In May, climbers across the country came together for a common goal: protecting access to one of the most iconic climbing destinations in the Northeast.
The Western Massachusetts Climbers’ Coalition (WMCC) launched the Save Farley campaign with an ambitious mission—raise $250,000 to secure the future of Farley Ledges and build a new parking area that will support sustainable access for generations to come.
More than 700 donors rallied behind the effort, helping WMCC raise over $150,000 in just 31 days. Combined with a $125,000 matching donation, the campaign finished at an incredible $275,000, surpassing its original goal.
As part of the effort, KAYA partnered with WMCC to launch the Save Farley Challenge, a month-long climbing fundraiser. Every send logged in KAYA was worth one entry to win a sweepstakes for KAYA PRO for LIFE and a Black Diamond Erratic Crash Pad. Every dollar donated to the cause served as a multiplier:
1 send x $10 = 10 entries
30 sends x $5 = 150 entries
By the Numbers
Over the course of May:
- 308 climbers participated in the Save Farley Challenge
- 2,225 climbs were logged
- Nearly $10,000 was raised directly through challenge participants
- Donation matching increased that impact to approximately $22,200
We were thrilled to be able to activate our community in this way–with climbers from all across the country participating–not just those within the Northeast region.
Farley’s Place in the History of Bouldering in New England
Farley stands as a proving ground for generations of boulderers in New England. Farley came on the map in a big way with Dave Graham’s 2002 First Ascent of the Speed of Life (V10), a climb which he posited as “the perfect boulder problem.” This legendary boulder then made way for Party Wolf (V11) on it’s right side in 2009. Nina Williams snagged the FFA of Speed of Life in 2015, and finally, local legend Bryce Viola made the first ascent of the bold left arete of the boulder, Lifeline, a sandbagged V9, in 2023.
Though the Speed of Life boulder may be the most prolifically famous, there are hundreds of classic problems in the area such as the iconic Pipe Dreams (V9/10), Appetite for Destruction (V8), Big (V8), Prince Paul (V9), and a slurry of silly but beloved lowball challenges such as Mr. Tricksta (V10) or Cat Daddy (V11) to name a couple.
You may have noticed that Farley doesn’t appear in KAYA. This is because a long-standing tenet of the agreed upon access arrangement with local landowners is to not have a formalized guidebook to the area.
Climbing Access Doesn’t Happen by Accident
One of the most important lessons from the Save Farley campaign is that access is never guaranteed.
The trails we walk, the parking lots we use, and the cliffs we cherish often exist because volunteers, local climbing organizations, landowners, and advocates put in years of work behind the scenes.
The WMCC’s parking acquisition marks a major step toward securing Farley’s future. But purchasing land is only the beginning. The work ahead includes trail development, invasive species management, native habitat restoration, parking infrastructure, and ongoing stewardship.
These projects require funding, volunteers, and long-term community support.
The success of the Save Farley campaign demonstrated what is possible when our community unites behind a shared goal.
A Model for the Future
At KAYA, our mission is to connect climbers through high-quality, guidebook-authored information while empowering the local organizations that protect and steward climbing resources.
The Save Farley Challenge was a powerful example of that vision in action.
By combining storytelling, climbing activity, and fundraising, hundreds of climbers were able to contribute to a project that will benefit the entire community for decades to come.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who participated, donated, shared stories, logged climbs, and spread the word. We’d also like to thank Black Diamond for contributing prizes and helping make the challenge even more rewarding for participants.
Most importantly, thank you to WMCC and the volunteers who have dedicated countless hours to protecting Farley Ledges.
We’ll see you at Farley!
