Climbers in/near Buffalo, NY

How did you guys get into climbing?  There isn’t much in the area either outdoors or gym.  I know there is the Niagara Climbing Center and the new Central Rock gym recently opened that I climbed at not long ago.  Saw some people climbing harder routes so I’m guessing they must have some experience.

How/where do you climb in this area?  Just curious.

I'm from Ontario but I've met some people from Buffalo who climb at the Milton crags. 

There are 2 climbing gyms, as mentioned, and the closest outdoor climbing is in Ontaio on the escarpment, with the Niagara Glenn being right over the border in Niagara Fall and as you continue north there is trad and sport climbing a various areas. Otherwise you're traveling to the Gunks or Adirondacks (5-6hrs), New River Gorge (7hrs), or the Red River Gorge (9hrs).

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106358852/niagara-glen
https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106358845/golden-horseshoe

Why has no one mentioned Little Falls, NY?

I visited Rock City Park in Olean, NY as a kid, and when I got into rock climbing decades later, I always thought it would be a great place to climb if you could get the owners' permission. It's a long ways away from where I live now though.

I started climbing in Buffalo around 2003.  My brother and his friend got me into it.  We'd spend hours at the NCC on the weekends.  We'd boulder for a bit, walk over to Tim Horton's, crush the requisite doughnuts and coffee, then back to flailing.  It was awesome.

By today's standards, the NCC in 2003 was rugged: dark and musty, the recycled rubber floors, raw and chipped plywood walls, air thick with chalk, every wall cramped with birthday parties.  You get the idea.  That is what gyms were like before the big money showed up.  BUT, the NCC was home to a tight climbing community.  The crew was fun, welcoming, and kind.  Always psyched.  When the weather was good it was easy to get a few people up to the Glen.  Or we'd plan a trip to the South or somewhere, train, then all go climb hard.  People from that crew moved on to put up FAs in the ADKs and out West.  Most of them are still climbing.  One of my main climbing partners today, out West, is an OG partner from the NCC.

Nostalgia aside, what I'm trying to say is WNY has a climbing community.  Go to the gym.  Be nice to people.  Propose a trip to the Glen or ask to join one.  Offer to drive.  Say yes to every trip.  WNY has great people and the climbing community is no exception.  Good Luck!                

In addition to everyone else's experience,  I met lots of climbers through the Alpine Club of Canada,....both American and Canadians. The Toronto chapter is quite busy and the national chapter runs lots of events and training progtams and has fantastic facilities throughout canada..

I climb rock mostly in southern Ontario and the adk. Ill climb ice anywhere! Would love to find partners who can travel more!

Feel free to message me  if you want to climb ice or rock. 

(Prepare for incoming wall of text)

It might not appear that there is much in the area due to no good rock in the city or suburbs but if you scratch a little beneath the surface you’ll quickly come to realize buffalo isn’t too bad of a home base for climbing. Regardless of your favorite climbing discipline, depending on your psych and willingness to drive a little, you can find something to keep you happy. 

As long as you have the ability to enter Canada and don’t mind primarily climbing on (polished) limestone you can boulder or sport/trad/ice climb up hundreds of lines up to 5.13/v13 anywhere from 25-75 minute outside of the city. Good local options include the glen for bouldering and mount nemo / rattlesnake for sport / trad. Guidebooks are easily accessible for each. Both are in Canada but you’ll be able to find someone heading there every weekend no issue. Even on weekdays you can find someone. If you’re looking for potential partners, most outdoor climbers migrated to CRG  You’ll have to do some digging to wade through the gumbies but you’ll find anyone from young crushers to  crusty trad dads any day of the week.

Most people i know locally that climb hard are weekend warriors out of necessity but take a few large trips each year. 
Weekend trips include:-local crags mentioned above-In less than 4.5 hrs you can be in the gunks, bon echo, lions head or the swamp-For a 3 day weekend you can climb in the new or Adirondacks (6.5hrs) the red or Rumney (7.5hrs). -note there is also some sandstone bouldering in Allegheny national forest in PA about 2hrs away and a new guidebook was released last year i believe. Haven’t been so i can’t speak to it’s quality but if you like sandstone slopers might be worth it. You can find some beta of YouTube FYI. So within a weekend you can climb any style on and type of rock. Not too bad in my opinion. Of course we don’t have the access of SLC or Denver but for a city, it’s not the worst place to be. 
Farther than that would probably be a week long trip but off the top of my head i know of friends who have done alpine in the bugs / big wall in Yosemite / sport in Thailand / bouldering in font. You name it, someone here has been there.

I really love the climbing community here. We’re small (but growing) and all super stoked, humble in my opinion and supportive of each other. Let anyone, myself included, know you’re looking for partners and even if we can’t accommodate we can put you in touch with someone. 
Let me know if you have any questions. More than happy to help! 
Best,
David 

Thanks for the responses! I’m from Buffalo originally but didn’t start climbing til I moved to Maryland recently. It just seemed like there weren’t that many options in Buffalo compared to down here but I was just ignorant of what’s around.

I would love to climb at one of the sport crags in Canada next time I’m back home if anyone’s willing to take me along. Have gear, ropes, etc.

Send me a PM next time you’re in town and want to climb. If I can’t make it, I’ll at least try to put you in touch with someone. 

Thanks, will definitely do that!!