Crags – Climb Gneiss

Catamount

Catamount is a small out-of-the-way area and is by no means a destination cliff. However, it does offer some great climbing for locals looking to beat the crowds or curious out-of-towners who want to try out a new spot. This crag was originally discovered in the 90s but saw little development until a resurgence during Covid. The schist is on the sharper side but is generally pretty solid. The condensed nature of the climbing and that the main area has a great “hang” spot make this an ideal crag for small groups who want to spend the day climbing near each other. While the grades range from 5.8 to 5.13, the heaviest concentration falls in the 5.11+ to mid-5.12 range. Someone projecting at this level can stay occupied over several visits to the cliff.

The cliff faces southeast and receives spotty sun throughout the morning. Abundant trees offer lots of shade to many of the routes all day, making for tolerable summer conditions. There is variable seasonal seepage on a few routes on the main wall between Tiger King and Neu Normal. This can be hit or miss but it is a good bet to assume Virtue of Selfishness and Delta Queen will be wet until around June. Fall is by far the best time to visit the cliff.

Parking & Trails

Parking is located .5 miles from route 2 up North River Road there are two pullouts, one on each side of the road, with room for 10-12 vehicles. Google maps pin for parking. From the smaller pullout on the west side of the road, follow the trail a few feet and cross the stream to a foot path (orange flagging). The foot path will give way to an old logging road. Continue uphill eventually crossing under the power lines. Continue on the logging road passing more flagging and a no trespassing sign. Several hundred yards past the no trespassing sign turn left at a tree with a double band of flagging tape. From here, the well flagged trail contours with the hill side and over the tops of several small crags eventually dropping down a short gully to the main sector. Total hike is approximately .75 miles and takes 20-30 minutes.

Guidebook

There is a GunksApp guidebook: Catamount Routes written by Sara McFadden. You can download it for $2.99, and 10% of the profits go to the WMCC.

Access Status: Yellow

This area is in the yellow category, meaning there is no formal agreement to protect access to climbing at this cliff at this time. Please be respectful and stay on marked trails and routes listed in the guidebook to ensure you aren’t entering private property.

Stevens Boulders

Intro | Parking | Map | Trails | Access Status

Access Status: YELLOW

The tightly packed Stevens Boulders in Huntington, Massachusetts lay strewn across an east-facing ridge on the Hilltown Land Trust’s Stevens Property. Although modest in size, the high quality stone, relatively moderate grades, lack of crowds, and short approach in a truly enchanting setting make this bouldering area worth a visit.

Stevens features approximately 100 established problems ranging from V0-V10 on highly textured Williamsburg granodiorite. Located at approximately 1300 feet above sea level, with southern exposure, this highly textured stone offers varied angles, heights, hold types, and movement patterns. Although it is an east facing crag, it is typically 5-10 degrees cooler than places such as Farley, the Hideaway, and the Happy Valley due to its elevation and tree canopy. The spring and fall offer the best conditions. Expect snow and ice cover to be persistent during winter months.

Parking

At the highest point on Route 66, 0.4 mile west of the Westhampton-Huntington town line, turn north off Route 66 onto Allen Coit Road. Go 0.4 mile to the intersection with Pisgah Road and bear right onto Pisgah. Go 2.4 mile north from that intersection to HLT’s marked parking pullout and small clearing at break in stone wall on the right. Trail begins to the right of the kiosk. Additional parking can be found a few hundred yards back (south) on the same side of the road in a small meadow at the bottom of the hill (also owned by Hilltown Land Trust).

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

The Stevens Property features two trails: a longer 4-mile loop trail and a shorter 1.2 mile loop trail. Most of the boulders can be found within or just outside the smaller, red-blazed loop trail. Follow the trail out from the parking lot and walk for approximately 5 minutes before reaching the first boulder. All of the boulders are located along the red-blazed loop trail and on its interior, and are generally visible from the trail.

Access Status: Yellow

The WMCC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hilltown Land Trust (HLT) in the spring of 2024 formally allowing climbing on HLT land. The MOU will be revisited each year and requires the WMCC to shoulder some stewardship tasks. HLT is a local land trust that has been VERY welcoming to climbers and we would like to keep it that way. In other words, climb with gratitude: pack out any trash (even if it isn’t yours), keep dogs under control, keep the noise level down.

