Maryland · Rock climbing · Cumberland

Mercury buttress

10 routes
5.0 – 5.10
Top Rope
Jun, Aug–Oct
best months

Mercury Buttress is a climbing area in Wills Mountain State Park in Maryland, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It sits among a cluster of named buttresses, with Venus Buttress and Earth Buttress each about 0.1 mile away, and Cumberland Narrows, also known as Lover's Leap, just as close. The area is a top-rope destination. Ten routes are listed, all top-roped, with grades ranging from 5.0 to 5.10. Among them are Wookie's Wormhole at 5.0, Millennium Falcon at 5.9 and Better than the Gunks at 5.10. The routes were first ascended by David Carrier and Ben LaCour in May 2020. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cumberland run to highs around 75°F in May and 79°F in September, while July highs average about 87°F. That station sits roughly 660 feet lower than the buttress, so temperatures on the rock run cooler. Other climbing is close by, with Mars Buttress about 0.1 mile away. For a hike, Monkey's Head Rock Trail is about 6 miles off, and Bear Ridge is about 6 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Jun, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit Mercury buttress

    Best months: June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      39° / 23°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 24°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      53° / 31°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      66° / 41°

      13 wet

    5. May

      75° / 51°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 60°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      87° / 64°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 63°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 55°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      67° / 43°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 34°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      43° / 27°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cumberland 2, MD, 2.3 mi away at 730 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (10)