Six weeks of Bishop fun

Bishop is hands down one of our very favourite rock climbing destinations. The quaint town, diverse and affordable camping, amazing human beings, incredible scenery, and a plethora of world class bouldering make it hard to beat. 

The Buttermilks after a snow

Last year we did two short(ish) stints in Bishop, and we loved it enough to plan six weeks there this winter. Six weeks is a great amount of time to spend in one area because you can really start to get intimate with it. We sampled classics and worked hard projects without feeling rushed, and we had ample time to forge real friendships.

There are two quintessential things that really make a trip: (1) the people, and (2) the rock climbing. We enjoyed this trip to Bishop with some pretty stellar humans, new friends and old, all of whom really made our time there spectacular. We started out the trip with our good friends Yannick, Kirsten, Dan, and Patrick (and puppy Jackson!). 

Kirsten conquering her fear of spooky slab aretes!

Dan keeping his cool on the highball top-out of "Bowling Pin" (V4)

Team sending! Graham and Yannick on "High Plains Drifter" (V7)

Patrick warming up - Puppy Jackson with the spot

We met up with friends from last year, Mel and Danny, Bishop’s iconic badass climbing couple. Mel and Danny introduced us to many wonderful new friends, like Tammy, Taylor (inspiring female entrepreneur: owner of Static Climbing), Forrest, Charlie, and Joe - to name a few.

Melanie and Danny, touring us around some Pollen Grains highballs

We became good friends with Shelma Jun (founder of Flash Foxy) who was in town to put on the inaugural Women’s Climbing Festival. Shelma is one motivated lady – an inspirational mover and shaker for women in climbing. Over the two weeks surrounding the festival we met many other wonderful people who are passionate about improving the climbing community for everyone. Check out the thought-provoking words of Georgie Abel or the by-climbers for-climbers media content over at Moja Gear.  Kim wrote a short online piece covering the festival for Gripped Magazine, here.

Taylor, Jobi, Shelma, Kim, Evelyn, Becca, Natalie, Taylor and Julie - a few of the awesome ladies together for the Woman's Climbing Festival

Shelma and Evelyn working "Go Granny Go" (V5) in the Milks

Great friends!

Shortly before leaving, Bonar and Lea arrived in town, and we were lucky to spend a couple days with them before taking off.

Lea demonstrating her slab skills

Climbing-wise, it was super cool to come back to Bishop stronger than the year before. Graham climbed several double-digit classics including “Stained Glass” (V10), “Zen Flute” (V10), and “Xavier’s Roof” (V11). Kim sent her first V8s, “Gastonia” and “Junior’s Achievement”, as well as her first V9, “Gastonia Sit”. We also both ticked a bunch beautiful classics that we’d had our eyes on from the year before, like “Seven Spanish Angels” (V6), “High Plains Drifter” (V7), “Robinson’s Rubber Tester” (V0), and “Green Hornet” (V4).

Graham on his send of "Xavier's Roof" (V11)

The "Zen Flute" (V10) dyno

Kim on her send of "Gastonia" (V8/9)

Graham working "Robinson's Rubber Tester" (V0) - so hard!

Kim demonstrating the "static" beta on "Seven Spanish Angels" (V6)

Graham on his send of "Get Carter" (V7)

Kim working moves on her project, "Cindy Swank" (V7).... next time!

Graham climbing the slabby highball classic, "John Bachar Memorial Problem" (V1)

Kim on the send of her project, "Jug Start to Acid Wash Right" (V7)

Graham on his send of "Green Hornet" (V4)

Kim on her send of "Strength in Numbers" (V5). Photo credit: Daniel Winsor

Graham sampling moves on "Less Poetry Please" (V8)

Kim working "Go Granny Ho" (V7). Photo credit: David Le

Graham on the send of his project, "Brian's Project" (V8)

We were sad to say good bye to Bishop, but we are excited for a shift to sport climbing. It’s been three months since we’ve tied into a rope, so we’re anticipating a bit of work to build back our endurance, but we’re stoked to test the power we’ve built on the limestone climbing of the St George area in Utah. 

Unknown climber on the "Southwest Arete" (5.9)

Climbing makes us happy <3