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Ben Emery
Trad climber
Australia via Bay Area via Australia...
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 17, 2013 - 03:33am PT
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Contemplating a move to Boston for work. Have spent virtually no time on the East coast and was wondering what the outdoors/climbing scene is like there.
Is the Gunks the nearest decent climbing area to Boston? Is there other good climbing around? Will I want to kill myself in winter?
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JeDrake
Trad climber
Sydney, Australia
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Oct 17, 2013 - 06:25am PT
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I lived and climbed in Boston for two years. There are a few urban crags that aren't terrible for weekday afternoons- Quincy Quarries comes to mind. It's reasonably good rock, but top-rope only and covered in graffiti. There are a few very good crags a few hours drive from Boston for weekend climbing, particularly Farley Ledges in central MA, and the great climbing areas in New Hampshire- Rumney, Cathedral Ledge, and Cannon Cliff. So there is quite a bit of high quality climbing to be had closer to Boston than the Gunks. Boston also has lots of good gyms, if you're into that sort of thing.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Oct 17, 2013 - 07:54am PT
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Ben,
I was just hosting 2 climbers from Australia, ( Blue Mtns.). One of which I have climbed with for 45 years.
There are many climbing areas within 2 hours from Boston. Cannon cliff offers routes up to 10 pitches long. Quite a few world class climbers got their initial training in New England.
Check out Mountain Project for climbing in Conn., N.Y, N.H, and Massachusetts. Crow Hill is less than 1 hours drive, and it will work you pretty good.
John Ewbank, who I climbed with in the Blue Mnts., lives in N.Y.C. and I have shown him around some of our local cliffs, here in N.H.
Send me an Email, if you come out this way, and perhaps I can show you around.
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Ben Emery
Trad climber
Australia via Bay Area via Australia...
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 17, 2013 - 08:05am PT
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Thanks for those replies, looks like things are a lot more positive on the climbing front than I'd pessimistically assumed.
Assuming I'm not into ice (yet...), how many months of the year can you typically get on the rock?
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Oct 17, 2013 - 08:10am PT
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I have climbed almost every month of the year at Crow Hill, but most years you can start around March, and climb to November in areas like the Gunks.
I've been out quite a bit up here in N.H., in the past few weeks with the guy from Sydney area, who guides in the Bluee's.
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ELM !
climber
Near Boston
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Oct 17, 2013 - 08:26am PT
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You need to explore a bit once you get here. There is a ton of climbing in NH that's only 2-2.5 hours away from Boston. If you get bored of granite you can explore some schist in VT. Plenty of options and more places to climb than you can cover in a lifetime.
As far as NH climbing goes you can normally climb rock into late November early December and then usually it starts to get too wet and cold. Ice climbing starts up mid-late December. By late March/early April there is rock that is dry and ready to go...but sometimes winter hangs on and late April is the start. Ice season is normmal on it's last legs by mid March.
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nevahpopsoff
Boulder climber
the woods
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Oct 17, 2013 - 09:18am PT
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Lincoln Woods in RI is about an hour south. Great bouldering area. I've climbed there every month of the year. It depends on your tolerance to cold and snow. Let me know if you get out here, I'll give you a tour.
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slabbo
Trad climber
fort garland, colo
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Oct 17, 2013 - 09:37am PT
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Rhode island is close and has really good quality bouldering.. Farley is a cool area. Lots of boulder/TR close to boston.. Gloucester, Milford, etc.
The weather sucks a lot, but some of the days you get in the autumn make up for it..just awesome.
Remember, the boston area is $$$$
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losbill2
climber
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Oct 17, 2013 - 09:53am PT
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Ben
You are getting good beta above. Take Steve up on his offer to show you around in NH. Great guy, great climber and you can do some of his FA's with him.
Let me know if you want to get a tour of Crow or Farley. Crow has some great climbs but is a little limited in number. Farley has a lot of climbing and there is a lot of development going on. Plus it has a great vibe.
Bill
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Morgan
Trad climber
East Coast
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Oct 17, 2013 - 09:53am PT
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If you want to meet a lot of climbers check out one of the local events from the Boston AMC Mountaineering committee. It's a diverse group, ranging from the newest of noobs to the hard core to the old guard. I think their Holiday party is Dec. 6th this year.
http://amcbostonclimbers.com
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Oct 17, 2013 - 10:07am PT
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Just don't let them turn you into a Red Sox fan!
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LilaBiene
Trad climber
Technically...the spawning grounds of Yosemite
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Oct 17, 2013 - 10:29am PT
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Donini, that's twice you've broken my heart. Sox fans are an awesome bunch!
Some beautiful climbing in Maine, too.
Boston area is no where near as expensive as SF. Lots of outdoor types.
Heh, and if you like ice skiing, there's no better place!
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Oct 17, 2013 - 10:37am PT
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There's tons of climbing in day trip range from Boston.
Nobody has mentioned Rumney. It's a large sport clipping area, you get strong there.
