These massive egg shaped boulders are home to some of the most iconic bouldering problems found in the world! Climbers from around the globe come the Buttermilks in Bishop California to test their mental & physical limits climbing these highballs!
Just a short 15 minute drive outside the city of Bishop, California these gigantic highballs are located down the long & dusty Buttermilks Rd. The iconic Buttermilks sign engulfed in stickers with the Sierra Nevada Mountain range in the back drop is your only marker to turn off onto the random dirt road. Take the road slow, to minimize the dust erosion of the cars and enjoy the views of the mountains and rock formations surrounding you. Drive down Buttermilks road for roughly 3-4 miles till you see the famous Peabody Boulders. They will be most likely the first set of boulders you will see. This will take you into the Buttermilks Main section where a majority of the climbing boulders begin. Drive up the small hill past Peabody boulders till you see some small lots and an outhouse.
Pulling into the parking area puts you right in the heart of the bouldering area. The Buttermilks main area is home to the concentration of bouldering with 30+boulders & hundreds of problems. Area classics can be found primarily here. Important boulders to note in this area:
- Peabody Boulders
- Birthday Boulders
- Iron Man Boulder
- Bowling Pin Boulder
The first set of boulders right next where you are parked is the Birthday boulders. These rocks are great to warm-up on. They will give you a fun taste of what bouldering in the Buttermilks is like! The majority of the bouldering problems range from V0 – V3 with 2-3 problems being V5-V6.
Important Note while Bouldering the Buttermilks:
There is an ecological restoration effort for the Buttermilks Main area in effect marked by small green and tan signs about a foot high. PLEASE STAY ON TRAIL and AVOID THESE AREAS marked off by the signs. Do NOT place crash pads on any sort of vegetation as this will damage the plants and impact the restoration efforts.
The Boy and Girl Rocks are located a hundred feet or so up from the birthday boulders. These are home to a fun trio of bouldering problems all called “Unnamed” and separated by their perspective grades of V0, V1 & V4. Beautiful plate like flakes adorn the side of this boulder. They offering finger wide seam-like pockets to crimp your way up as you see fit.
Once you are done crimping around on the Boy and Girl rocks hike a little bit over to the Iron Man Boulder area. You will walk through/under a juggy overhung boulder 15 feet high known as the Hero Roof boulder. This is a great spot to have some fun on a classic V0 called “Hero Roof” . This is a great spot to warm up on a brisk morning or catch some shade from the mid-day Sun.
As the name of the problem conveys you kind of feel like a hero pulling through the roof. Once you get that heel in and top out you are rewarded with a stellar view of the Sierras and boulders all around you! It’s personally one of my favorites and a must on any climber’s tick list!
Now that you are warmed up, spirits high and feeling “Heroic” look about 30 feet up the hill to a distinct boulder with a long line drawn straight across it. Aside from the Peabody boulders themselves the Iron Man Boulder is probably the most iconic rock of the Buttermilks Boulders.
That distinct line is known as the “Iron Man Traverse” a V4 classic. It is one of the most famous boulder problems in the country.
This long rail is deceiving as it starts off juggy with solid foot placement. As you get traverse closer to the opposite side of the boulder this line becomes much thinner in width.
The lower rail for your feet quickly disappears forcing some folks to cut feet for a portion of the route. Climbers fight to find foot jibs as they traverse along the 20+ foot line.
Others fore-go the jibs instead going for heel hooks as they make their way across. If you can fight off the pump across the traverse be prepared for the core twist at the end! There are many ways to tackle this iconic boulder problem and why so many love to climb it!
Depending on the time of year you visit the Buttermilks, the daytime temperatures will take a toll on your ability to climb. With it being the first week of April in our visit, temperatures were reaching 90 degrees during the day. We found ourselves opting to go after our projects at night as temps hovered around 50-60 degrees out. Bring the headlamps, spare batteries, the puffy jacket and your favorite sending beanie for those evening sends!
At night the Buttermilks feel like a totally different world. When driving or looking out at the boulders at night they will look like glowing eggs off in the distance as other climbing parties work on their projects. The stars at night here are incredible and inspiring. If you find yourself out after midnight I recommend turning off all the headlamps for 20 minutes, let your eyes adjust and stare up at the sky for a bit you will not regret it!
We found ourselves climbing at the Get Carter boulder on several nights as two in our party had the classic “Seven Spanish Angels” on their tick list. This boulder can be found down the road about a half mile from the Buttermilks main area. It is located right along the side of the dirt road. This 20 foot high boulder is home to a number of problems ranging from V0 to V12.
We decided to get ourselves warmed up on “Roadside Crack” a V1 problem on the front side of the boulder as the name says by the road. If you have never gone climbing at night definitely start on something well below your grade. The lack of light will play with you head mentally especially as you get higher up the problem. Take all aspects to what you are doing very slow and think it out! Weather it be walking around, climbing, spotting problems and landings!
**Always figure out the walk off or down climb before you start bouldering!**
This can not be stressed enough when it comes to bouldering at night! The last thing you want to be doing is walking around the top of a 20 foot boulder trying to find out where the edge is and the way back down in the dark!
Another thing you want to spot check when bouldering at night in the Buttermilks is for spiders & snakes. Just like any climbing area in the country, there are “residents” that live here & have to keep an eye out for. We found several black widows at the base of the boulder when we first started. We made sure everyone in our group was aware, noted where they were and did not disturb them. Use common sense when climbing, if you find more critters then you are comfortable with move on to another boulder.
After a routine spot check of critters, walk offs and crash pad placement we got to business bouldering on Seven Spanish Angels. This classic V6 is a 18 foot problem consisting of bulges or knobs up the side of the boulder. A focus on pinches, balance and proper foot placement is key in tackling this Buttermilks test piece.
The boulders throughout the Buttermilks can range anywhere from 15 to 60+ feet tall! It is truly a wonder to think how such large rock formations are found scattered throughout the land. When you look at the boulders from a distance they may not seem that big. The Peabody Boulders that welcome you when you first enter into the Buttermilks stand over 50+ feet tall.
It is not until you stand at the base of them, looking for the start holds do you see and grasp the fact of how big these rocks really are! The sheer size, scope and range of problems at the Buttermilks are what make it incredible. This is why they are known for being the best destination for bouldering in the world.
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