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Bishop Area Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Bishop Area

Bitterbrush Campground 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Buttermilk Country 47 / 13 / 5 / 484 / 1 / 2 / 0 / 10 / 547

Cardinal Pinnacle 19 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 20

Druid Stones 0 / 0 / 0 / 158 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 158

Elderberry Canyon 4 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6

Hurd Lake 0 / 0 / 2 / 22 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 24 / 24

Little Egypt 24 / 20 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 45

Lower Rock Creek Wall 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Mountain Light Wall 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

Owens River Gorge 86 / 939 / 12 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1,025

Pine Creek Canyon 241 / 318 / 15 / 5 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 32 / 553

Sabrina Basin Bouldering 0 / 0 / 0 / 12 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 12

South Lake 16 / 4 / 3 / 9 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 31

Tungsten Hills Circuit 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0

Volcanic Tablelands (Happy/Sad Boulders) 3 / 0 / 3 / 768 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 771

Wheeler Crest 17 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 19 / 19

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	4,141 ft
GPS:	37.36119, -118.39539 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	5,939,833 total · 29,695/month
Shared By:	Euan Cameron on Nov 18, 2007 · Updates
Admins:	Aron Quiter, Euan Cameron, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

Bishop is blessed with perfect climbing conditions. Not only is the climate perfect for climbing with only 6" average annual rainfall, and over 300 days of sunshine, the crags and boulders that surround the town are world-class.

The Owens River Gorge (ORG) has hundreds of top quality sport routes, and the Happy and Buttermilks bouldering venues both have world class problems. Each of the areas have distinct characteristics, the ORG has long pumpy routes, the Happy Boulders have fun boulders that suit strong fingers and flexibility, while the Buttermilks offer fine technical challenges that reward good technique and hard callouses in one of the most scenic settings in the country.

There are many more areas than these mentioned to go climb at - just as well the weather won't let you down - 'cause you'll be busy.

In the summer months when the valley is hot there are always the higher elevations of the Mammoth and June areas no further than 1 hour away, or you can cool off with a float down the Owens River, just east of Bishop.

Need a guidebook? See here mountainproject.com/books/1…

Tape? Chalk? Check out Wilson's Eastside Sports on Main St., downtown Bishop for all your outdoorsy needs.

Getting There

Bishop is located on US 395, about 4 hours North of Los Angeles and about 4 hours South of Reno.

Fly into the Bishop Airport and be climbing in no time! United Express began service to BIH in December 2021. Currently flights are available seasonally - daily direct flights from Denver and San Francisco from mid-December through March and six day/week flights to San Francisco from mid-June through Labor Day. Service will likely expand to year round flights in the coming years.

It is a trek no matter where you come from, but one well worth making.

Access

Bishop Area Climbers Coalition (FB group).

3,221 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Bishop Area

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

V1 5 PG13 685 ● Heavenly Path Boulder Volcanic Tablel… > … > Central Happine… > Heavenly Path Boulder
V1 5 415 ● Buttermilk Stem Boulder Buttermilk Country > … > Buttermilk Stem… > Buttermilk Stem Boulder
V2 5+ 347 ● The Hunk Boulder Buttermilk Country > Buttermilks Main > Hunk
V4 6B 543 ● Iron Man Traverse Boulder Buttermilk Country > … > Iron Man Area > Iron Man Boulder
V4 6B 483 ● Ketron Classic Boulder Volcanic Tablel… > … > Savannah Area > Savannah Boulder
V4 6B PG13 184 ● Jedi Mind Tricks Boulder Buttermilk Country > Pollen Grains /… > Jedi Boulder
V4+ 6B+ 297 ● Bowling Pin Boulder Buttermilk Country > Buttermilks Main > Bowling Pin Boulder
V6 7A 353 ● The Hulk Boulder Volcanic Tablel… > … > Central Happine… > Happy Boulder
V6 7A 313 ● The Ruckus (aka Seven Spanish An… Boulder Buttermilk Country > Get Carter Boulder
V7 7A+ 275 ● High Plains Drifter Boulder Buttermilk Country > Buttermilks Main > Drifter/Smoking Boulder
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 364 ● West Face Trad 4 pitches Cardinal Pinnacle
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 340 ● Gorgeous Sport Owens River Gorge > Upper Gorge > Gorgeous Towers
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 347 ● Sheila Trad Pine Creek Canyon > Scheelite Canyo… > Pratt's Crack / Dihed…
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 231 ● Expressway Sport Owens River Gorge > Central Gorge > Upper Crust
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 193 ● Grindrite Sport Owens River Gorge > Upper Gorge > Gotham City