Purgatory Chasm MA

[HikerBob]

Sparing myself a 400 mile round trip to the Whites (never a chore but tiring all the same) this weekend, I popped down to check out Purgatory Chasm in Sutton MA. This would be the first real 'boots on' trip for one of my hiking buddies, Karen, who recently had surgery to remove a large but benign ovarian cyst.

Purgatory Chasm is not large. The round trip through the chasm and back along the rim is about half a mile. We added a little extra by wandering along the forest roads before heading back along the chasm rim.

The chasm offers up some interesting geology, large boulders and even technical pitches for those of such inclination. There are seventy foot high cliffs and more nooks and crannies than you can shake a big stick at. The chasm also boasts many large trees that defy the odds to grow on seemingly bare rock and reach out to the sunlight high above.

Wilderness it is not but intriguing it certainly is.

Pics and few (no, really!) words can be found starting HERE

bOB

 

[fivealltheway]

Nice photos.

In addition to growing up in central Mass., I've been driving near (and sometimes through) Purgatory Chasm State Reservation on my way to and from work for 7 years now. Never been to the Chasm. Think I'll toss my boots in the car this Summer and finally stop before it's too late.

 

[RDP]

Purgatory Chasm is a great place to hang out for the day.

I also grew up in central Mass (Uxbridge) and 40 years ago we used to ride our bikes out to the chasm to explore and our imaginations would run wild. Anyway as I think back those times were great.

 

[Mark_151]

Great place -- haven't been there in many years. There's quite a bit of excellent 1 pitch dead-vertical rock climbs and some scrambles, too I think.