About The Gendarme
Opening Hours
Our hours are seasonal and subject to change based on staffing and conditions. In 2026, we will be open:
March
Weekends only (weather permitting)
April-October
Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays: 8 am-1 pm and 4-6 pm
Saturdays: 8 am - 7 pm
Sundays: 8 am - 5pm
November
Mondays: 8 am - 12 pm
Fridays: 4 pm - 7 pm
Saturdays: 8 am - 7 pm
Sundays: 8 am - 5 pm
December - February
Closed
Contact us
The Gendarme has been Seneca Rocks’ other climbing destination since the early 1960s, when John Markwell and Steve Richards began selling Chouinard, Leeper, and Liberty Mountain Sports climbing gear out of a van in the Princess Snowbird Campground. Named after the iconic 40’ rock pinnacle between the North and South Peaks that famously fell in 1987, the Gendarme is is a full-service gear shop, a museum, and hub for climber connection and community. Housed with Seneca Rocks Climbing School behind Harper’s on Route 33, our coffee is strong, our advice is sound, and our front porch is always open.
Owners Arthur and Diane Kearns have owned The Gendarme since 2004, preserving and growing on its unique history to serve current and future generations of climbers.