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Chapel Ledge

Intro | Parking | Map | Trails | Access Status

Access Status: GREEN

Chapel Ledge is tucked away in the quiet hills of Ashfield, MA. This spectacular setting has strong roots to the climbing history in Western Mass and has evolved into one of the area’s premier beginner crags.

This southwest facing rock is boldly featured granite reminiscent of crags in the White Mountains or Yosemite. Slabs dominate the moderate climbing here; however, more difficult test pieces can be found on brief, overhanging sections of the walls. Additionally, some shorter walls yield moderate bouldering. Typically, the crag is free of the crowds one would see at Farley, but Chapel is popular with outdoor educators and other groups, so be prepared to see ropes on the main slab. Many groups that make regular use of Chapel, such as our local chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), are generous about sharing time on the rock, so don’t be afraid of saying hello and sharing a belay.

Parking

Chapel Ledge is located on the Chapel Brook property owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations. Two, six car lots are located approximately six miles north of Williamsburg on both the eastern and western side of Ashfield Road. An obvious trail leaves the western lot and heads to the crag. Great swimming holes – made by Chapel Falls- located on the eastern side of the road help to round out a hot, humid afternoon. The Trustees do not charge climbers (or any other visitors) for the use of this beautiful resource, but the WMCC strongly encourages regular climbers to support this worthy organization with either time or a donation.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

The main trail takes the dirt road that exits the western parking lot and winds beyond the gate to the kiosk. From here, timber steps and the obvious trail lead to the base of the cliff. A newly renovated climbers’ trail leaves the main trail and hugs the climbable sections of the cliff band. The climbers’ trail rejoins the main trail and continues up to the summit of the cliff.

Access Status: Green

The access status of this crag is green. The WMCC completed some major trail improvements here as part of Adopt-A-Crag ’05.

The Dark Side

Intro | Parking | Map| Trails | Access Status

Access Status: YELLOW

The Dark Side is, in many ways, the antithesis to Reservoir Rocks. It spreads through an older, shadier part of the forest and the boulders here are less trafficked, harder to get to, and spread out. Already grabbing your shoes and chalk, right? Yet for the enthusiastic climber willing to hike a little, some of the best boulder problems in Great Barrington can be found here. From technical moderates (V3-V5) in different styles, to an established V13 waiting for the first ascent of its sit start, or a seemingly endless supply of projects; the Dark Side will keep many climbers busy for seasons to come.

Parking

Currently parking for the Dark Side is granted through a memorandum of understanding between climbers and the South Berkshire Friends Meeting. The large parking lot is on 280 State Road, and they have requested that any climbers using it send them an email at: info@southberkshirefriends.org letting them know that you will be parking there to climb. Please note the Southern Berkshire Friends hold meetings on Sundays from 10:30-11:30am.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

The current access to the Dark Side is provided through a rough ‘climbers’ trail’ that runs about half a mile southeast from the South Berkshire Friends property to the Whale boulder. Heading from the parking lot towards the forest, you will walk through a marshy area with reeds and quickly bear left. Continue through the thicket and then duck under a bending tree to gain access to the forest. Once in the forest travel southeast towards the pin for the whale. You will travel uphill gradually, and after about 0.5 miles will start seeing boulders, the Whale being the biggest one around. The Whale has problems like Nostalgia V10, a sloper traverse on the far right of the block, or Tim’s Problem, a dynamic V5 on small holds. There is also a warm up traverse V3 climbing right using the slots to the left of Nostalgia. If you walk climbers left of the whale and around the hill is the Darkside Arete V13 and Moondance V8. Climbers right of the whale will take you to Commissioner of Adultery V5 and the Elyse Problem V6. Continue exploring to find some of the different projects waiting for a little wire brushing!

Access Status: Yellow

While the majority of boulders at the Dark Side are on East Mountain State Forest, this property abuts that of other landowners, including that of the generous South Berkshire Friends. Both with the approach and where you explore, please be respectful as you appreciate the excellent climbing. Access status is yellow because there is no formal agreements protecting climbing at this time.

Young male brushes holds on a boulder. Several bright crash pads lay on the ground in front of the boulder.

Young person crouches on top of a slick looking boulder with a brush and chalk bag in hand.

