The Gem

The Gem is a bouldering area in Vermont, about a mile from the town of Lanesboro. It sits close to the Cross Vermont Trail, which passes within a quarter mile, and to other climbing spots like Roadside Boulder and Spice Mountain Boulders, both within half a mile. The area is a cluster of boulders rather than a single climb. Eight routes are listed, all bouldering, with grades ranging from V1 to V10-11. The easiest are Milken (V1) and Diagonal (V2), and the hardest is Blood Diamond (V10-11), first climbed by Jake List. The V scale is the grading system used here. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Plainfield run to highs around 80°F in July, with September still near 70°F. That station sits roughly 700 feet lower than the boulders, so temperatures at the climbing area run cooler. Nearby, the Kettle Pond Loop Trail is under a mile away, and Lake Groton is about 2.7 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Wells River, about 6 miles away.