Tollhouse Faceoff

Will there be a 2020 Tollhouse FaceOff?? That is the big question. It looks like the Creek Fire has burned to the top of Tollhouse Ridge and the top of the rock. It is not at all clear when public access will be allowed. We will keep checking with the authorities to see how and when we can access the rock this season. When we know we will post it here and set a date. In the meantime, get your face masks decorated, your surgery scrubs clean and your scalpels tied off for aiding some incipient cracks.

30th Annual Tollhouse Face-Off Climbing Festival October 19-21, 2018... Meet your friends and make new friends at the annual kick off to the winter climbing season at Tollhouse Rock above Tollhouse, California (east of Fresno & Clovis). For directions, see Tollhouse Rock section, Southern Yosemite Area in Mountainproject.com and Facebook Tollhouse Faceoff or Dwight Kroll’s & Tom Slater’s A Climber’s Guide To Tollhouse Rock * Top Ropes on routes * Rappel route to the base, but can also walk to base * Raffle at 5 pm on Saturday to benefit American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) * Evening stories and tall tales * Night climbing * Event t-shirts and area guidebooks available for sale * Free camping at Cap Rock at top of Tollhouse Rock (bring water and food, 0.3-0.4 mile hike uphill from parking unless have high clearance four wheel drive) . No fires except for propane stoves with California Forest Service Fire Permit. * In the event of wet weather, raffle and other activities will take place on Saturday at junction of Tollhouse Rock & Borrough Mountain Road (N 37o 02.230’ W 119o 23.196’) * Questions send e-mail to [email protected]

This year we also did an easy but fun, complete traverse of the cap rocks base. Climbers commonly walk along the base of the cap rocks from the east end to reach climbs such as Platinum Plus, Strawberry Jam and Spider Man. With a bit more difficulty climbers can walk along the cap rock base from the west end to reach climbs such as Pop Quiz and Sin Eater. In the middle, though is a steep section and no obvious connection from one side to the other. I (Paul Martzen) looked ...at the area a bit last year and decided I wanted to do the complete traverse. This year, I actually made the effort. My son, Patrick and his friend Adrian (a beginning climber) came along. We started at the east end and belayed out to Spider Man. Continuing past Spider Man requires some real climbing for about 30 or 40 feet. The climbing is probably only 5.6, but it is very exposed and being a traverse, feels a bit harder. It starts off with a few feet of pretty blank face to reach mungy hummocks in a corner. Try not to damage the hummocks. There are two horizontal cracks on the arete to the left of the hummocks. The horizontal cracks provide excellent handholds, allowing a step up onto the lower crack. A bolt is high on the arete. Foot traverse on the lower crack till you can step across to a small horizontal dike. Follow the best holds, high or low past two more bolts till you reach a large ledge with belay anchors for United Express and Desperado. Once at this ledge the climbing is very easy again. We followed the ledge to its end, climbed up to another ledge with belay anchors and from there climbed back to the base of the cap rocks. One can easily climb to the cap rock base at any point in this area. It is a short walk to the west end of the cap rocks from this area. The Complete Base of the Cap Rocks Traverse allows you to see all of the cap rock routes as you go along and might inspire you to climb a few more of them. The short section of 5.6 climbing in the middle of the traverse is also pretty good. I think many people will find it enjoyable. Paul

Free & Easy Continuation: a newly bolted pitch to the top of Tollhouse, starting from the big ledge at the end of Free & Easy, Upper Traverse, Headwall and other main face routes. We were top roping it last year, though it is an easy lead. With a few bolts it is now a safe lead for anybody and it has 3 variations in the middle. Barry Chambers said that Eric McGee used to free solo the route, but he may not have climbed the left or right variations.

Pictures of a few of the people who came to Tollhouse Rock.

Tollhouse Faceoff, tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. Heading up now to set up camp and ropes. For the first time in a few years we will be able to have a campfire.

Bring some "Monster" songs to sing along. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2PoSljk8cE

Bring your costumes and "Climb like a Monster" at this year's Tollhouse Faceoff. Halloween weekend. October 30 to November 1.

Mark Haymond put up many early routes at Tollhouse Rock and wrote several guidebooks, including the first scratch and sniff guide with strawberry jam smell. He has been fighting Luekemia for this last year. He is still undergoing chemotherapy once a month, but says that he is feeling much better. Last year, before he knew what was wrong, Mark hiked up to the Faceoff. He was so exhausted by the hike that he just rested, then went back down. A month later he was too tired to walk at all. We are so happy that Mark is getting better and has a good prognosis. This year I promised Mark that we would give him a ride to the top of Tollhouse Rock and Mark has promised to attend the 2015 Tollhouse Faceoff.

The 2015 Tollhouse Faceoff will be the weekend of October 30 - November 1. Get your costumes ready. It could be pretty scary!

We have a few medium and large T-Shirts left. They are bound to be collectors items. Either that or great cleaning rags. Stock up today! Leave a message with how many you want.