I'm not a city person, but Boston is pretty cool.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Oct 17, 2013 - 11:04am PT
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I hate cities, but Boston is cool place. I had family there for 30+ years and visited the city many, many times. Thank goodness I don't live there because I'd spend all of my money going to concerts, symphonies, shows, restaurants, etc.
On Fridays you'll see lots of people with backpacks and in hiking boots riding the trains out of the city.
Furthermore, Boston is a convenient stepping-off point for trips to Europe and elsewhere. Lots of cheap flights to Iceland.
You're fairly close to Cannon, Whitehorse and Mt. Washington.
Back in the 1970s we used to climb at Purgatory Chasm in southern Mass, which is a really cool place. I don't think it's ever been open to climbing, but there is a climbing guide.
Will I want to kill myself in winter?
Not if dreary grey is your favorite color!
Seriously, in the winter you can get $400 round-trip tickets to from Boston to Reykjavik that includes 3 night's lodging. P-A-R-T-Y!! Hot springs under the Northern Lights!!!
And Jay Peak is only about 4 hours away. Best skiing in the East and perhaps the best tree skiing in the USA!! (Ya mon - better than Colorado)
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steve shea
climber
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Oct 17, 2013 - 11:13am PT
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You should get into ice climbing while you are there. If it is a normal winter, Franconia Notch, Crawford Area, and Lake Willoughby VT offers anything you could want in difficulty. Winter Range traverses in the Whites and day trips up Washington and Lafayette can get pretty alpine. But the seeps, drips and drools are liable to be any where you find them. We used to ice climb on Mass. Pike roadcuts. Probably illegal now. But in reality ice can be all over NH in particular. Check out Lost River just west of Woodstock also. Newer developed area with ice and good granite, not crowded. New England is one of the best places to get into ice/mixed.
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perswig
climber
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Oct 17, 2013 - 12:30pm PT
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Heh, and if you like ice skiing, there's no better place! Ha! Too true.
Slobmonster, on this very forum, once opined that folks in the NE climb ice 'cause the skiing sucks. Admittedly, it's an acquired taste, but SLR's right, Jay Peak rocks, and lots of closer choices when it's a good season.
And really, ice climbing's a perfect antidote to seasonal affective disorder, although participation requires other behavioral pathologies.
Rock's pretty sweet, too.
Dale
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Oct 17, 2013 - 01:02pm PT
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Hi Ben, I'm a western Mass local (and former 20 year Boston resident) who is just a week back from a 3 week visit to your wonderful country (visiting friends based in Sydney but spent two--somewhat rainy---weeks at Nowra, Arapiles, and a tiny bit in the Grampians). I won't repeat what others have said above as it is mostly accurate (except for Donini's comments on the Red Sox--but he's originally from Philadelphia, so his envy is understandable--but then you are undoubtedly a fan of Aussie rules football or rugby--both of which are in very short supply in this neck of the woods). Boston is a great city and there is surely plenty of decent to excellent climbing within reasonable reach, though the weather, and the spring bugs, do leave alot to be desired. It makes you tough though--remember Henry Barber grew up outside of Boston and still lives not too far away in New Hampshire. Anyway, during the bad weather there are good climbing gyms, or, as others have said, ice.
Anyway, if you do move to Boston and want to visit the areas out here (about 2 hours west of Boston)---Farley Ledge, Rose Ledge, etc, send me a PM and I will gladly "give you a tour". The rock is gneiss (as is that at Crow Hill--closer to Boston but more limited and ofter wet and dirty in places) but the climbing is somewhat reminiscent of that on Mt. Piddington in the Blue Mountains and is definitely worthwhile (Farley in particular has a good mix of sport, trad and bouldering).
I hope to see you over here, so that I can show you the hospitality that I experienced Down Under. Alan Rubin
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Oct 17, 2013 - 01:07pm PT
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The states are much smaller in New England, so you will get around to many different places. New Hampshire has awesome granite climbing, and lots of it. The Gunks are great, albeit more crowded. The Adirondaks are also very nice.
I lived in CT for many years and found the traprock to be fabulous. I miss all those crags being so close to my house. Ironically now that I live the West, the climbing season is much shorter, and I have to drive a lot farther. Thus the number of rock climbing days in Portland, Oregon are much fewer than when I was in CT. You can climb quite comfortably on traprock all winter when the day is sunny and you are out of the wind. The locals can show you the great winter spots.
Ice climbing is very good in NE. You can still ski, and winter mountaineering opportunities are challenging. The number of back country skiing opportunities are far less since there is little terrain above treeline and the forests are quite dense.
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losbill2
climber
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Oct 17, 2013 - 01:13pm PT
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ofter wet and dirty in places
Hey Al! Watch whose home crag you are dissing!!! Let us know the next time you are showing up at Crow. We will get the brooms out and see if we can tidy things up a bit.
Ben I will defer to the erstwhile Mr. Rubin for the tour of Farley. His knowledge of the area is much better and more up to-date than mine.
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ELM !
climber
Near Boston
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Oct 17, 2013 - 01:19pm PT
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I forgot to mention. Check out the site neclimbs.com . Lots of info there and a great group of climbers.
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