Climbing Conditions Report

Conditions Report by Climbing Rangers: 

WEEKLY CONDITIONS REPORT:
@bishopclimbingrangers

The gales of November came late… but they sure are slashin’! Significant rain is forecasted for most of Bishop’s climbing areas but high elevation areas are likely to see snow. Bishop remains under a winter advisory through Friday and is projected to be under a flood watch through Saturday night. If you are camping in the Tablelands, Pine Creek, or Buttermilk Country, we recommend that you head to pavement and lower elevations to avoid getting your vehicle stranded if road conditions deteriorate. Brown’s Millpond, Browns Town, and the PV Pit campgrounds are great spots to ride out the storm.

DEVELOPING: The Pack Fire is currently 1,000+ acres and burning North of Bishop near Lake Crowley. Hwy 395 is closed from Tom’s place to Benton Crossing Road and travelers will need to use Hwy 6 to bypass the closure. We hope the coming rain will help our hardworking firefighters to control the blaze.

Here is what we could see after the weather subsides:

Volcanic Tablelands: 

We do not expect any major access issues. Chalk Bluff road often floods and could become impassable for low clearance vehicles until it dries.

Owen’s River Gorge: 

It is possible that Upper and North Gorge may see a little snow after the weekend but is not likely to stick around for long. After storms, rockfall can be a major concern in the gorge so we recommend that you stay vigilant and pack those helmets.

Pine Creek: 

With warm temperatures keeping the snow line high, even Pine Creek is forecasted to see mostly rain. As it gets colder later in the week, the rain may transition to snow but is not expected to accumulate much. North facing and shady walls (most of Scheelite/Pratt’s Crack Canyon) are likely to retain snow and ice into next weekend or beyond. Rockfall is always a concern in Pine Creek especially after these weather events.

Buttermilk Country:

These winter storms can often damage portions of Buttermilk Road making access tricky/impossible for low clearance vehicles. Please drive slowly to prevent damage to the road or your vehicle.

We will be sure to provide updates as things develop! As always, come join us for climber coffee at the PV Pit Campground Saturday morning from 8-10am.

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. 

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/Aqueduct/realtime/lvrealtime.htm

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

🐍 Rattlesnake Season – Spring/Summer/Fall 🐍
Temps are rising, and rattlesnakes are on the move in the Eastern Sierra. Recent sightings have been reported 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 is hosting a training on 4/16—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

We’re excited to launch the Restoration Rundown series— a collaboration between the @bishopclimbers and the @bishopclimbingrangers. We’ll be sharing stewardship goals, ongoing restoration efforts, and ways we can all minimize our impact while at the crag.

Since the ‘90s, Bishop’s bouldering scene has skyrocketed, attracting climbers from all over the world. Increased foot traffic, climate change, and water redistribution have led to significant vegetation loss and erosion.

Some areas have eroded down to bedrock, with expanded landing zones, hangout spots, and social trails destroying vegetation that may have been a hundred years old. This creates a vicious cycle where less vegetation leads to more erosion, which kills the remaining vegetation, leading to more erosion.

The Bishop Climbing Rangers have been working hard to help protect the remaining vegetation in these areas. Many areas have been reseeded, but do not yet have “Restoration Signs” or visible vegetation. Plants are working hard to grow in the desert and may not pop up until spring or after even a few seasons!

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

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. 

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! 🧗