SCALING SANDISFIELD’S Hanging Mountain
By Anastasia Stanmeyer
Photos By Christopher Beauchamp
Hanging Mountain has it all: It’s the second-largest rock climbing location in Southern New England and the only one entirely owned by climbers. It has traditional and sport climbing. It has ample parking, established trails, and is open to the public. It is arguably the premiere climbing resource in the region.
Heading south on Route 8 through the Farmington River Valley, you won’t see a sign that reads “Hanging Mountain.” Only a street number, 43, hangs inconspicuously from a blue sign. And a dirt driveway that leads to a 240-foot high (that’s 22 stories) series of southeast-facing cliffs aching to be scaled.
Locals and rock climbers have known these cliffs in Sandisfield for generations. Portions of Hanging Mountain have shed significant amounts of stone; other parts are quite stable. In the past, trails were underdeveloped. It was truly adventure climbing at its rawest.
Several years ago, the Western Mass Climbers’ Coalition (WMCC) and Connecticut-based Ragged Mountain Foundation joined forces to purchase the privately owned portion of Hanging Mountain. WMCC member Christopher Beauchamp, who lives in New Haven, Connecticut, is credited with bringing the two groups together.
“Hanging Mountain is three miles over the border in Massachusetts, and a highway goes straight to it,” says Beauchamp. “It’s as much a Connecticut crag, even though it’s in Massachusetts. It made sense to have both organizations pulling resources and talents.”
The partners reached out to The Access Fund, a national not-for-profit rock-climbing advocacy group, for a bridge loan of $101,500 to purchase the land several years ago. The WMCC now owns the 14 acres, which it manages in partnership with the Ragged Mountain. The loan has long been paid off by the two groups through their members and fundraising. An astounding $93,500 in grants was received from other partner organizations that include The Access Fund, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Conservation Alliance, and MassTrails. (A good chunk of that grant money—$54,000—went to hiring a trail crew and to creating the parking lot.)
Hanging Mountain consists of a small access strip, a good portion of the cliffs, and the land below the cliffs. The Army Corps of Engineers owns a small section of the cliffs abutting WMCC’s property that is part of the Colebrook River Dam area. Climbing is not permitted on their land, but hopefully that will change in the near future, says Beauchamp. “We have taken a lot of steps to be good neighbors.”
Right after the property’s sale, they went straight to work on an access road and parking area. Then the trail building began. The first portion was very steep and unstable, so they created platforms at the base and an overall infrastructure that included pathways and stone steps leading to staging areas where climbers could begin their ascent.
Certain parts also have boardwalks to protect vegetation. The project stalled when a good portion of the property was designated as “priority habitat” by the MassWildlife. “We needed to do biological surveys to determine what is out there and submit our plans to the state to get them approved—how we would manage the access, where the trails would be, where climbing would and would not be,” says Beauchamp. “We concentrated on opening part of it so that people could use the resource.”
Hanging Rock opened on October 2, 2021, with the help of nearly 100 volunteers. They are now developing the second half, says Beau- champ. A small area will be added for climbers this summer, and more sections are on the way.
Scenes from Hanging Mountain. The listings were sourced, unless otherwise noted, from the Western Mass Climbers’ Coalition, climbgneiss.org. Make sure to go to the website for access information.
“It’s a great resource, and we’re excited for people to use it,” he says. “We have put so much work into it—putting in trails, pulling up roots. It’s wonderful to see people enjoy the resource and use it responsibly.”
The Hanging Mountain Guidebook has this to say about the site: “It is hard to overstate the value of Hanging Mountain as a climbing area. Traditional climbers will want their 6" camalots. Sport climbers will be set with sixteen draws, but carry two dozen quickdraws if planning on stringing together multi-pitches. There is something for every climber, and there's no shortage of unique granite-style features that will blast your arms, make your fingers achy, and destroy the tips of your shoes.”
Hanging Mountain has a good range of difficulty—although not much terrain for novices or elite climbers. There’s a solid middle and upper-middle range, with a grade spread of 5.7 to 5.13. (The 5 designates that it is technical climbing that needs a rope. Flatanger in Norway has the top end of the scale at 5.15.)
For those new to rock climbing, a good entry point is at a gym with a climbing wall, such as the Kilpatrick Athletic Center in Great Barrington. You’ll need a broader skill set to go rock climbing safely and effectively outdoors. Once you master the climbing wall, find a professional guide who can teach you those outdoor skills.
Beauchamp attempted to describe what it is about rock climbing that has engaged him for nearly two decades. “It’s being outside in a beautiful place and the camaraderie. Rock climbs are like snowflakes. Everyone is truly unique. There’s the mental puzzle-solving component mixed with overcoming the physical challenge of unlocking that puzzle while overcoming your fear. The three components intermingle. It’s you versus the rock and you versus yourself.”
A good source for outdoor rock climbing guides is American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA): amga.com/hire-a-guide.
A PDF of the Hanging Mountain Guide can be found at climbgneiss.org/hanging-mountain.
Western Mass Crags:
Chapel Ledge in Ashfield: Reminiscent of crags in the White Mountains or Yosemite. 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 the AMC, are generous about sharing time on the rock.
Farley Ledges in Erving: Largest rock climbing area in Southern New England. WMCC purchased a seven-acre plot that allows for permanent parking and trail access, but they do not own any of the stone.
Hanging Mountain in Sandisfield: This 1,000-foot-long series of southeast facing cliff ranges from 60 to 240 feet in height. Some portions can be unstable. Wear a helmet, especially when belaying, and expect to encounter at least some loose rock.
Happy Valley & The Hideaway in Montague: Two areas representing 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.
Mormon Hollow in Wendell State Forest, Montague: Just a few miles south and across the Millers River from Farley Ledges. Although Mormon is smaller than Farley, it has impeccable rock quality, a high concentration of routes, and relative solitude.
Rattlesnake Gutter in Leverett: A deep boulder-strewn ravine in Leverett, contains an interesting boulderfield and broken cliffbands where climbing is neither prohibited nor actively managed.
Reservoir Rocks in Great Barrington: Boulders comprised of compact and finely textured Gneiss, which lends itself to technical and aesthetic climbing. Although there does exist a large main face, the spotlight belongs on the fantastic bouldering at “the Res.”
Roadside Crag in Montague: One mile from the entrance to Wendell State Forest and three quarters of a mile from Mormon Hollow. This tiny cliff offers surprisingly “pumpy” but mostly moderate bouldering.
Rose Ledge on Northfield Mountain: One of the region’s most popular climbing destinations. The 40’–60’ cliff line contains a plethora of climbs for all abilities. It is located off Route 63.
Skinner in Hadley: On the southern edge of Hadley, inside J. A. Skinner State Park. Modest in size, yet the high quality of both the stone and the routes themselves make Skinner an excellent destination for a solid day of climbing.
Outside Mass., but still within range and definitely worth noting:
Ragged Mountain: Located three miles west of New Britain, Connecticut, in the town of Southington and Berlin. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge and the largest rock climbing area in Connecticut. raggedmtn.org
The Gunks Cliffs: The Gunks, located near New Paltz, New York, refers to the cliffs of the Shawangunk Ridge. The Gunks is one of the premiere climbing areas in the country. There are no sport climbs. gunksclimbers.org