Climbing Conditions Report

Conditions Report by Climbing Rangers: 12/12/2025

WEEKLY CONDITIONS REPORT:
@bishopclimbingrangers

It’s been a warm, dry winter and this weekend is going to bring more of the same conditions. With highs predicted to reach into the unseasonably warm 60’s, most of us will want to seek refuge in the shade, get early starts, and climb well into the evening when things cool down a bit. Speeding has continued to be an issue on Buttermilk and Chalk Bluff roads. Unfortunately, a few Mountain Cottontail and Jackrabbits have been casualties of speedy vehicles on Buttermilk Road this week. Mule deer have also moved to lower elevations and can frequently be seen on our roads. Please drive slowly to protect wildlife and yourself, preserve the roads, keep walkers/runners/bikers safe, and to keep the dust down.

Here’s what you can expect:

Owens River Gorge: Hot in the sun so plan to chase shade! On crowded weekends, be sure to not block any access gates with your vehicles. The LADWP often has to move big equipment in and out of the Gorge. Research your climbs and always, always, always knot your rope ends!

Pine Creek: Great time to climb on South facing cliffs in the canyon, but their time in the sun is short. Sun seems to hit the canyon around 10am or so and leave around 2-3pm. Bighorn Sheep have moved to lower elevations, so please keep your dogs under control and pick up their waste. Parasites and other nasty gastrointestinal germs can easily be transmitted to Bighorn Sheep through pet waste!

Tablelands: Hot! Early mornings and evenings will provide the best conditions while midday is a good time to lizard out in the sun. Cattle have been loose on Five Bridges Rd and Pleasant Valley Rd this week so please keep an eye out, especially at night.

Buttermilks: Warm but good conditions in the shade. Buttermilk Road has seen better days but is still passable with low clearance, 2wd vehicles (for now). Drive slowly to protect the area’s wildlife and your oil pan. Expect the usual weekend crowds.

Come join us for climber coffee Saturday, 8-10am at the Buttermilks!

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. 

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! 🧗