Best Bishop Boulder Problems: The Buttermilks
If it is your first time to Bishop it can be a daunting task to identify let alone find the top Bishop boulder problems. That’s why we have selected the best of the best at each level, generally trying to avoid the highballs and bad landings that your mom would definitely not want you climbing, but this is Bishop so that is not entirely avoidable.
There are basically two main areas in Bishop, the Buttermilk’s and the Happy’s. Since you’d be silly to spend all of your time at just one location I’ve mapped out the top 3 problems at each grade level in both locations after climbing, researching, and talking to lots of people (Check out the link above for the Happy’s article). I have put some effort into compiling resources to help you find the boulder problems as quickly as possible so check out the beta videos, and GPS coordinates to help you find the problems.
The Buttermilk’s are known for having old-school grades and technical problems you will want to write home about. A lot of the problems are high or even close to being free solos. They are likely to make your digis pink and weepy in two days if you’ve got soft hands. If you plan to spend a week here there is some free camping on Buttermilk Lane, but plan some rest days or bring some tape to give your skin a chance to toughen up. The absolutely stunning scenery, the nearby hot springs, and Schat’s bakery have always made my rest days easy and enjoyable.
Other things to consider:
Mountain Project is also an excellent source to help you find boulders as they have a map that can be accessed without service. You can find the location of the problem from the boulder’s page (not the problem’s page) and then click the map button. Finally it might help you to take some screen shots of this article or downloading some of the beta videos (if you have Youtube Premium) before you get out there because while you can get service, it is spotty at best.
If you need to rent some crash pads Wilson’s Eastside Sports has your back and don’t forget to drop your shoes off at the Rubber Room on your way out of town if you need a resole because it’ll save you a few bucks on shipping.
GETTING THERE: There are two areas for parking at the Buttermilk’s the links each problem will feature a parking area for which the link are below.
Main Parking
V0
1. Hero Roof
Hero Roof Boulder (Not High):
Beta: Sit start the right corner of the block move up and and left on big holds to top out in the center of the boulder.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Main Parking Area. Head up and right about 50 yards to Hero Roof which will be on the right. There is a barbed wire fence that ends just behind it.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: The best V0 in the buttermilks and its almost always shady. For a V0 climber it is just the right height to help you get over that fear of topping out. It is easily accessible, not super sandbagged, fun, has a committing top out for a V0 Climber, and the landing is good enough.
2. Robinson’s Rubber Tester
Robinson’s Rubber Tester Boulder (Not High):
Beta: Stand start in the center of the block and make some intricate moves up the slab
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Peabody Parking area. Take a left at the first Y, pass two paths on your left, take a left at the Y, take your first left, and it will be the first boulder on your right.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: If I had named this climb I would have called it “The Humbler,” as this V0 crushed my soul the first time I tried it. Out of all the problems in this list I think this is the most sandbagged (which is why I included a bonus climb on under the Unnamed Arete), but once you figure it out, it feels like you float up.
3. Unnamed Arete
Corner Boulder (Not so High):
Beta: Stand start low on the right hand arete, bump your hands and feet until you can top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders. The one in the middle leaning on the smallest boulder is the corner boulder
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This is a nice lie back on an arete and will get you used to the type of feet the Buttermilk’s has to offer. The hard move is low and will be easier for tall folks, but the top could be intimidating for a V0 climber. Best to push on through because this one isn’t very high. The bonus climb, Left Facing Arete, is also very good, but is a tick easier and more stable at the top.
V1
1. Buttermilk Stem
Buttermilk Stem Boulder (Not so High):
Beta: Stand stemmed wide. Bump, mantle and press your way up to a jug on some precarious feet.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders (There’s actually 4. There’s a small one you can’t see from the road). Pass the 3 boulders going diagonally up the hill to the right and the next boulder will be the Tut boulder. At the Tut boulder turn right and follow the path parallel to the road back toward town. The first boulder on the left is the Buttermilk Stem Boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Arguably to most iconic V1 anywhere, the buttermilk stem can shut down the best of climbers so bring your A game.
