Sierra Eastside

Sunrise and cloud belt on the Wheeler Crest.

Description 

Where the high desert meets the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. It's home to the mighty and expansive Owens Valley, the deepest in the lower 48, and one of the only known Super Volcanoes on the planet: The Long Valley Caldera, just south of Mammoth. The vistas are astounding, and the weather is even better.

The East Side offers an almost incomprehensible amount of clean, climbable rock, including sport climbing at Owens River Gorge and Clark Canyon, bouldering in the Buttermilks and Happy Boulders, and alpine climbing on 14,000' granite peaks. On rest days, soak your sore muscles and relax in the numerous natural hot springs... could this be paradise??

Getting There 

From Los Angeles, head north on Hwy 14 through the desert towns of Palmdale, Lancaster, and Mojave to join Hwy 395. The scenic 395 parallels the eastern Sierra through the Owens Valley from the L.A. basin to Reno. Lone Pine is the first "major" town (pop. 1,655) en route, and is the jumping off point for Mt. Whitney and other popular destinations in the John Muir Wilderness (see High Sierra section). 60 miles north is the town of Bishop (pop. 3,575). Bishop was home of the late, renowned climber/photographer Galen Rowell, who, along with his wife Barbara, was killed August 11, 2002 in a small plane crash outside town. Rowell's gallery, the Mountain Light, is located at 106 South Main Street in downtown Bishop.

The Classics

Featured Route For Sierra Eastside

T-Crack Right V1 PG13  CA : Sierra Eastside : ... : Upper Canyon

Just as good as it's twin, but interestingly the top-out doesn't seem quite as high... even though it is, due to the slope of the ground. Stand-start on the slanting edges and move up left into the finger crack. Climb the crack with good locks (crux) to the good rest at the "Intersection" at 18 feet. Traverse right for 12 feet on good holds in the secure rail and exit around the arete....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Sierra Eastside Slideshow

Add Photo

BETA PHOTO: Lone Pine Peak, Whitney, and Mt. Russell, Sierra E...	Mammoth Lakes Basin from the base of Crystal Crag....	The ephemeral and mysterious Sierra Wave (Altocumu...
Buttermilk Country. Photo by Blitzo.	Scott Nomi on the immaculate Sheila (5.10a)	Obsidian Dome
Blazing Star. Photo by Blitzo.	Mono Lake-storm. Photo by Blitzo.	Buttermilk Country. Photo by Blitzo.
The White Mountains from Benton Crags.	Sierra Eastside storm. Photo by Blitzo.	Buttermilk Country. Photo by Blitzo.
Mono Craters. Photo by Blitzo.	Sunset near Bishop. Photo by Blitzo.	Lenticular over White Mountains. Photo by Blitzo.
Spring comes to the East-Side. Photo by Blitzo.	Red Mountain moonrise. Photo by Blitzo.	Cardinal Pinnacle. Photo by Blitzo.
Mono Lake sunrise. Photo by Blitzo.	Twin Lakes and Sawtooth Ridge. Photo by Blitzo.	Get Right With God Crack, 1980s. Photo: Blitzo col...
Fall color-Sierra Eastside. Photo by Blitzo.	Bodie- The wildest town in the west. Photo by Blit...	Sierra moonrise. Photo by Blitzo.
Spiders From Mars (5.10b) at Benton Crags with the...	Bouldering at Faultline. Photo by Blitzo.	Eastern Sierra in early Spring.
Basin and White Mountains, early Spring.	Interesting topography East of Mono Lake, Eastern ...	Mono Lake, early Spring.
Lone Pine Skyline	The enormous Mt. Tom, from the Sherwin Plateau.	Basin Mountain from the Buttermilks.
Mono Lake tufa.	Nasty	Dave at the Buttermkilks
The ball-tightening 35' West Face of the Merlin Bl...	Elderberry Canyon and the Northeast Face of Mt. To...	Local bands play at Mill Creek, Bishop. Photo by B...
Alabama Hills-Morning. Photo by Blitzo.	Mono Craters, Sierra Eastside.	Don't forget to zip your pack. A furry friend in t...
Big Bowls. Eastside White Mountain Peak.	Four foot long garter snake. This guy looked well ...	on the way to take a dip in some hot springs... pa...
Bouldering at Deadman's Summit. Sierra Eastside.	Volcanic pocket bouldering at Deadman's Summit. ph...	The Sierra Crest, near Independence, California.
Matt Grieger relaxes in a pullout overlooking Hwy-...	Spring glaze on Mt. Humphreys, 13,986 ft, Bishop a...	East slope of Sierra Nevada south of Lee Vining
Mammillary clouds over the east side of the White ...	Penstemon and White Mountain peak as viewed from t...