Bishop, California

Alright, I’m just going to throw it out there. Bishop, California is a boulderer’s paradise.

First off, we snagged an awesome campsite right beside the Owen’s River. After a solid month in the desert, we were both pretty stoked to go swimming, despite the fact the water is only slightly above freezing. Here’s a pic of Jason trying to muster up the nerve to submerge himself.

As an added bonus, our neighbors left us a bit of firewood.

The awesomness of our campsite is only slightly marred by the pair of raccoons that terrorize us on a nightly basis. They rummage around, steal food and leave muddy tracks on the windshield. And at one point I woke up and looked out the window to find a raccoon trying to pull the tent down. So not impressed.

The surrounding area is spectacular as well. Bishop is nestled in a valley encircled by snow-capped mountains and the weather patterns in the Sierras seem to provide unusual sunsets.

A little searching can lead to some beautiful hidden spots. Our friend Phil found the perfect hangout near his campsite right near the Buttermilks: a waterfall, sandy beach and shady grove in a slot canyon.

If beautiful scenery, nice camping and convenient amenities aren’t enough to make a great climbing destination, after a long day climbing I’m pretty sure nothing is better than a soak in a hot spring.

Oh, yeah, and the climbing is pretty good too.