| Farley Ledges (Rattlesnake Mountain) | |
|---|---|
View from top of ledges |
|
| Elevation | 1,067 ft (325 m) |
| Location | |
| Location | Erving |
| Range | Northfield Mountain |
| Geology | |
| Type | Metamorphic rock |
| Age of rock | 400 million years |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Metacomet-Monadnock Trail + rock climbing acces trail |
Farley Ledges, 1,067 feet (325 m), also known as Rattlesnake Mountain, is a bluff knob located on the southeast side of Northfield Mountain in eastern Franklin County, Massachusetts. The ledge is notable for its extensive rock climbing ascents; it rises 700 feet (210 m) above the small village of Farley (part of Erving, Massachusetts) and has been used by rock climbers since the 1970s. The Western Massachusetts Climbers Coalition has been active in purchasing land to preserve access to the mountain; 2007 purchases include a parcel along Route 2 slated to be developed into a trailhead with a parking lot and access corridor to the ledges. The 110-mile (180 km) Metacomet-Monadnock Trail 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.[1][2]