Dramatic perspective of long, double tiered boulder with a climber reaching for a hold.

yellow wall at Farley, trees surround top of cliff

Farley Ledges

Access Status: RED

*All parts of Farley are closed for climbing at this time. Despite what you may have heard, no one should access Farley from any direction right now. We are working with multiple landowners and trying to determine property boundaries before providing more updates about access and specific closures. See full updates about the Farley Ledge closure here. Thank you for your cooperation.*

Click here to donate

Many climbers traverse Route 2 in Farley, Massachusetts numerous times, looking for – but never quite catching sight of – Farley Ledges tucked behind the trees. While this search might prove to be an apt metaphor for one’s entire trip, the high concentration of tall, hard routes and excellent bouldering make the effort worth it.

These southeast facing chain of ledges, like much of the rock in the region, is granitic gneiss. This stone is characterized by big, sloping horizontals, small edges and sweeping features. At least four waves of route developers have put up a variety of lines spanning the gamut of highball bouldering to committing traditional lines to pumpy sport routes. The climbing is best when friction is the highest. Generally, ideal conditions can be found in spring and fall, although the heavily forested areas provide ample shade on hot summer days.

Farley sees more visitors each year, especially on the weekends and holidays. Plan on seeing other parties. If the parking lots are full, consider a visit to Rose Ledges or Mormon Hollow: both are within two miles of Farley and offer more solitude.

In fact, the willingness to climb at a different crag on heavy use days is one big thing individual climbers could do to preserve access to Farley. Farley has been closed numerous times by landowners disgruntled by our numbers, our behavior or both. The WMCC was born to deal with the last closure and we have kept it open. Our purchase of the seven acre plot allowed us to build permanent parking and trail access, but we do not own any of the stone. In other words, we have stabilized – but not guaranteed – our access to the climbing. Please, tread lightly so we can all come back.

Notes:

There are a number of mixed routes at Farley, meaning they are intended to be lead on trad gear, with the protection of bolts where needed. The first bolt is painted yellow (or ‘gold’) to indicate a mixed route.
A sixty meter rope and rack of 12 draws are sufficient for most routes at Farley. There is a note at the base of the ‘Green Mile,’ indicating that a 70 meter rope is required for this climb.
In the warmer months, it is common to encounter wasp nests on many of the climbs at the Wall of Early Morning Light.

Parking

Want a preview of some of the available parking and what to expect as you head up the trail? Take a look at Michelle’s Farley Tour on Youtube. The main lot looks a bit different now but this has lots of good information!

*Currently Closed due to access issues* Main Lot: The primary parking area and the trail head directly off of Route 2 is owned by the WMCC. Please park considerately and pay the $5.00 donation at the “iron ranger” or pay through our online donation platform by credit card, PayPal or Venmo. There are options to donate $30 for the whole year and get a 2026 ‘Park Gneiss’ sticker. This lot is usually full by 9:00 am on weekends with nice weather, so have a plan B in mind if you will be arriving after 9:00 am. There is a designated accessible parking space in this lot.

Please keep your dog on a leash, especially when in the parking lot. We have heard from the neighbor alongside the parking lot that dogs enter his yard and disturb the peace. Keep dogs out of private landowner’s yards to keep our good relationships intact!

Erving Municipal Lot: A few minutes East of Farley, in the center of Erving (near the bright pink Erving Station and the Freight house), is a paved lot owned by the town of Erving. There are several EV chargers. We HIGHLY suggest meeting climbing partners here and carpooling to a closer lot. You can also park here and book a ride on the FRTA, which will take you right up to the Farley lot. Find more info on the FRTA service.

*Currently closed during mud season* The 8-car lot: Look for Holmes Street (heading west, it’s on the right, heading east, on the left). Drive up Holmes street to Wells Street, take Wells to the end of the pavement, and turn right onto Cross St. Please respect the 8 car limit and don’t park elsewhere in this neighborhood.

*The bridge is currently closed due to construction* Bridge Street: There is a large, privately owned parking lot just over the bridge on the right hand side. Climbers and hikers are welcome to park here! There is a small box where you can put in a $5.00 suggested donation. This donation goes to the private landowner, not to the WMCC.

*Currently closed during mud season* 7 Maple Ave: Look for the white post on the right, near the white church. 10 cars can be accommodated. There is a suggested $5 donation that goes to the property owner.

Where not to park: Anywhere on either side of Route 2 or anywhere that is not designated for parking. If all of these options are full, the crag probably is too!

*We are working hard to improve the parking situation. You can help by donating to the campaign!

Facilities

There is an accessible Porta Potty in the main lot for most of the year. It may not be there in the late winter or early spring. Please plan accordingly and bring wag bags for emergencies!

