Long Island Climbing

Located in southeastern New York State, Long Island is the longest and largest island in the contiguous United States. Given its generally flat topography, Long Island would not readily come to mind as offering any climbing opportunities. However, Long Island is the product of two glacial moraines. The glaciers that formed these moraines carried large boulders from New England and deposited them as they receded. Fortunately, these boulders were left exposed in various spots throughout the island and provide quality bouldering opportunities for a small, but passionate climbing community.

Bouldering areas can be found widely distributed across Long Island, from as far west as Manhasset (Shelter Rock) to the easternmost reaches of the North Fork (East Marion). While none of these areas will ever be a destination, they offer a decent quantity of climbs on usually very high quality rock in frequently highly aesthetic locations. It's pretty hard to track down accurate names and first ascent info for all the climbs, though the vast majority of climbs were developed by a small, but highly motivated crew from Island Rock back in the day lead by Jack La Russa, Chris Ortiz, Mike Coniker, Mike Pollina, and John Berggren.

A few special considerations:

-Several of the areas are affected by tides and may not be climbable during high tides.

-Long Island is known for its abundance of ticks, particularly Deer Ticks (which carry Lyme Disease), so take precautions when out in the woods.

-Several areas may be on private property or are accessed through private property. (It's hard to know with the coastal areas.) So, please be respectful and keep a low profile.

-Treat these areas with respect. Brush your chalk and ticks. Clean up after yourself and pack out any litter you might see.

-Everything you climb/find has almost certainly been climbed before. There are only a few potential FAs left and those are in the v11 and up category.

For the best and most up to date information, purchase the Gunks App 'Long Island Bouldering' guide written by Eric Marx and Sabrina Crispyn.