Tim Leary appreciates some “buttermilking” in the dramatic 325-acre Buttermilk Country near Bishop.

California

BISHOP

RECOMMENDED BY Jeff Deikis

California’s most concentrated assemblage of sport climbing routes, some of the world’s best bouldering, and a stunning landscape to boot: For those with a vertical inclination, you might say that Bishop has an embarrassment of riches.

“When I moved to Bishop from the Midwest, I was as attracted by the world-class bouldering as I was the skiing,” Jeff Deikis began. “Mammoth, one of California’s largest ski resorts, lies just forty miles north of the High Sierra and offers endless backcountry pursuits. The two major bouldering areas near town, the Buttermilks and the Volcanic Tablelands, are famous around the world for their quality, height, and abundance. For roped climbing in the winter, the Owens River Gorge is just up the road and offers more than a thousand sport climbing options. When temps get hotter, just head to Pine Creek Canyon, where, in the last few years, there’s been a wealth of development. Of course, you also have the Sierra Nevada mountains to explore and plug gear in—exquisite alpine granite at thirteen thousand feet.

“And, honestly, the landscape is just amazing. Bishop is located four thousand feet in the high desert, nestled on a valley floor between the White Mountains, which rise fourteen thousand feet to the immediate east, and the stunning Eastern Sierra Nevada, which rise fourteen thousand feet to the west. There are no foothills—just sudden, craggy peaks. And while Mammoth gets six hundred inches of snow a year, it’s not necessary to even own a snow shovel when living in Bishop.”

When it comes to the rocks, the 325-acre Buttermilk Country is at the top of the list. “The Buttermilks sit right at the foot of the Sierra,” Jeff continued. “The mountains are right there, and you have dramatic views of both the surrounding ranges and the vast Owens Valley, spilling out below. Many of the boulders are juggernauts—some stand as large as a two-story house—though many others are more modestly sized. They are granite, but heavily featured with holds of all shapes and sizes.” Bouldering around the Buttermilks—“Buttermilking” in local parlance—dates back to the early 1940s, when Smoke Blanchard began assembling a series of problems that came to be known as Smoke’s Rock Course. Smoke’s son Bob continued in his father’s trailblazing work. Jeff described a few noteworthy climbs. “Grandma Peabody is one of the defining boulders. It’s forty-plus feet tall—not for the faint of heart. But there are many ways up, from V0 to V12. Ironman Traverse [V4, on Iron Man Boulder] is another rock that’s always on visitors’ tick lists. Grandpa Peabody Boulder has several classic test pieces that go up the steepest face of the rock—Evilution to the Lip is V10, Evilution, if you pull the lip, is V12 or 13. Another is the Mandala [V12, on Mandala/Pope’s Prow Boulder], which was put up by Chris Sharma in 2000.

“Down at a lower elevation you can find the Volcanic Tablelands. Here, the boulders consist of volcanic tuff. The boulders here are divided into two main areas—the Happies, which were developed in the ’80s, and the Sads, which were developed in the ’90s. The boulders here have more overhanging rock and are generally less tall than the Buttermilks, with juggier, more positive holds. One favorite here is the Hulk in the Happies, a V6 that Peter Croft put up. Both the Tablelands and the Buttermilks are world class on their own. Having them both so close is a gift. As a local, if it’s warmer weather we’ll go to the Buttermilks; if it’s cooler out, we’ll head to the Happies and Sads.”

Of course, many will visit greater Bishop and never set foot (or hand) on a boulder. For those folks, it’s all about sport climbing. “The routes in the Owens River Gorge are amazing—vertical to slightly hanging, with pumpy, open handholds. The routes are longer than typical,” Jeff said. “Many are over thirty meters. Since there are plenty of routes on each side of the river, you can usually find sun or shade. It’s a great training zone, as you can get in a lot of vertical feet in a day. When it begins to get too hot to climb in the Gorge, climbers head to Pine Creek Canyon, which is at a higher elevation. One popular crag there—the Mustache Wall—has vertical to overhanging granite with bolted, single-pitch routes—while many others are multi-pitch trad or mixed. Pratt’s Crack [5.9] is a great offwidth test piece at Scheelite Canyon, put up by Chuck Pratt. It’s burly.”

When you come off the rocks, the town of Bishop has you covered in terms of sustenance. “There are a few coffee shops in town,” Jeff described, “all of which will cover you for your caffeine fix, though the Black Sheep is the official local climber hangout, and it’s near Eastside Sports, which has climbing supplies. There’s a famous bakery called Schats, but Great Basin Bakery is the local beta on scoring good bagels, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches. Mountain Rambler Brewery has the best local beer and food too.” It’s also worth noting that there are a number of hot springs between Bishop and Mammoth—some that can be visited for a fee, and some that are less formal, and free.

JEFF DEIKIS serves as American Alpine Club’s creative director, overseeing content development, graphic design, and brand management. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, but introduced to the outdoors before he could walk, he is an avid climber and backcountry snowboarder with some thirty-plus years of mountain experience. Jeff has been working within the outdoor industry for more than fourteen years, in various marketing and program-development roles. He is also an award-winning photographer and avid world traveler. Jeff can usually be found milling around the Eastern Sierra, his trusty pooch, Obi, in tow.

If You Go

▶ Getting There: The nearest commercial airport is thirty-five miles from Bishop in Mammoth Lakes, which is served by United (800-864-8331; www.united.com) and, seasonally, Alaska (800-252-7522; www.alaskaair.com). Reno, Nevada, which is served by more carriers, is roughly four hours away.

▶ Best Time to Visit: There’s four-season bouldering/climbing around Bishop, depending on where you go. Buttermilk is more comfortable during warmer times; Tablelands when it’s colder.

▶ Level of Difficulty: There’s an incredible variety of options for climbers of all levels, between Bishop, Owens River Gorge, and Pine Creek Canyon.

▶ Guides: A number of good guides are available, including Bishop Bouldering (Wills Young) and Bishop Area Rock Climbs (Peter Croft and Marty Lewis). Sierra Mountain Guides (760-648-1122; www.sierramtnguides.com) leads climbs in the area.

▶ Accommodations: Bishop Visitor Center (760-873-8405; www.bishopvisitor.com) highlights both camping and motel options in the region.