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Click here for a map of the crags at Farley (no route information, just a map of the crags).

Falcon Closure

The WMCC, in accordance to the wishes of Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife and abutting landowners, maintains a voluntary, seasonal closure of selected routes to enable nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons to hatch and raise their offspring in peace.

During this closure, please stay off all routes on the right side of Pot Ledge Buttress (starting from “All Your Base”) to the K2 Buttress. If you are uncertain about where these formations lay, obey any posted signs as these areas are clearly marked.

The closure is in effect from February 15th – June15th every year.

Trails

The main access trail is located beyond the kiosk at the end of the parking lot. From the parking lot, walk north up the hillside to the intersection with the Red Dot trail. Turn right and the trail will wind through the boulder field before it meets the multi-state New England Trail (Metacomet-Monadnock Section) at Briggs Brook. Continue straight ahead and the trail will take you to the Wall of Early Morning Light, the most popular sport climbing wall at Farley. To the left the Red Dot trail continues around the back and ridge of Rattlesnake Mountain which is spectacular 1-1/2 mile hike in it’s own right. Many portions of trail are located on private property so please show your respect. Keep your dogs leashed when visiting Farley Ledge since many of the abutting landowners also have dogs.

Access Status: RED

See Farley Ledge Temporary Closure for more updates about the current closure.

The boulders and cliffs at Farley Ledges sprawl across several privately owned parcels and FirstLight power company land. In 2023, after a decade of negotiations in the FERC relicensing process, FirstLight recognized rock climbing as a recreational activity. This means that we have currently have free, public access to climbing located on FirstLight property. However, no formal agreements exist with the private landowners and access to climbing on their land is not guaranteed. The WMCC is working to address parking and trail infrastructure to reduce negative impacts on the community and environment.

To respect the wishes of the landowners, the WMCC is requesting that NO ONE CLIMB AT FARLEY AFTER DUSK. Climbers should leave Farley by dusk and should not climb with headlamps or lights of any kind.

Currently, the WMCC, at the request of property owners, has a NO GUIDEBOOK policy for Farley Ledges. This means that no comprehensive route information for Farley ledges should be posted on-line or otherwise distributed.

Why no Guidebook:

All the crags and boulder problems are on private or Power Company managed land (see map).
Not having a guidebook was part of the original agreement with landowners to gain climbing access.
Very limited parking is currently available and street or highway parking is a source of friction with residents of the area.

Commercial Guiding

Since a portion of Farley Ledge is owned by FirstLight & Power, climbers and other visitors to that land are obligated to follow the rules and regulations established by the Northfield Mountain Environmental & Recreation Center. Part of these regulations include restrictions on the licensed use of their property for professional guiding services. At this time, FirstLight and Northfield Mountain are not interested in allowing licensed use of the cliffs for commercial climbing classes or trips. This is limited to the portion of Farley Ledge owned by FirstLight. Property owner information can be found on the kiosk at the main trail head.

Flag Rock

Intro | Parking | Map| Trails | Access Status

Access Status: YELLOW

Flag Rock is a satellite climbing area in Great Barrington with about a dozen established boulder problems and good potential for further development. The climbs here range from tall moderates to classic harder lines featuring small holds and powerful movement. The approach is shared by a popular hiking trail on the back side of Monument Mountain that leads to a scenic overlook. While not as developed or concentrated as other areas in Great Barrington, and protected by an approximately 1.5 mile mostly flat approach, the high quality of the climbing the area merit a visit.

Parking

Parking for Flag Rock is the roadside pull-off on the side of Route 183 in Great Barrington. Coming from the south (from the town Great Barrington) the trailhead is on the right 0.2 miles after Taft Farms. If traveling from the north from the town of Housatonic, the trailhead is 0.3 miles on the left after the Paper Mill. The parking lot is open year round and many hikers also enjoy the area.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

After parking in the lot on Route 183, begin hiking on the Willow’s Trail. There is an uphill section at the beginning of the trail but after a bit it levels off. There are multiple forks in the well maintained hiking trail, keep left at all of them. After about a mile and a half the trail opens up and you will start seeing boulders on both sides. Some of the initial climbs are moderate, including a highball V1 crack on the right side of the trail, with a shorter V4 problem on the left side of the same boulder. Keep following the trail north and you will come to the Jason Goes Rafting boulder, the prize of Flag Rock that has been decorated by some local ‘artists’. Paul Robinson got the first ascent of the overhanging crimp line in 2004, which gets between V8-V10 depending on who you ask. There are more moderate highballs on either side of the boulder. Bring all the pads you can muster, preferably by way of good friends!