2. The Womb (Birthing Experience)
Womb Boulder (Lowball):
Beta: Start laying down in the huge hueco. Reach out to some good holds, get your feet up, and top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Peabody parking area. Take a right at the first Y and walk past Grandma and Grandpa Peabody, Follow the Trail that lead up from the back side of Grandma Walk in between the boulders that are close to touching each other (Drifter and Smoking Boulders) and the closest small boulder you see on the other side is the Womb Boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: The start is very unique. So unique that it makes the climb a must do; however, that unique start really bruised my shoulder, but what’s a little shoulder pain compared to being reborn?
3. Birthday Left Sit Start
Birthday Boulders (Not High):
Beta: Start really low on side pull. Pull to another side pull and make your way up the face on crimps
Beta Video
How to Get There: These are the boulders closest to the information panel in the main parking area.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Thin, technical, and not too high this is a great problem for a v1 climber. There is a sit start on this that goes V2, but its really hard for tall people because your legs are basically in your mouth and it feels contrived as you can reach the second hold from a sit.
V2
1. Monkey Dihedral
Saigon Boulder (Not High):
Beta: Press on a right hand and pull into a crimp. Stem and move right to the vertical rail and top over the right side
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel for the Peabody Boulders. Take a left at the first Y and pass two paths on the left before taking a left at the second Y. Then take your third right and walk around the two boulders that are touching each other (Green Wall). From here the path will zig zag so once on the backside of these boulders turn your back to the road continue to walk up the hill. The last big free standing boulder will be the Saigon Boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This was one of my first climbs in Bishop. An enjoyable, balance driven problem with a nice top cannot go wrong here.
2. Sheepherder
The Loaf Boulder (Feels High):
Beta: Stand start left of the black streak and move up and right across it on some balancy moves to the top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the information panel in the main parking area. Its the really long boulder straight up the path.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: For a V2 climber this will get your heart pumping. It has a low crux and while the following moves aren’t super hard they aren’t super secure either. So if you are not used to being high (although not super high and with a great landing) you will likely get a needed introduction to the pucker factor.
3. Hobb’s Problem
Corner Boulders (Not so High):
Beta: Stand start in the middle of the face. Makes some balancy moves up to a less than bomber top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders. The right most boulder is the one you are looking for.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: I slammed my face against this one for a good while because I was impatient. If nothing else you’ll learn some technical lessons on this one.
V3
1. Funky Tut
Tut Boulders (Not so High):
Beta: Start with a high right hand and low left hand. Move up and right to the scoop.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders (There’s actually 4. There’s a small one you can’t see from the road). Pass the 3 boulders going diagonally up the hill to the right and the next boulder will be the Tut boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Funky Tut is a gem. The balancy moves to the right are somewhat of a classic Buttermilk style you don’t find in many other places. Plus there is a bomber jug at the top to makes the top out not so scary.
2. King Tut
Tut Boulders (Feels Kind of High):
Beta: Same start as Funky Tut, but move straight up to a precarious top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: See Funky Tut
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This is Funky Tut’s scarier brother. The technical footwork up high is sure to get a V3 climbers heart pumping
3. Birthday Direct
Birthday Boulders (Not so High):
Beta: Stand start on the head high crimp move straight up to the top out
Beta Video
How to Get There: These are the boulders closest to the information panel in the main parking area.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: High feet and powerful moves of a gaston and undercling make this one something to celebrate about.
