highs average about 28°F. Maggie's Nature Park Trail is just 0.3 miles away, and Lapham Ledge Trail is about 1.5 miles off. Twitchell Pond, another climbing area, is roughly 2.2 miles away, and McClain's Lane, a cross-country ski route, is about a mile away.