Access Status: Yellow

Flag Rock is located on Trustees property and currently open to climbing without access issues, but is considered YELLOW because there is currently no formal agreement protecting climbing in this area. Please help to keep it this way by parking responsibly, keeping noise down, brushing ticks/chalk, respecting other land users, and leaving no trace.

Large featured boulder with chalked holds.

Hanging Mountain

Access Status: GREEN

Access Update: Falcon Closure is currently in effect until July 31st, 2026.

Hanging Mountain lays in the small, southwestern Massachusetts hamlet of Sandisfield, just three miles from the Connecticut border. The WMCC owns 14 acres of mountainside and jointly manages the area with Connecticut’s Ragged Mountain Foundation through a Joint Stewardship Committee. The RMF split the purchase of this parcel with the WMCC, creating the only climber owned area in Southern New England.

This approximately 1000-foot-long series of southeast facing cliffs, ranging from approximately 60 to 240 feet in height, contains granite, granitic gneiss, and large pockets of friable schist. As the name may suggest, portions of Hanging Mountain can be unstable, at times shedding significant amounts of stone: wear a helmet, especially when belaying, and expect to encounter at least some loose rock. Dry tooling and ice climbing are not advised.

Please respect the following guidelines for visitors:

properly dispose of human and animal waste (use a wag bag and pack it out)
remain on the trail in order to protect sensitive species
keep dogs on a leash at all times
no hammocks (hammock use blocks the trail and causes damage to vegetation)
no drones – email wmcc@climbgneiss.org for special permission
keep group size small and don’t monopolize climbs
maximum group size is eight people. Email wmcc@climbgneiss.org two or more weeks in advance for special permission for larger group sizes. This applies to ALL groups, both guided and non-guided groups, formal or informal. (5 Tips for Climbing in Groups)
guiding is allowed, but advanced permission is needed for guided groups over eight people

The WMCC wants this land to feel like a safe space for all visitors, including but not limited to BIPOC and LGBTIQ individuals, people with disabilities, people of all genders, all bodies, all abilities, and all neurotypes. If you do not feel safe, please contact wmcc@climbgneiss.org, and we will work to change that.

Get a sense of the crag in this video of Opening Day at Hanging Mountain by Chris Granata.

Land Acknowledgement

It is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are learning, speaking and gathering on the ancestral homelands of the Muhheaconneok, the Indigenous peoples of this land.

Despite tremendous hardship in being forced from here, today their community resides in Wisconsin and is known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.

We pay honor and respect to their ancestors, past and present, as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all.

MESA Review

Most of the 14-acre property at Hanging Mountain has been designated as Priority Habitat by MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP). As a result, Hanging Mountain and any work performed there is heavily regulated to ensure that the WMCC is in compliance with the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act and Wetlands Protection Act.

More information about NHESP can be found here.

Parking

The WMCC owns the main parking lot. Please find “Hanging Mountain Parking Lot” on google maps.

The primary parking area and the trail head can be found at the edge of the talus; the shoulder of the access road offers additional spots. There is a designated Accessible parking space for visitors with disabilities. Please park considerately and make the $5.00 suggested donation by cash at the “iron ranger” or by credit card, PayPal, or Venmo through our online donation platform. You can make a one time donation, pay $30 for the year, or set up a recurring monthly donation.

Overflow parking: A smaller, spill-over lot can be found on Army Corps of Engineers (federal, public property) land just across both Route 8 and the Farmington River. Exit our property, turn left (north) on route 8, cross the river and take a quick right, cross a steel bridge and take another quick right into a small, circular parking area. Again, please park considerately.

Corps Wall

The majority of the cliff is owned by the WMCC and will be put into a Conservation Restriction to protect climbing into perpetuity. However, the Corps Wall is owned and managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. After several years, the Joint Hanging Mountain Stewardship Committee came to a formal agreement with the Army Corps to allow WMCC to manage trails and climbing at the Corps Wall. This agreement must be renewed in five years. It is especially important to practice leave no trace principles here and pack out all waste, as not doing so could jeopardize our renewal of the agreement.

