Farley Ledges, is a bluff knob located on the southeast side of

Northfield Mountain Northfield Mountain, , is a mountain ridge located in Erving, Massachusetts, Erving and Northfield, Massachusetts. long by long, the mountain is composed of several distinct peaks and ledges, most notably Rattlesnake Mountain (also known as Farl ...

in eastern

Franklin County, Massachusetts Franklin County is a nongovernmental county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 71,029, which makes it the least-populous county on the Massachusetts mainland, and the ...

. The ledge is notable for its extensive

rock climbing Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

ascents; it rises above the small village of Farley (part of

Erving, Massachusetts Erving is a New England town, town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,665 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield metropolitan area, Massachus ...

) and has been used by rock climbers since the 1930s. The Western Massachusetts Climbers Coalition has been active in purchasing land to preserve access to the mountain; 2007 purchases included a parcel along Route 2 developed into a trailhead with a parking lot and access corridor to the ledges. The

Metacomet-Monadnock Trail The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail (M&M Trail) is a hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts and the central uplands of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Although less than from Boston and ...

ascends the wooded north side of the ledges where Briggs Brook Falls tumbles from the ridgecrest; a marked rock climbing access loop trail departs from the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail to traverse both the summit of the ledges and the extensive boulder field beneath. Climbing access at Farley is an ongoing concern and the crag has faced closures by landowners in the past. Landowners have requested that no online or printed guides containing climbing route descriptions or grades are published. As a result, climbing at Farley Ledges is a social affair for new climbers who must seek out experienced locals for climbing information.

References

Rock formations of Massachusetts Mountains of Massachusetts Climbing areas of the United States Landforms of Franklin County, Massachusetts {{FranklinCountyMA-geo-stub

See also

References