Today’s Cragies and Snackies brings us to the southwestern Massachusetts hamlet of Sandisfield. Hanging Mountain rests just three miles from the Connecticut border and is surrounded by history. The town was first settled in 1750 and The New Boston Inn has been continuously serving customers ever since. Known for its streams and glistening clear ponds and lakes, Sandisfield offers nature enthusiasts some of the best kayaking and canoeing in the region. For travelers and tourists, Sandisfield is a true hidden gem!
And then there is the climbing!
Hanging Mountain has the most densely populated sport routes in the entire state of Massachusetts. Not only that, but almost all the routes are 3 to 4-Star routes! There are over 70 routes at Hanging Mountain with the majority within the Cloud Buttress.
Here you’ll find about 15 sport, trad, and mixed routes graded between 5.7 and 5.13, and with the proximity and rating you could easily hop on most of these routes in a day!
If you’re just sticking to sport, Stone by Stone is a 3-Star 5.8 that goes directly up a vertical white dike. You can’t miss the 3.5-Star 5.11a called Transcendentalism (shout out to MA natives Emerson and Thoreau – maybe bring a copy of Walden to read between sends) which simultaneously makes use of both an arete and crack. Once you’re warmed up and ready to push, there is the star of Cloud Buttress Drawn and Quartered an 80” 4-Star 5.12 filled with tough crimps and rough slopers, but it’s a beautiful line with some good rests before the final push!
Depending on your schedule, snackies can come either before the climb or after the climb, but if I were you, I’d try and make time for both, at the local café, Paige’s Place!
Piage’s is the quintessential eatery when it comes to small-town cuisine! The food is sourced locally, to the point that you can check the menu to see exactly where the food on your plate originated. Speaking of plates, the mismatched plates, cups, and bowls are both charming and nostalgic. I even recognized my grandma’s old brown and white Corelle plates among the alternatives.
Some people are attracted to fine dining, some to popular night spots, others to all-you-can-eat buffets, I am personally drawn into small cafés in historic towns serving up local food with an emphasis on community. And to that end, Paige’s Place is the perfect landing spot!
In terms of what to order, the menu offers classic breakfast and lunch fare, but where Paige’s really stands out is the specials. My advice is that no matter what the specials are, you have to order at least one thing off that menu! The specials change based on what is in season and offer a variety of choices including both breakfast and lunch options.
Examples of past specials include Local Goat Cheese + Honey Toast, Eric’s Elote, Peach Cobbler Pancakes, Tomato Bisque Soup, Borscht, Blueberry + Feta + Walnut Salad, Panna Cotta, Gorgonzola Burger, Cheesy Polenta, Apple Pie French Toast, Spinach + Feta Omelette, and dozens of additional offerings.
If you’re like me, just breakfast or just lunch will not do. If you’re spending a day at Hanging Mountain, you gotta go on for both!
If you’re lucky, you’ll get there in time for Peach Cobbler Pancakes for breakfast, and return for lunch with a beautiful salad, a cup of soup, and Panna Cotta for the road!
Hanging Mountain and Paige’s Place, starting on Cloud Buttress and finishing on Cloud 9!
Location: Sandisfield, MA. “The Codfish State”
Crag: Hanging Mountain
Restaurant: Paige’s Place
Distance: 10 Minutes
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