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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 21, 2013 - 08:07pm PT
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I've just received some calls that there has been a large rock fall across the Tollhouse Traverse area that has caused siginificant damage particularly to large trees at the base and had filled the traverse with debris.
I plan to scout it out from the top shortly, however it appears that there is still some loose material that might cut loose. Probably best to stay clear of the western side for a while until things stabilize allowing future rockfall potential to be asessed.
Dwight
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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May 21, 2013 - 08:23pm PT
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Crazy! Thanks for the update, please let us know when you check it out. I was thinking of doing some early morning laps later this week, but now now!
I can't think of what would exfoliate above the TT? Maybe part of the dihedral, something up by cap rocks, or some of the chunks by the end of hang em high/free and easy?
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2013 - 01:31am PT
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Photos on tollhouse faceoff 2012...one big mo, fo boulder...yikes. luckily an isolated event...I hope...d.
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2013 - 01:34am PT
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... and mr. Limp...do you ever clip to anything anyway...watch for loose stuff and be safe...I like you dude...d.
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micronut
Trad climber
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May 22, 2013 - 11:05am PT
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The boulder must have been this one. The meatball in the upper left hand of the frame. Between the top out tree and the big square block to the right. Spooky.
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DaveyTree
Trad climber
Fresno
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May 22, 2013 - 12:43pm PT
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There definitely appears to be some tomfoolery. That thing doesn't look like it would be sent without help but who knows.
D, I am in to help with clean up. Let me know. I emailed you about bolts I owed you and some betta.
If I can get up there before a clean up I am thinking of posting a sign at the base to warn those that haven't got the news.
Glad no one was hurt!
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2013 - 12:56pm PT
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hairyapeman
Trad climber
Fres-yes
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May 22, 2013 - 03:37pm PT
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I bet some drunk idiots pushed it! Crazy. Will cancel my plans for taking rookies up to do the traverse until the fall I suppose. Keep us informed.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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May 22, 2013 - 03:42pm PT
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That's a purty flyer! Thanks for taking the time.
I'd bet on a car jack and drunk guys too...
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CKR
climber
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May 22, 2013 - 10:40pm PT
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Apologies for not posting sooner. We climbed the traverse last week and noticed the rockfall. Aside from what has already been said, the hangers on the traverse appeared to be in good shape.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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May 23, 2013 - 04:24pm PT
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Thanks for the update on the Traverse. If drunks and a car jack were the culprits, as I and others suspect, it won't be the first time drunks have messed with Fresno area climbing. Little Table Mountain used to be accessible to climbers by simply asking the landowners, the Urrutias, for permission. They never refused me.
Unfortunately, the road behind the cliff became a favorite hangout for the scourge of the foothills -- teenage drunks with rifles -- and the Urrutias convinced Madera County to abandon the right of way for the back road, so it is now entirely private, locked, and no one can get there legally any more.
I wish they would still let climbers on the land, and I'm not sure why they won't, but having heard bullets whiz by in the area where I was climbing, and hearing the laughter of the morons doing the shooting, I can understand why the landowners simply opted out of public use of their land. I know if I ever caught the guys shooting near me, my climbing rope and a handy oak tree may have been put to good use.
John
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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May 23, 2013 - 04:47pm PT
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first thing I thought was it was a trundle.
maybe rock should have taken out the unneeded retro bolts on the traverse route.
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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May 23, 2013 - 05:25pm PT
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I too have wondered what the story was with those bolts - been there
a while but wtf, right next to a fine crack.
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DaveyTree
Trad climber
Fresno
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May 23, 2013 - 05:59pm PT
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Last time I did TT was a simul with a buddy who never climbed it. We were done in like 15 minutes and I didn't really have time to notice the extra bolts while he led. But now that I think back, he didnt use hardly any pro, just quick draws. Silly to place them by a crack.
John, I asked the land owners for permission about 8 yrs ago. The owner simply said they no longer allow climbing. He did say if I wanted to hike around it would be Ok. Not sure about the entire story behind 'No Climbing'. He wouldn't say.
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Ol' Skool
Trad climber
Oakhurst, CA
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May 24, 2013 - 07:23pm PT
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Clearly the work of the BBB
(Beerdrinking Billy Bobs)
The 'tops were great while they lasted. How about Heart of Crack and Oktoberfest Wall?
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 25, 2013 - 12:50am PT
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So, how about a clean/up and stabilization project.on Saturday June 1. I'm there if you want to joine...d.
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DaveyTree
Trad climber
Fresno
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May 27, 2013 - 11:27am PT
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Going to try and make it on the 1st. What time are you planning?
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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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May 27, 2013 - 12:57pm PT
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I think the bolt were placed in order to lure gumbies into leaving gear. More than once I have retrieved biners from the bolts and once was lucky enough to get a one shiny new quick draw from all of the bolts on the first pitch.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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May 27, 2013 - 01:53pm PT
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Bummer, I'm doing a fundraiser golf tournament on the 1st or I'd join. Be safe up there!
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2013 - 01:00am PT
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Will be headed up on Saturday June 1 around 9am to clean up and start to stabilize stuff. If anyone is interested...come on up...and bring a helmet, rope and a cell phone...dwight
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rockklimber
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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May 30, 2013 - 12:27pm PT
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Sorry for the delayed response. I was asked to move my photos from the Tollhouse Faceoff 2012 forum to a new thread, but I was in the Sierras this weekend and didn't get the chance to do it.
Dwight, thanks for creating this new thread. I looked at the picture you posted showing the debris field and I think you have the correct area where the boulder was originally located, but I modified the picture slightly to include a slightly larger area to the left where we encountered lots of debris.