V4
1. Iron Man Traverse
Iron Man Boulder (Lowball):
Beta: Start on the left most part of the boulder, traverse right on even smaller hold and top out over the right side.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start the information panel in the Main Parking Area. Head up and right in the direction of the barbed wire fence. You will not actually pass through the barbed wire fence but instead you’ll pass between two boulders about 50 yards from the panel and Iron Man will be another 10 yards on the left.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This might be “the classic” buttermilk problem. It is hard to miss it as you drive up to the main parking area and if you start looking around you’ll see it in climbing photos everywhere. That being said Iron Man is one of the hardest 4’s I have ever been on. Almost every move on the climb is a V4 move and it is deceptively long. No wonder it is the V4 test piece. It tends to get glassy in the middle of the day and on the weekends you can generally find at least one pad party on it during the day. All and all it is a must do.
2. Bowling Pin
Bowling Pin Boulder (Kind of High):
Beta: Stand start high on the right hand side pull. Move up and left to the lip and pull onto the slab to finish the problem
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders (There’s actually 4. There’s a small one you can’t see from the road). Pass the 3 boulders going diagonally up the hill to the right and the next boulder will be the Tut boulder. Pass the Tut boulder continuing on in the same direction and the next boulder up the hill will be Bowling Pin. At first the boulder will appear round but the further to the right you go the more you’ll be able to see the problem.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Bowling Pin is a little high for my taste, but the line is so beautiful that you can’t pass it up.
3. Wimberries
Tut Boulder (Not so High):
Beta: Work your way up the slopers to a slab finish.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders (There’s actually 4. There’s a small one you can’t see from the road). Pass the 3 boulders going diagonally up the hill to the right and the next boulder will be the Tut boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This is a nice little problem to try after you have sent the Tuts’ and good in its own right.
V5
1. Lactose Intolerant
Cave Boulder (Not so High, but a squeeze):
Beta: Stand start on the left facing flake and move up and right with good crimps and directional holds.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Peabody Parking area. Take a left at the first Y, pass two paths on your left, take a left at the Y, take your first left, and it will be the first set of boulders on your on left
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Oh man. The movement on this problem is sooooo good. It almost feels like a gym problem, but it is so much better.
2. Flyboy Arete
Flyboy Boulder (Not High):
Beta: Sit start on a good edge for your right hand and a lower left hand. Move left to the arete. Climb the crimps on the arete and top out on the left side of the arete.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the main parking information panel, walk up the hill staying to the left of the boulders. When you get to some really tall boulders that touch each other walk around to the backside and you’ll see Flyboy Arete.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This problem looks deceptively easy, but the lack of feet makes it what it is. I definitely wanted a spotter on this one because I wasn’t coming straight down in the event of an uncontrolled fall.
3. Leary Bard Arete
Corner Boulders (Kind of high):
Beta: Stand start and make your way up the right side of the arete. Precise footwork is needed for this problem.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders. The right most boulder is the one you are looking for.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Precise footwork is an understatement. You might as well chop off your hands for this one.
V6
1. Saigon
Saigon Boulder (High):
Beta: Stand start on high holds, move up and right to the right face, then head straight up for the high top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel for the Peabody Boulders. Take a left at the first Y and pass two paths on the left before taking a left at the second Y. Then take your third right and and walk around the two boulders that are touching each other (Green Wall). From here the path will zig zag so once on the backside of these boulders turn your back to the road and continue to walk up the hill. The last big free standing boulder will be the Saigon Boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Can be easier for a taller person, but it is still a really good problem. The top out can be pretty scary, but if you are climbing V6 it shouldn’t be a problem.
2. Popes Prow
Mandala/Pope’s Prow Boulder (Not so High):
Beta: Stand start with your right hand on the arete and climb up to a nice mantle move
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Peabody parking area. Take a right at the first Y and walk past Grandma and Grandpa Peabody, Follow the Trail that leads up from the back side of Grandma, Walk in between the boulders that are close to touching each other (Drifter and Smoking Boulders) and the second closest boulder uphill from there is the Prow/Mandala Boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Think you are a good climber? Try to do this gracefully and if you can you deserve an award.
3. Green Wall Center
Green Wall (Not so High):
Beta: Stand start on low thin opposing holds in the center of the block and move straight up to the top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Park in the Peabody Parking Lot …………………………………….
