As stated, the Mountain Wilderness is a great place for your party to gain some experience and level ups before Ascension Peak. A level 25-30+ party can get great experience by fighting various sprites and scorchers. However, I would recommend fighting in the middle or eastern portion of the map, as that winding road in the west can be very annoying. Ideally, you want to fight one monster group at a time, and that road can cause you to have to fight a whole bunch of enemies at once.

I'm playing on easy (novice) mode for two reasons: 1. I did an insane amount of grinding, both for skill increases and level ups (all skills are now maxed, and the party is at or above level 34). 2. I'm trying for a deathless run (no party members, RPCs in the party, or friendlies around my party can die in battle). This game can be hard enough, even on easy mode (some battles can take more than 10 minutes real time).

You can be lucky enough to get 4 level 34 Molten Scorchers (this is a somewhat reliable spawn, the toughest enemy before AP). Assuming a 6 person party, each party member would get over 600K experience for winning said battle. They are easy to counter (cast Element Shield, or cast Heal All every few rounds). They are weak to the Water realm as well.

What goes without saying, is that the heavy armor users (Fighter, Lord, Valkyrie), get awesome armor at Ferro. What isn't often discussed, is that the medium armor users (Ranger, Bard, Gadgeteer), can get some great armor as well (some very under-rated).

Since I have no Bard or Gadgeteer this time, I'm going to stick with the Ranger. My level 34 Human Ranger has his stats at: 100 Strength, Dexterity, Speed, Senses, 59 Intelligence and Piety, and 60 Vitality. Add to that the Gown of Divinemail, both Upper and Lower (+15 Vitality each), and he gets a +30 Vitality bonus, making his final Vitality 90. He has more Stamina and Carry Capacity than the rest of the party, and has higher Hit Points than everybody but the Fighter.

These Gowns of Divinemail (very underrated, and the fact that they're cursed doesn't matter, as they cause no maluses), can both be easily farmed from those Rapax harassment squads in the Eastern Mountain Wilderness (as well as some other items which may or may not be useful).

My Ranger is about as good as it gets, before Ferro. He has: Dread Spear (melee), Eagle Eye Bow (range), Bascinet (head), Upper and Lower Divinemail (upper and lower body), Mail Mittens (hands), Chain Hosen (feet), Cloak of Many Colors (cloak), and 2X Amulets of Healing (accessories). The only possible improvement IMO is that he can get better head armor (Infinity Helm), at Ferro.

Edit: Snakeskin Boots, also, at Ferro, though this is unnecessary (everybody has Speed, Senses, and Snakespeed maxed).