Guidebook

PDF of the guidebook is available to download for free: Hanging Mountain Guidebook. There is also a GunksApp Guide available for $4.99. The Corps Wall descriptions have been removed as requested by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Updates will be made regularly to both the PDF and the GunksApp Guide. Please do not submit feedback directly to Mountain Project as this is being made available for free and can be regulated for Justice Diversity Equity Inclusion components by the WMCC. Please share input about routes at: tinyurl.com/RouteFeedbackHangingMountain .

We are open to feedback about implicit bias in route names. If you have input on how to help you or someone else feel more welcome and safe, please submit input at: https://tinyurl.com/SafeSpaceHangingMountain.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

The main access trail is located beyond the kiosk at the end of the parking lot. A map of the area is posted on the kiosk and signs clearly indicate each crag. It is of utmost importance that visitors stay on established trails to protect endangered and protected species.

Facilities

The WMCC provides an ADA accessible Porta-Potty located in the main parking lot for most months of the year (not available in the off season). Please, always be prepared and bring a ‘wag bag.’ All waste must be brought home with you for disposal.

Falcon Closure

The WMCC, in accordance to the wishes of Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife, maintains a voluntary, seasonal closure of selected routes to enable nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons to hatch and raise their offspring in peace.

*The 2026 Falcon Closure has been extended to July 31st.*

The second and third pitch of the Squirrel wall will be closed February 15th – June 27th every year. The first pitch, the Acorn Face, remains open. There will be clear signage at the cliff indicating which routes are closed; please obey all signage.

Grants

Hanging Mountain would not be possible without an astounding $93,500 in grants from partner organizations.

Access Fund: The Access Fund not only backed the purchase of Hanging Mountain with a Climbing Conservation loan in 2019, but has also funded the project with two Climbing Conservation grants in 2020: a $2,000 and a $5,000 grant for a total of $7,000. Thank you to Dolci Mascolo for writing these grants!

Appalachian Mountain Club: The AMC has been supportive of the Hanging Mountain project, generously awarding the WMCC with a total of $23,500 towards Hanging Mountain in 2021. The AMC is also providing an additional $11,000 in technical trail work from the AMC trail crew, which will be completed in 2022. Thank you to Dolci Mascolo and Bill Fogel for working on these grants!

Conservation Alliance: The Conservation Alliance awarded the WMCC and RMF a $30,000 grant in 2020. Thank you to Rob Sullivan for writing this grant!

MassTrails: The WMCC is a 2020 award recipient of a $25,500 MassTrails grant. The MassTrails grant is a reimbursement grant. The WMCC will also match 20% of the total project cost. Thank you to Jeff Squire and Dolci Mascolo for working on this grant!

We are so grateful to all of these generous organizations and to the volunteer grant writers. Many of these volunteers are still working hard to manage these grant funds.

Route Development

The WMCC owns 14 acres of mountainside at Hanging Mountain and jointly manages the area with Connecticut’s Ragged Mountain Foundation through a Joint Stewardship Committee. Due to the presence of endangered plants on and around the cliff NO ROUTE DEVELOPMENT OR TRAIL WORK SHALL BE DONE WITHOUT THE EXPLICIT APPROVAL AND SUPERVISION OF THIS COMMITTEE. Violation of this can result in the closure of the entire cliff by the state. A route development protocol is in place and must be followed at all times.

If you would like to get involved in the route development program, email us at wmcc@climbgneiss.org.

Land Conservation Award

In Nov. of 2019, the WMCC and Ragged Mountain Foundation accepted a $79,500.00 Climbing Conservation Loan from the Access Fund to purchase the Hanging Mountain property. The WMCC paid off the Access Fund Loan in 2022. We are honored to be recognized by the Access Fund as a recipient of the 2022 Access Fund Land Conservation Award for our work to secure access to Hanging Mountain. Thank you to all of the organizations and volunteers who have made this possible!

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Happy Valley & The Hideaway

Intro | Parking | Map | Trails | Access Status

Access Status: YELLOW

These two areas represent some of the finer bouldering in the Pioneer Valley. While these are technically two distinct areas, they are located from the same access point and are within a 10 minute hike of one another if you know where you are going. Like the majority of the rock around these parts, the boulders and mini-cliffs are gneiss with some outstanding features and quality. There are roughly 50 problems of all grades though these areas are noted for the more difficult problems in the V7 and up range.

