Elevation: | 956 ft |
GPS: | 43.977, -89.501 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 47,768 total · 339/month |
Shared By: | James Schroeder on Sep 22, 2006 |
Admins: | Doug Hemken, James Schroeder, Chris treggE |
Description
Hillbilly Hollow is a nice little sandstone bluff hidden behind a wayside along highway 39/51 in central Wisconsin. It has also gone by the following names Pasamead (Psamead?) Hollow, Area 51 and Liberty Rocks. It is a quiet getaway sporting about a day's worth of climbing.
At "The Hollow" one will find both traditional and sport routes ranging in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13a. Two ultra-classic routes, Zig-zag Crack (5.10a Trad/TR) and Swiss Cheese (5.8 Sport/TR) make Hillbilly Hollow worth a stop if you are in the area.
Please be quiet and respectful when climbing here.
At "The Hollow" one will find both traditional and sport routes ranging in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13a. Two ultra-classic routes, Zig-zag Crack (5.10a Trad/TR) and Swiss Cheese (5.8 Sport/TR) make Hillbilly Hollow worth a stop if you are in the area.
Please be quiet and respectful when climbing here.
Getting There
To find the wayside (Rest Area 81) start out southbound on Highway 39/51 from the Highway 21 interchange or further north. (Note: if approaching from the south one has to drive 5 min. past the wayside exit at Highway 21 and return southbound.) The wayside is located at about mile marker 120 (approx. 7 miles north of Westfield exit 113).
Once in the wayside locate the shelter/bathrooms. Walk around the shelter on the left (east) side and locate a trail into the woods approx. 50 ft southeast of the shelter. Follow this trail through the woods, and slightly uphill. Upon reaching the shoulder of the ridgeline (this will all be apparent at the time), continue left to follow the trail into the canyon and the base of the climbs - or go right to access the top of the routes.
Once in the wayside locate the shelter/bathrooms. Walk around the shelter on the left (east) side and locate a trail into the woods approx. 50 ft southeast of the shelter. Follow this trail through the woods, and slightly uphill. Upon reaching the shoulder of the ridgeline (this will all be apparent at the time), continue left to follow the trail into the canyon and the base of the climbs - or go right to access the top of the routes.
Classic Climbing Routes at Hillbilly Hollow
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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51 Comments
More About Hillbilly Hollow
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Guidebooks (3)
Flagstaff, AZ
Madison, WI
Sauk County, WI
Madison, WI
I agree with James. INSTANT CLASSIC!! May 24, 2008
Appleton, WI
Campton, NH
If you have anything to add on this issue, please post it to the forum, not to this page. Apr 13, 2009
Grand Junction CO
Green Bay, WI
Boulder, CO
These are the approx GPS coordinates: 43.976009,-89.499961 Apr 24, 2011
I am looking for partners to go to WI climbing and other locations(Jackson Falls, DL, The Red, Grand Dads, etc) with.
I have an Airplane and can fly us there. Please send me a PM if you want more details and the cost of sharing the flight expenses. Hope to meet a few of you soon. I can fit up to 4 climbers with me in the Cherokee 6(with room for gear). I also have lodging available in a log cabin in the area :) May 31, 2011
Durango, CO
Durango, CO
Memphis, tn
Waupaca, WI
Sunset Ascent
This is a new sport bolted route left,around arete from Pine Tree Crack. Pine tree is rated 5.8, PWB Arete is listed as 5.9. Its in this range. I think its harder than PWB but EASIER than Pine Tree, so what does that say? Please do it and submit feedback to develop a consensus rating. Its safe and ends at the sling belay above Pine Tree. Sep 6, 2013
Waupaca, WI
Waupaca, WI
Mike Minehart Sep 6, 2013
Durango, CO
Sauk County, WI
While a 50 foot 5.8 sport route is hardly anything to get upset about, I think you may have overstepped a little here. The lowest bolt on Swiss Cheese was easily "stick-clippable" and did not need to be supplemented. I was psyched to see your work across the canyon, but bummed to see this.
Ultimately I'm glad you were honest about it, and took responsibility here. I do wish you'd have started a conversation about it here first and tried to at least get a consensus instead of acting unilaterally. I don't think you'd have gotten much support, but maybe I'm wrong.
Anyway, as a general rule, existing routes should not be modified without the permission of the first ascensionist, or if that person isn't available at least a consensus within the community. The bolt can be chopped, but the hole cannot be un-drilled.
Your argument about safety holds no water. First, even if the route wasn't "safe" there is no reason to make every route safe - leave some adventure. Second, the route was perfectly safe, and a stick clip could easily have saved a bolt here.
Just my two cents.
