A Milestone 20 Years in the Making
The WMCC’s recent purchase of the 70 acre parcel known as the ‘Rock Property’ has been a goal of the WMCC for the last 20 years!
The WMCC formed in 2002 in order to keep Farley Ledge open and accessible to the public. One of the major issues Farley faced back in the early 2000’s was a lack of parking (all that existed at the time was the 8 car lot in the Farley neighborhood). Most neighbors didn’t want people parking in their yards, understandably. And so, the WMCC began searching for a piece of land to build a parking lot.
After an early attempt to approach the owner and purchase the ‘Rock Property’, the WMCC closed on a different piece of land along Route 2 in 2007. The WMCC subdivided, sold the house, and built a new trail head, which became the main Farley parking lot we all know and love today.
However, one of the major threats Farley still faces is insufficient parking. With the growing popularity of climbing, the current parking lot is quickly overwhelmed with new climbers discovering it every year. When the parking lot is full, visitors park in overflow areas and cross the busy route 2 on foot, creating a potentially dangerous situation for pedestrians and motorists.
Finally, in 2023, the ‘Rock Property’ came up for sale on the open market. The WMCC needed to act quickly, but there were a number of questions that needed to be answered first. Nick Friedman, a local climber and advocate, stepped up and agreed to purchase the property and take it off the market while the WMCC worked to secure the special permits needed to build a parking lot.
Special permits were secured in late 2025 and the WMCC closed on the property in December with a Climbing Conservation Loan from the Access Fund.
We need to raise $430,000 in order to pay back the Access Fund and build a parking lot, kiosks, and trails. Our goal is to raise $50,000 by the end of the year and are nearly halfway to our goal.
Stay up to date on this project, such as volunteer opportunities, major milestones, and parking lot construction, by following us on Instagram @wmcc_climb_gneiss . Questions about what this project entails? What to expect? Check out our FAQ page.
Donate now to have your donation matched by local climbing gyms and community members!