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: There seems to be some debate as to where this problem starts especially if you watch multiple YouTube videos. The original line starts low, but you do you. The movement is still good even if you do skip the first move.
V7
1. High Plains Drifter
Drifter/Smoking Boulders (Highball, but easy top):
Beta: Stand start in the crimps, move up and right to sloping holds, then back left to pull over onto the slab to top out.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Peabody parking area. Take a right at the first Y and walk past Grandma and Grandpa Peabody, Follow the Trail that leads up from the back side of Grandma, Walk in between the boulders that are close to touching each other. The one on the left is the Drifter boulder.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Good solid problem! I’m not going to get into the needless grade debate nor the history on it because what matters is the moves are awesome.
2. Junior’s Acheivement:
Rowell Rock (Kind of High)
Beta: Stand Start and climb the thin crimp straight to the top just right of the arete
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the Main Parking Area walk back toward town and past the cattle guard. Take the first trail on your left. In front of you will be 3 boulders (There’s actually 4. There’s a small one you can’t see from the road). Pass the 3 boulders going diagonally up the hill to the right and the next boulder will be the Tut boulder. At the Tut boulder, turn right and follow the path parallel to the road back toward town. The second boulder on the right is Rowell Rock.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: If you love crimpfests then this is your problem. The hardest part of this climb may be figuring out which chalked holds to ignore.
3. Pain Grain SDS
Cave Boulder (Not So High):
Beta: Sit start on crimps just above the hueco make the power moves up to the stand start and continue straight up.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the main parking information panel walk up the hill staying to the left of the boulders. When you get to some really tall boulders that touch each other walk around to the backside and you’ll see Flyboy.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Some power and body tension are needed for the first couple moves after that it is an enjoyable V5.
V8
1. Flyboy SDS
Flyboy Boulder (Not High)
Beta: squat on good holds and move up into the directional holds on the face, move closer to the lip and dyno for the top.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the main parking information panel, walk up the hill staying to the left of the boulders. When you get to some really tall boulders that touch each other walk around to the backside and you’ll see Flyboy.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Strong moves down low, but that top though.
2. Magnetic North
Grandma Peabody Boulder (Highball)
Beta: Jump into jugs and move up and right. Make the crux move off the heel hook and crimp and make your way up to the jugs to top out on the finishing slab, at which point you will be free soloing.
Beta Video
How to Get There: From the information panel in the Peabody parking area take a right at the first Y and head to the giant boulders. The slightly smaller one that is behind grandpa is grandma.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: This problem comes highly rated, but I am hesitant to highlight it because the height factor is real. Don’t get in over your head.
3. Soul Slinger Right
Soul Slinger Boulder (Not So High):
Beta: Stand start on crimp and move up to bump right around the arete and finish in the big hueco.
Beta Video
How to Get There: Start at the information panel in the Peabody Parking area. Take a left at the first Y, pass two paths on your left, take a left at the Y, take your first left, the first boulder on your right is the Robinson Rubber Tester Boulder. From there turn right and walk uphill its the good sized egg shaped boulder in front of you.
GPS Location
Pebble Pusher Perspective: Another really good Buttermilk climb. Crimps, sloper on the arete and finishes in a heuco what more could you ask for.
Climbing and Bouldering are both Dangerous…
By continuing to read this post, as a reader of Pebble Pusher Bouldering Guides, you assume all risk associated with the activities described in this guide. Your safety depends on your own good judgment. The activities described in this post may lead to dangerous situations, and can result in serious injury or death. Bouldering and other forms of rock climbing require a significant degree of experience and instruction, which is outside the scope of this article.
There are hazards and dangers that are not described in this guide and we make no guarantee that the information in this guide is accurate. We could be completely wrong about everything so you follow this guide at your own risk because we are certainly not an expert just a dirt bag boulderer who wants to help climbers enjoy their limited time.