James Sep 8, 2013
Sauk County, WI
Upon further review, now that I see where the bolts are on your other line I'm not psyched. Totally within reach of the crack. I can see good trad gear next to both of the bolts I can see. Ease up on the drill guy.
James Sep 8, 2013
Durango, CO
NYC
Madison, WI
2. Climbed the new bolted route on TR. Thought it was in the 10's. Harder than the climb on the left side of that same wall. Yes, there is gear to be found by the first two bolts, but not the top two bolts to get to the tree anchor. I personally am not much of a fan of mixed routes. Either bolts or gear, no need for both on a 30' route. With a little more scrubbing, a fun route.
3. I believe that there is room for more routes at this crag. Sep 11, 2013
Campton, NH
Sauk County, WI
On yet further review (in person this time)-- I think the new route is good, and the bolts are legit, so I apologize about bagging on you for it. I also clipped the new bolt on Swiss Cheese, and don't think it was needed, but I'd be strongly against anyone chopping it because I think no good can come from starting that trend either.
I'd call your new route 10a, it definitely felt harder than PWB. Totally different climbing than PWB too, steeper and more slopey. I liked it, thanks for putting it up. Give it a name and post it up. I finished it up to the chains at the top of the face, a .5 or .75 Camalot would protect the run-out real well if one were so inclined.
Cheers,
James Sep 22, 2013
Wisconsin
Waupaca, WI
Sauk City, WI
Madison, WI
Madison, Beersconsin
NYC
Madison, Beersconsin
Ojai
Sauk County, WI
My five-minute brainstorm of potential projects:
Additions? Deletions? General Anger? Hardware Preferences? Donations? Volunteers?
If the community decides to go ahead with the "retroing" we should get a group of different-sized climbers out there, and do a solid job of planning bolt positions and clipping stances so that we make a positive contribution by doing so. Sep 5, 2014
Durango, CO
I heard the dead tree atop the 5.6 dihedral fell out? Probably makes that anchor a bit harder to establish.
The arete between the 5.6 and 5.7 dihedral goes, I think. Haven't sent yet, but some of you guys might be a bit stronger, looked like a good addition. Especially if the hard routes are getting some love, it'd definitely be worth looking at.
On the backside of the PWB arete block has a finger crack that goes up to a bulge, looks leadable until the bulge. One bolt and an anchor would probably put that route up. It is steep though, probably upper .12. Again, I need to get back on it to see if it'll turn into anything, but I'm maybe getting .11 with some dedication, so I'm not sure what I'll be able to get done.
Does anybody know where barnyard actually goes? Seems like another 5.8+ could be a decent addition, but I've never really played on it. So as far as quality and all that, I'm no help.
Didn't somebody pull an anchor and take a grounder from the .7 dihedral? I don't think an anchor there is necessary myself, but it's worth talking about. Should the community step up and put convenience anchors on top of the beginner trad routes to make sure we don't get that kind of publicity with the EMS/rangers/townships? That would mean Penitent/Two Hands of Prayer should be considered, but walking back with some webbing for those two specifically is pretty convenient already.
I am planning on getting out next week sometime, but planning my wedding is taking priority. I'll take a look at the old projects I had, and see what is worth bolting and what other work should get done. I know the trail has a lot of down trees and some pretty bad braiding, but I don't know if that's worth addressing or not.
I probably won't be able to help bolt, but I'm definitely down to help cover some of the costs.
I've also thought about bringing a keg to the Hollow, charging a fee per cup, and having a fall bash there. Kind of the end of the season shindig to complement Mike's Party, but the camping situation is definitely a bit harder to manage. What do you folks think? Sep 6, 2014
Sauk County, WI
I don't think a Hillbilly kegger is a good idea - way too high-profile of an event at a place that should be low-profile.
I'm also not sure the place needs convenience anchors at the top of every single line. The sport routes makes sense to me, and those that overlap with sport routes.
I do like some of the ideas for new lines though. Sep 7, 2014
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Madison, WI
Albuquerque, NM
Im a relatively new climber, going about 5 months now. How are the routes in this area? I haven't been leading that long so easy to moderate routes(my max lead is about a 5.8) with very good protection is what I am looking for, nothing that is super runout. Let me know any recommendations/tips around this area or any other climbing tips in general. Thanks! May 27, 2016
Portland, OR
My girlfriend and I stopped at the Hollow earlier this week for a climbing break during a cross country drive and were pleasantly surprised. We got on End of Innocence, Swiss Cheese (I approve of the first bolt), and PWB ArĂȘte, which was one of the cleanest, most fun 5.9s I have lead. Other than a little bit of crag trash that we packed out, we found this spot to be quite a gem. Thanks to all who have put time and energy into bolting these routes!
Jonas Jun 11, 2016