Parking

The parking for the Happy Valley/Hideaway is at a small dirt lot located at the end of Dry Hill Road in Montague. This lot is privately owned so please be considerate so as not to lose our privileges.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

The easiest thing to say here is follow someone who knows. A fair share of folks have gotten lost. A trail heads down and right from the parking lot then crosses two small streams before turning left onto a forest service road. Continue along this road until a faint trail heads off to the right through some tall scrub brush. This trail will eventually take you to a small boulder field and cliff band. Just before the boulders, turn left and follow the drainage wash uphill until the trail becomes more defined. This will eventually take you to the Hideaway area. For the Happy Valley, you’re on your own, ask a local or pick up the New England Bouldering Guidebook by Tim Kemple and Pete Ward for more detailed information.

Access Status: Yellow

Access to these areas is YELLOW. Climbing is allowed but no formal agreement exists.

Mormon Hollow

Intro | Parking | Map | Trails | Access Issues

Access Status: GREEN

Mormon Hollow sits inside the beautiful Wendell State Forest in Wendell, MA, just a few miles south and across the Millers River from Farley Ledges. Although Mormon is smaller then Farley, its impeccable rock quality, high concentration of routes, and relative solitude – not to mention sun in the winter and shade in the summer – make this crag a very worthy destination.

This west-facing granitic gneiss ledge system offers approximately 30 routes on five tightly packed buttresses. Locals know this “white” gneiss – like that of The Lost Crag or The Pinnacle at Farley – is especially dense and offers good gear placements, sound anchors and enjoyable climbing. Like Farley, Mormon offers a wide array of climbs including slabs, technical face climbs, powerful roofs and splitter cracks from 5.6 to 5.13. Unlike Farley, the tallest routes top out at 65 feet, yet this modest size make it possible for a climber to get a good sense of the area in a couple of visits. Additionally, most routes are equipped with bolted anchors and can be easily top-roped.

Parking

Parking for Mormon Hollow is available roadside at the intersection of Davis Road and Coldbrook Road in Wendell. While the majority of Mormon Hollow falls within Wendell State Forest, the Davis Road parking area is not. Climbers must be VERY respectful of the private landowners who live at the end of Coldbrook Road: keep noise to a minimum and do not block the gates or vehicle access along any of the roads.

Park near the intersection of Davis and Coldbrook, and again, be sure all vehicles are parked well outside of the travel lanes. Hike south on Coldbrook Road towards the trailhead.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

Hike south on Coldbrook Road for about 300 yards until an obvious road cut heads uphill on the eastern side of this dirt road. A strenuous five to ten minute climb on a wide, obvious trail levels off and leads to a fork. Head right at the fork and then take a quick left at a cairn. Follow this narrower trail for 35 yards: the base of the wall will be visible almost immediately. Climbers first encounter the Wayne’s World Buttress, a free standing formation just left of the center line of the area and blocking the medieval staircase (built by the WMCC) leading to the cliff top.

Access Status: Green

Mormon Hollow is managed by DCR. Because the rock and approach trails are located on public land, climber access to this crag is solid. Please help us keep it this way: park intelligently, climb responsibly and keep the noise down.

dark forest gives way to grey cliff walls

Rattlesnake Gutter

Access Status: RED

The Main Cliff, a 70 foot overhanging wall, is located on private property and is currently closed. This cliff contains some of the first 5.11+ and 5.12 trad routes that were established in New England, and is second only to Farley in importance. The Gutter itself, a deep boulder-strewn ravine located north of the gated road, contains an interesting boulderfield and broken cliffbands where climbing is neither prohibited nor actively managed.

Parking

Limited parking is available on the western end of Rattlesnake Gutter Road, with the closest boulders only a minute or two away. Additional parking is located at the eastern end of the road. Please do not block the gates.

Map

Click here for a link to the interactive map above of all the Western Mass crags discussed on this site.

Trails

The central portion of Rattlesnake Gutter Road is closed to vehicles, and is easily walked from either end.

Access Status: Red

The Main Cliff is on private property and is closed to all public recreation. If you find yourself on the north side of the road and not within the yellow gates, you are likely trespassing. Respecting the wishes of private property owners is not only your legal obligation, but it is also an essential part of working access out for the future.

Current Issues

The owner of the Main Cliff has specifically prohibited public access-not just climbing. The Town of Leverett owns the majority of the cliff and boulders within the closed section of road, and is dedicated to preserving the area. Please park courteously, carry-out your trash, keep noise to a minimum (no portable radios please) and practice low-impact climbing and bouldering (no bolts and please scrub off your chalk and tick marks).