Bishop is a boulderer's paradise: This is one of very few places in the world where a high concentration of world-class bouldering combines with maganificent scenery, convenient amenities, and near-perfect weather. More than 2000 problems on two pincipal rock types provide a range of options from the pocketed Bishop tuff of the Volcanic Tableland and Sherwin Plateau, to the generally crimpier though occasionally frictiony quartz monzonite in the Buttermilk Country.

Climbers are simply spoiled for choice, not just by the quantity and variety of the climbing, but by the radically different environments. The shallow canyons of the Happy and Sad Boulders--with their fascinating jumbles of blocks and their long, winding walls and alcoves--have a completely different feel to the higher altitude, more exposed, and sometimes intimidating giant eggs of the spectacular Buttermilks.

The freedom to hike and explore this expansive wonderland in search of new or unrecorded lines, either on the Tableland, the Sherwin Plateau, or in the Buttermilk Country, is another great plus. With so much rock still to be climbed, Bishop will be a boulderer's paradise for many years to come.

This website augments the guidebook Bishop Bouldering (by Wills Young and Mick Ryan), providing first ascent information; updates to lines and ratings; photo galleries and a link to the blog.