Things are moving fast in the world, and just like that the snow and cold have seemingly vanished making way for warm (potentially wet) days in our forecast. Highs are in the 60’s with lows in the 30’s, but isolated showers could begin Saturday with some wind pushing them out late Sunday morning. The remnants of last week’s cold snap are still lingering—here’s the latest on what has melted out.

Tablelands:
Almost entirely melted out. The roads are clear, and things should be warm with some potential wet this weekend.

Buttermilks:
The road was bumpy already, but these last storms have definitely increased the washboarding. Be prepared to take things slow, and to feel like you’re sitting in an overeager massage chair the whole drive. Remember speeding makes this worse. Light snow on the way to the main parking lot, but the road to Pollen Grains is still very snowy and icy and is extremely slippery. We recommend giving these roads some time to melt and dry before attempting to drive on them. Need 4wd and high clearance to make it through. Most of Buttermilk main has melted out, but make sure you are scouting your down climbs. Some north facing climbs, and shadier areas will retain snow.

Owen’s River Gorge:
Lower, Central, and some of Inner Gorge are mostly melted! The Central Gorge descent is north facing and still likely to hold snow for some time. Be extra careful. Upper and the North Inner Gorge have been slow to melt, and patches of snow will likely stick around the canyon narrows and North Facing walls here (Gorgeous towers, Monkey to Monk, etc.). The river is running very high, it is very hard/impossible to get from Upper Gorge to Inner Gorge currently due to water levels! Be very careful crossing the river, especially in the mornings when ice and snow are covering the crossings. (Banana Belt crossing seems restored.)

Pine Creek:
The road is mostly snow-free up to Pratt’s Crack parking! The Barbershop Buttress and Cyanide Cliffs have melted out nicely, but the PSOM slabs and shadier cliffs are still wet and covered in snow. Be prepared for somewhat snowy approaches. Rockfall is very common after these snowstorms so please be aware. Sunny cliffs seem to get sun around 10am and stay sunny until around 3ish.

Climber Coffee will be at the Buttermilks this Saturday from 9-11am!

The Bishop Area Climbing Rangers represent a collaboration among the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Inyo National Forest (INF), L.A. Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Bishop Area Climbers Coalition (BACC), Bishop Chamber of Commerce (BCC), Sierra Forever (formerly Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association or ESIA), and Friends of the Inyo (FOI) to promote climbing conservation in the Bishop, CA, Area – specifically in Pine Creek, the Buttermilks, the Volcanic Tablelands, and the Owens River Gorge. Climbing Rangers will support local land managers and supporting organizations by performing a variety of tasks to preserve and maintain our cherished local climbing landscapes.