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Tollhouse
Conditions/Restrictions:
Tollhouse is a mountain thermal site. Be
cautious of mid-day, summer conditions.
HG pilots have been flying at Tollhouse since
1970. They usually meet mid-afternoon in the LZ to organize rides to launch. Typically, thermals
suitable for PG flying start forming in the late morning. The wind usually
picks up in the mid afternoon and then it backs off again in the late
afternoon. Evening glass-offs occur on hot summer days. The wind direction
traditionally swings around as the
day progresses from SE, S, SW, W, NW, N.
 There is often good lift over the valley, towards
and around the LZ. Do not stay and scratch on the ridge if you don't get
lift. If you start to sink out, you have a very good chance of catching a
good thermal on the way to the LZ. Please be careful landing in the LZ on
hot summer days as it can be quite turbulent, and arrive with plenty of altitude
because you may encounter stronger winds upon approach.
Although Tollhouse is an
unregulated site, membership in USHGA is required. It is highly
recommended that pilots have at least a H3/P3 rating (mature H2/P2s, under
instructor's supervision, are OK), solid launch techniques and the ability to land in the designated LZ.
Please get a site intro from a pilot who has experience flying at Tollhouse
before flying there for the first time.
The glide from launch (2,100' AGL) to the
LZ is 4:1 or better (1.2 miles), but conditions can change fast. You must
either get high enough to make it out of the valley or leave yourself enough
altitude to make it to the designated LZ. Good relations with the locals,
and our ability to continue flying at Tollhouse, depend upon our complying with
their request that we not land out in Tollhouse Valley.
Access:
The turnaround from the LZ to launch is about 7 miles
(approximately a thirty minute drive). The dirt road is steep and rutted (worse
than Potato Hill, but not as bad as Elk Mountain). A 4WD truck or SUV, with
good clearance, is preferable. A 4WD sedan,
lightly loaded, can make it if you drive slowly. The dirt road to launch
not accessible during the winter (usually from late September/October to late
February/March, depending on the temperatures and the rainfall). Even if
it is passable, driving on the dirt road this time of the year can cause damage
to the road and is therefore discouraged.
 Amenities:
There is a gas station, a post office and a little
convenience store in the
town of Tollhouse, about 1/4 mile from the LZ. (Actually, that is the town
of Tollhouse!) The store has ice, drinks and a few other essentials.
There is a larger grocery
store, a Longs Drug store, a really nice bakery/cafe, a Subway sandwich shop, a
pizza parlor, a few assorted shops and a Mexican
restaurant in Prather, about 10 miles from the LZ. If you didn't bring
food, and you want to order a pizza, you can call the Pizza Factory in Prather
(559.855.2800 - 29424 Auberry Road).
If conditions are not
flyable, check out Shaver Lake (~5,000' MSL). Keep on the paved road to
launch, follow the signs, and you will be there in about half an hour.
Rock climbing and mountain biking opportunities are plentiful, as well.
Since the flight park closed, some pilots have
camped at Dinkey
Creek Campground, near Shaver Lake.
Launch (N37 00.896 W119 22.386):
The launch is in the Sierra National
Forest.
Tollhouse is a SW facing site. The altitude
at launch is ~4,000' MSL. There is plenty of room for parking and pre-flighting
gliders and an out-house should be installed before summer 2003. The launch has a large, grassy slope that abruptly ends at
an unforgiving 45-degree granite cliff. PGs must be flying before reaching the end of the launch. The penalty for blowing your launch could be
severe. In light conditions, lay out your paraglider as far back as possible.
Top landings by experienced PGs are possible, but
not recommended. If you do choose to
land on top, please do so only in light conditions and be aware of traffic in
the air along the ridge while setting up your approach.
Directions (approximately a 3.5 hour drive
from the Bay Area):
Take 580 East, towards Tracy, to 5. Go South on
5, past Santa Nella, to 152. Go East on 152, through Los Banos, to 99. Go South
on 99, ~10 miles, to Madera. Take the Millerton Lake/Yosemite exit. Turn Left at the first light and and
cross over the freeway. You will cross over the railroad tracks, make an
immediate Right and then an immediate Left onto Cleveland Avenue. Go 1.5 miles to 145
East. Turn Left and continue 17.8 miles to Road 206. Turn Right onto 206 and go
2.2 miles. Turn Left onto Millerton Road (just after crossing over the canal and
a bridge). Go 5.7 miles to the T-intersection at Auberry Road and turn Left. Go
9 miles to Prather and turn Left onto 168. Go 2.5 miles to the stop sign and
continue to go straight to Tollhouse. Continue 4.9 miles and, as soon as you see
Sierra Elementary School on your right, turn Left onto Old Tollhouse Road. Go .8
miles and, at the Tollhouse Post Office, turn Right onto Tollhouse
Road. Go 4.5 miles, to the summit of Tollhouse Road, and turn Right onto the dirt
road across from a pile of rocks. (The intersection of Tollhouse Road and
the road to launch is at N37 02.235 W119 23.200).
At the first fork, take the Center road. At the second fork, take the Left
road. Continue driving past the summit of the ridge. 2.0 miles from
the paved road, bear right and continue to the launch area.
XC Potential:
Although HGs have been flying here for years, PG pilots are just starting to map out the XC
potential at this site. It appears that getting high and gliding over to
Black Mountain is a good start for making it out of the valley. Tom Moock
made a 36 mile flight north to Eastman Lake and Eric Reed made a 60 mile flight
southwest to Lindsay.
Tollhouse PG Site
Record (North)
Tollhouse
Weather
Launch
Code - Fresno
Topographic
Map
Sierra
National Forest Information
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USHPA Advanced Paragliding
Instructor & Observer