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Pinnacles/Tollhouse conditions? Where to climb near SF when its wet?

Original Post
dholte · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 491

Relatively new to the Bay Area... where's the climbable tall stuff with as much rain as we've been getting? How are the conditions at the Pinnacles?

Alternatively, how are the conditions at Tollhouse rock?

Ryan Nevius · · Perchtoldsdorf, AT · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 1,837

Don't even think about Pinnacles unless it has been dry and baking in the sun for at least 5 days.

dholte · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 491

That's what I was afraid of... Any other suggestions? Or am I stuck driving to Bishop and being cold?

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

Tollhouse is good as soon as the sun is shining. If it has rained recently, there could be some streaming down some of the faces and cracks, but it's a great winter destination on sunny days.

Edit: There is a guidebook for Tollhouse, which has a lot more than MP:

maximuspress.com/shop/prodd…

dholte · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 491

Thanks for the heads up on the guidebook, I may pick one up in Fresno given that its only $20. I also have the Southern Sierra Rock Climbing Sequoia and Kings Canyon book, which has a lot more than MP too.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

The Southern Sierra guidebook is kind of hard to follow for Tollhouse and very rudimentary. The Tollhouse guide is much better (it's still no Supertopo) and really worth it if you will be going there multiple times,

vincent L. · · Redwood City · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 560

There was bunch of snow at 4,000 feet last weekend up near Shaver Lake, lots more precip on the way as well. Tollhouse gets a lot of sun but it might not be getting enough sun to dry out enough, especially if there's snow at the top....

Matt Michael · · Oceanside, CA · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 20

My wife and I just did a night ascent of the traverse just this last Wednesday. The conditions were great. Some routes are rendered unclimbable a few days after rain though. Giant carpets of moss lie a top some of the routes and leak water, most notably Art Baker.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349
dholte wrote:That's what I was afraid of... Any other suggestions? Or am I stuck driving to Bishop and being cold?
mountainproject.com/v/kernv…

There is a TON of good cold/wet/rainy/snowy climbing here, up the road within 10min and west of the Lake.... on 178.

PM me for more details, I have friends who drive from SLO to meet me, for you it must be shorter than the Bishop Drive... Free camping, unlimited firewood to burn.... ZERO CLIMBERS. It has made me forget Josh in the winter.
Cory B · · Fresno, CA · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 2,577

Tollhouse is great this time of year. It dries out very quickly after rain. I have been up there 48 hours after snow, and it's all good

dholte · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 491

Following up on this-- is anything in the Bay Area dry this weekend? I can go as far as ~Yosemite. North or south is open, but it seems like a lot of sandstone.

Looks wet at pinnacles, tollhouse, columbia, park view slab... everywhere.

Cory B · · Fresno, CA · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 2,577

Go to the desert or go skiing

dholte · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 491

Haha, that's what its looking like. The only reason I'm pushing is because I've got a friend in town from Texas, so much for telling him that "it doesn't rain in CA."

splitclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18

Mt. St. Helena dries quick once the sun comes out.

Table Rock/Table Scraps needs more time to dry.

This entire weekend looks pretty wet even down into SoCal.

Joe Manlove · · Sonora, CA · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 108

For the record, it was dry(ish) in the Columbia boulders yesterday. It's actively misting now, but I'm holding out some hope for a couple of minutes at the Main area in the Labyrinth (which dries instantly) this afternoon.

SRB25 · · Woodside, ca · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 5

Parkline slab in El portal. Or even west end of the valley. Perhaps sugar loaf. A friend climbed there two days ago said it was great.

Ps: I live in SM and work in SC if you wanna climb some time.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
SRB25 wrote: Ps: I live in SM and work in SC if you wanna climb some time.
SM = Santa Monica, San Mateo, Santa Maria

SC = San Clemente, Santa Cruz, Santa Clarita?
Cory B · · Fresno, CA · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 2,577

I think Parkline slab would be tough to climb in the rain, no?

dholte · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 491

SRB25- San Mateo / San Carlos? With Spring coming, we may be able to work something out. You climb at PG Belmont? I have a pretty regular partner, but always like meeting new climbers.

Joe, thanks for the heads up on Columbia boulders... definitely something we were considering. My friend is camping in Camp 4 tonight, so we'll probably meet up with him and see how the sun is. Maybe something will dry out a little... but I doubt it based on current weather. If its miserable, heading to Columbia early Saturday might be our best bet.

I think El Portal is getting rain/snow today/tomorrow, so parkline slab is probably out.

Thanks all.

Joe Manlove · · Sonora, CA · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 108

Things that dry fast up here in Columbia (roughly in order): Main area in the Laby, Horse Trail area in the state park, Lobster Claw area in the lower arboretum, and Panning for Nuggets/Gold Fever/Cellar Door in the upper arboretum. (All of these are dry in a couple hours. Instantly if it's sunny.)

SRB25 · · Woodside, ca · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 5

In response to original post who lives in San Carlos, CA. Which falls between redwood city and Belmont. Of which San Mateo is the next city north. Lol smiley face. I had forgotten the meticulousiality and attention to detail of MP readers (and yes I made up that word). Target audience. I kid!

Frank. How is the new city policy/stewardship of Bishop going btw? When I lived there it was hands off and crowds were minimal. It's a new age today and climbing has never been "cooler!" SLO city likes to have their hands in things also.

C Brooks. I read it as what crags are good "with all the rain we've been having". Not climbing while it is raining. However, my climbing partner who lives 20 min from PL slab told me a few minutes ago that conditions are sweet today and warm so I was going off current conditions. Parkline does also face 159 degrees (azimuth) however and therefore dries very quickly due to the warmer temperatures found at elevation and the increased cosmic ray intensity with relation to magnetic latitude.

YMMV. LOL. IMHO. As if opinions aren't honest already.

NOTE: I claim none of this information to be true.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern California
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