Conditions Report by Climbing Rangers: 2/19/2026
WEEKLY CONDITIONS REPORT:
@bishopclimbingrangers
For once, the weather report didn’t exaggerate! Winter has come roaring back to the Eastern Sierra and blanketed the region with heavy, wet snow. Cold temperatures and wind chill factors are expected to make the air feel like it is well into the negatives over the next couple of nights. Quite the contrast from the nearly 70 degree days we were enjoying in January!
Unfortunately, now is not the time to climb in Bishop. The boulders are icy and covered with snow, and foremost, our roads are in poor condition. We have already received reports of stuck vehicles and resource damage from folks attempting to venture out with unfit vehicles/experience. If you decide to gamble anyways and get yourself stuck (please don’t), give @ov_vehicle_recovery a call. For the latest road updates, check @caltransd9.
Even though the climbing conditions may be poor, the Eastern Sierra is hauntingly beautiful in these conditions. Now is great time to safely take in the ethereal beauty of the Volcanic Tablelands, Tungsten Hills, and Owens River. When the clouds briefly dissipate, expect to be treated to heavenly views of serrated Sierra skylines and the vast snow smothered canyons of the White/Inyo Mountains. So, leave the crash pads at home but pack your skis, snowshoes, and fly rod instead.
Avalanche danger remains high. Please check @esavalanche for more information.
Pine Creek: Big nope.
Owens River Gorge: Not here either.
Sage to Summit Climbing Gym: Amazing!
Buttermilks: We get it. Buttermilk Country is beautiful with snow. Just don’t take your vehicles up here and get stuck pretty please. There is 2-2.5 feet of snow currently in the road near the Peabody Boulder’s parking.
Volcanic Tablelands: It’s a rare treat to see the tablelands blanketed in snow! Unfortunately, rock will be wet and icy well into the weekend. Water can possibly weaken volcanic tuft, so it is best to stay off the rock until it dries out. Road is okay but drive slowly.
Alabama Hills:
Very beautiful. Very snowy.
There will be no climber coffee this weekend due to the weather! Be on the lookout for a stewardship opportunity at the end of the month!
Cultural Sites
Never touch, remove, or share locations of archaeological sites. It gives climbers a bad name and is prohibited by law. Review the How to Recreate Responsibly in Payahuunadü, compiled by the Environmental Management Office of the Bishop Paiute Tribe.
Other Local Conditions Reports
For more information on current conditions, please visit ladwp.com/EasternSierra.
Real-time data on flow levels are available online: https://wsoweb.ladwp.com/
Ice Climbing Conditions Report by Sierra Mountain Guides
Backcountry Ski/Board Snow Conditions Report by SMG. This is NOT a backcountry avalanche advisory, which can be useful for recreational avalanche risk management. You will find the latest backcountry avalanche advisory at the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center website.
Eastside Sports Conditions Reports and Eastside Adventures
Beta from Bishop Area Climbers Coalition
Pine Creek is getting a new loo. The Pine Creek Vault Toilet got approved by the Access Fund, in partnership with the Bishop Area Climbers Coalition. YAYY. Until it arrives — please, please bring wag bags. Thank you.
ROAD CONDITIONS 📣
**For the latest information on conditions on the California State Highway System, please visit the Caltrans QuickMap website at quickmap.dot.ca.gov or download the app to your smartphone. You can also call the Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623). Tioga Pass closure information – access to Yosemite.
🐍 Rattlesnake Season 🐍
Rattlesnakes are on the move in the Eastern Sierra during spring, summer and fall. Watch out in the Tablelands (Happiness & Sads), Buttermilks, Druids, and the Gorge.
Rattlesnakes aren’t aggressive, but they will defend themselves if startled. That “ch-ch-ch-ch” you hear? It’s just their way of saying: “Hey, I’m here—please don’t step on me.”
Snakes play a vital role in our ecosystem. Give them space and respect, and they’ll usually return the favor.
Stay safe out there: 👀 Watch where you step, sit, or place your hands. 🚶 Stay on trails—avoid walking through tall grass or brush. 🐶 Keep dogs leashed and close. 🎧 Skip the headphones—you’ll want to hear that warning rattle. Approach boulders, ledges, and cracks with caution.
💉 Dog owner? Rattlesnake avoidance training and vaccines are available for dogs.👉 Bishop Veterinary Hospital—call them for more info.
🚨 If bitten:
▪️Stay calm and call 911 immediately.
▪️Get to medical care as quickly as possible.📍 Northern Inyo Hospital — 150 Pioneer Ln, Bishop, CA
▪️Keep the bite below heart level on the way to the hospital.
Do NOT: ✖️ Apply ice or heat ✖️ Try to suck out the venom ✖️ Take medication, alcohol, or caffeine ✖️ Use a tourniquet
Be alert, stay safe, and enjoy the spring season responsibly.
Restoration Rundown: A Stewardship Series
How can we keep the stoke high and the impact low?
Stay on trails & designated zones: Avoid compacting the soil and trampling fragile new seedlings by sticking to established paths.
Mind your gear: Keep crash pads and equipment off restoration areas to protect regrowth. Don’t drag crashpads around because it increases erosion. Please do not tie your pets off to any vegetation as it is very fragile.
Respect restoration zones: Even if they look barren, these areas are working hard to recover. Compacting the soil makes it harder for new seeds to germinate.
Be a crag ambassador: Kindly remind fellow climbers to follow these practices. Volunteer at our stewardship events—it takes a village!☕️Bishop Climbing Rangers
Sierra Forever
Volcanic Tablelands Geology
The martian rocks, deep canyons, and diversity of life in the otherworldly volcanic tablelands have inspired humans since first venturing into the area ~12,000+ years ago. Surprisingly, there is an incredible array of life in a place that appears rather hostile. While the desert feels tranquil today, it was born from a catastrophic volcanic explosion 🌋 more violent than any eruption humanity has witnessed. 767,000 years ago, the Long Valley Caldera erupted and 25 cubic miles of blazing hot rhyolite tephra rocketed high into the atmosphere and rained back down to Earth ☄️ in an apocalyptic scene. The crater left behind from this blast was 20 miles long, 10 miles wide, and over a mile deep. Ash from this explosion 💥 has been found as far away as Kansas and Nebraska! 125 cubic miles of blistering molten pumice raced out from the caldera soon after and smothered the landscape and all the life within it. Slowly, this material cooled and hardened into the rock we know as Bishop Tuff. Ash at the bottom compressed under the immense weight and became densely welded while the light fluffy material on top was stripped away by wind and rain. Slowly, life 🌸 came back to reclaim the area and the Owens River carved its way through the landscape, excavating the Owens River Gorge and the steep relief at the edge of the Tablelands. Faulting action combined with the eroding power of water sculpted the wonderful canyons of the Happy and Sad boulders where we climb today! 🧗
