LEWISTON — Halloween is only 18 days away, which means only 18 days to get in as much scary and spooky as you can stomach. From nightmare-inducing haunted houses to kid-friendly pumpkin walks, there’s something for everyone.

Lost Valley’s Mountain of Terror is not for the faint of heart. The new Halloween haunt debuts Friday with attractions for all ages.

It’s not just a haunted house. It’s a fully immersed haunted ski lodge. The Dark Cellar is a chilling maze through a basement full of aliens, electrocutions and ghosts.

The Chair Lift to the Unknown takes you up the mountain for a second course of scare.

“There’s a UFO crash site, a zombie gallery paintball course and a bonfire with apple cider,” said Michelle Gosselin, public relations director for Lost Valley.

A kid-friendly room toward the back of the lodge provides a refuge for those who are too young or small to escape the clutches of diseased alien invaders. “There’s a train, face-painting, cookie-decorating,” said Tad Bettcher, a main organizer of the event.

There’s something innately creepy about an old, hidden ski lodge and with some dismembered decorations and fake fog, you’ll feel transported to a haunted village.

Bettcher said planning for the event began this past spring and the physical setup began about a week ago.

Bob Tibbetts of Auburn used to set up his own haunted house in his two-car garage, but when he heard about Lost Valley wanting to put together a Halloween event this year, he took all of his spooky supplies and brought them over.

“I want to see them do good here, and this is such a great spot here, and a great venue to use. There’s a lot of people helping out. It’s a real community event,” Tibbetts said.

Jeff Strout is the visual producer of the haunted lodge. He designed almost everything, and with the help of construction worker Russ Gavett, the scary scenery was brought to life. 

In addition to the two main attractions, there are pay-to-play games, food and drink, a cash-only bar, and two carnival-style alien-themed rides.

Lost Valley’s Mountain of Terror will be open from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday for the next three weekends. Tickets are $20 for access to both The Dark Cellar and the Chair Lift to Nowhere.

Local haunts

* Wallingford’s Fruit House’s Nightmare on the Ridge offers a haunted house adventure that continues through the corn field. Described as “filled with spooky scenery, illusions and scary surprises,” this ride runs 6 -11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through the rest of October.

* Halloween costume party at The William J. Rogers American Legion Post 153 at 71 South Main St., Auburn, 7 p.m. to midnight, Oct. 29. There will be prizes and live music provided by Jean Louis.

* Lisa Severy, medium and mystic seer Saturday, Oct. 22, at noon at the Rumford Public Library for a group reading. Free and open to the public. Information: 364-3661.

* Hillside Sports annual Pumpkin Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29 from 5-9 p.m. with pumpkin-carving 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the AYS building, former site of LFHS in Livermore Falls.

* Kingfield Ghost Walk on Oct. 22 from 4–8 p.m. Starting with a Pumpkin Freshet re-enactment followed by a guided Ghost Walk Tour with members of the Maine Ghost Hunters. Also available will be the Riverside Cemetery Walk, a trip through the Winter’s Hill cemetery.

* “Leeds Ghosts: Past and Present” presented by the Leeds Historical Society on Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Leeds Town Office starting at 2 p.m.It will be suitable for all ages, though not geared to children, and is free and open to the public.

* Annual Harvest Festival at Farmington Baptist Church from 5:30-7:30 on Saturday, Oct. 29. This is a family event with fun for all ages, including popcorn, candy and punch, a bounce house, lots of games. Non-scary costumes are welcome.

* Paris Public Library’s annual Halloween Festival on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Children in the community are invited to the library to participate in a variety of ghoulish games, including a spider web walk, creepy crafts and, of course, candy. Halloween stories will be shared. Costumes are encouraged but are not required.

* WICKED Haunted Walk at 15 Recreation Drive, Mexico, on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 7 p.m,-midnight. A spine-tingling haunted house that spans nearly 9,000 square feet with 15 rooms. Tickets are $8.

* The Wilton Fire Department Benevolence Association will host a spaghetti supper and free pumpkin-carving from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Wilton Fire Station. The supper will raise money for the local food pantry. $7 for adults, $3 for children.

* Chesterville Town Halloween Party on Monday, Oct. 31, from 6-8 p.m. at the Chesterville Town Office. Free event will include food, games, a craft table, costume parade, haunted barn, hayride. This event is sponsored by the North Chesterville Extension Homemakers.

* Harlan Baker will present a program at the Bridgton Historical Society’s annual meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, in the museum on Gibbs Avenue in downtown Bridgton. His lively presentation will use the Salem Witch Trials, the story of George Burroughs and King Philip’s War (1675-76) to explore relations between Massachusetts and Maine in the 17th century. The public is invited to attend. Non-members are encouraged to make a $5 donation, and may become members by joining at the door.

Can’t decide between the Mountain of Terror and Wallingford’s Fruit House’s Nightmare on the Ridge? They’ve got you covered. Combo passes are available at either location for $30, which gives you access to both major attractions at Lost Valley and the haunted house at Wallingford’s, including a shuttle back and forth.

Mountain of Terror website: http://www.lostvalleyski.com/mountain-of-horror.html

Nightmare on the Ridge website : https://www.facebook.com/Wallingfords-Nightmare-on-the-Ridge-311927555652268/

For those sensitive to lights and prone to seizures, please be aware that strobe lights, laser lights and a fog machine are used in the Dark Cellar.