I read through this thread and I agree that this boulder was possibly trundled off. The area where it was resting was relatively flat and doesn't look likely that that huge boulder would spontaneously break loose but who knows.
I saw the suggestion of doing a cleanup effort on June 1st. I live 3hrs away, but will see if I can make it.
I think it was micronut who suggested bringing a haul bag and wall hauler to bring up some of the larger blocks. I think that sounds like a good idea to minimize the chance of taking out some of the bolted hardware on the wall below.
A stiff bristle broom might be a good idea for the large gravel.
And a sign at the base to keep unknowing parties away until the cleanup is finished would be a good idea too.
Will see what I can do to make it up there and maybe see if I can recruit others.
Stan
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Menlo Park
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May 30, 2013 - 01:01pm PT
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Wow it looks like you could slide a few bottle jacks under there and get it moving . Pretty reckless behavior whoever did it . Doesn't Tollhouse road run under the crag ? I wonder if the rock made it that far ...
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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May 30, 2013 - 01:12pm PT
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I think it was micronut who suggested bringing a haul bag and wall hauler to bring up some of the larger blocks. I think that sounds like a good idea to minimize the chance of taking out some of the bolted hardware on the wall below.
I don't know working top down to clean this might be safer. Lower down filling up your pig(s) as you go.
AS far as the gate goes about 5 years ago when it got put in it was routinely being ripped out by the local meth-head drunks. There is another way to drive to the top if you've got 4x4. Years back I had to deal with removing a piece of rebar conveniently hidden in a rut so as to keep my tire whole.
I might be there to help - my weekend migration patterns have yet to settle down this year...
kev
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Menlo Park
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May 30, 2013 - 01:41pm PT
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The alternate 4x4 road to the top is pretty steep , but the huge ruts have been filled last time I was there . I think most 4x4's could make it ...
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DaveyTree
Trad climber
Fresno
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Showed up early for TT clean up and found Micro & Macro topping out on Free & Easy.
Paul & Dwight showed a bit later and the work began on TT.
Lower portions of routes between TT and Nuts & Bolts might have some sandy spots but should be clear of anything big.
Nice to finally meet you face to face Dwight. I will send you the videos of the trundling. Maybe you will be better apt at posting them.
Cheers for Micro's knee! It's feeling good but he needs some volunteers to mule the approach to he base of Capitan.
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Here is a blurry photo of the missing boulder before it was missing.
Here is a slightly less blurry version.
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Ropeboy
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Dingus and Kev,
The current Tollhouse Traverse bolts are replacements for the old ones placed in 1960. This was the piton era, before nuts were available in this country. Pitons did not work well in the shallow wide cracks of the first pitch. This was when the standard rope length was 120 feet, and when one bolt was considered enough for a belay.
"first climbed by George Sessions, Merle Alley, and Jerry Dixon in Feb 60. They approached the cliff from the road below, a considerable effort in itself because of the thick brush. Climbing in mountain boots the first ascent party used five bolts and nine pitons." -Climbers Guide to Tollhouse Rock, Jan 84
So the bolt locations are historical and were in use before many of today's climbers were born.
Mark Haymond
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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As we were cleaning up, we swept off a very large amount of sand and gravel from the area just below where the boulder had been. We also pushed off any chunks that were in unstable positions. All of these chunks quickly disintegrated as they tumbled down. This indicated to us that the boulder was highly decomposed.
It seems possible that the boulder went on its own when a critical support turned to sand. Two small sand piles along the lower edge of where the boulder rested, might indicate the locations of some critical support failure that allowed the boulder to drop and start tumbling.
It is impossible for me to say for sure, but a natural failure seems as or more plausible to me as a deliberate push.
Sure would be interesting if someone found and posted photos giving a good closer view of the boulder in previous years. It is an area where people tend to unrope and change shoes after coming up the Traverse or any of the main wall routes.
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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Thanks for the clean up efforts!
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 3, 2013 - 05:32pm PT
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The rock is the smaller "egg-like" rock to the left of the residual and larger freestanding cap rocks. In all the debris seemed fairly decomposed but I wouldn't have wanted to be under it when it went. The whole face left of the Tollhouse Traverse looks like it got straffed. All the fixed pro I could see looked in tact but I didn't see the first two pitches of Shining Path or Elephant Walk. The Tollhouse Traverse was pouring sand like an hourglass...the first two pitches are probably a little grainy. Some of the larger loose blocks we trundled spun off little planets...pretty spectacular. I feel pretty good about getting the dangerious stuff off the face...dwight
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Good work, fellas! Thanks.
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labrat
Trad climber
Auburn, CA
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Thank you all for your efforts! I'm glad to hear it may have been natural vs trundled....
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DaveyTree
Trad climber
Fresno
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It was the first time I climbed with a broom holstered thru a gear loop.
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CKR
climber
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Oct 14, 2013 - 09:00pm PT
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Was on the traverse today and noticed there is still alot of the grainy stuff from the 3 rd pitch up. No big loose blocks but it is pretty slick still.
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Flydude
Trad climber
Prather, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 17, 2013 - 08:04pm PT
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Better bring a broom up to the Faceoff this weekend.
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rnevius
Trad climber
The Range of Light
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Oct 17, 2013 - 09:41pm PT
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Brooms are aid.
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scotticus
climber
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Nov 21, 2013 - 11:47pm PT
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Anyone know the current status? How about camping? Heading up with a few friends this weekend, wondering if I should bring my Swiffer...
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Oct 10, 2016 - 02:30pm PT
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Not too much rockfall that I'm aware of lately but it seems to me like Tollhouse Traverse is getting more and more loose flakes in its midsection every time I head up it.
Bumping all Tollhouse Posts on a slow Monday at work.....
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| Messages 1 - 39 of total 39 in this topic |
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