The Buttermilks

United States / California / Inyo County

The Buttermilks is a granite bouldering area near Bishop in California. It is particularly known for it's highballs, including famous lines such as Evilution, Footprints and The Process.

Contributors
1045 contributions since 25th January 2021.
184 contributions since 20th July 2024.
128 contributions since 25th December 2025.
TdG
127 contributions since 18th August 2025.
46 contributions since 8th May 2026.
36 contributions since 12th April 2026.
36 contributions since 20th February 2026.
29 contributions since 12th November 2025.
23 contributions since 4th September 2026.
NHS
23 contributions since 16th January 2026.
22 contributions since 9th February 2026.
20 contributions since 8th April 2025.
16 contributions since 7th November 2025.
12 contributions since 19th March 2026.
8 contributions since 17th April 2024.
6 contributions since 24th January 2025.
5 contributions since 7th February 2026.
5 contributions since 11th August 2025.
ben
1 contribution since 20th January 2026.
1 contribution since 22nd September 2024.

Map

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Pics + Vids

No pics or vids yet.


Climbs

39 recorded climbs.

This timeline is missing some first ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown.
Year Climb Grade Climber Style Date
1970 Transporter Room 6C+ Dale Bard Boulder | worked 1970s
First ascent.
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
First ascent.
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000 The Mandala 8A+ Chris Sharma Boulder | worked 2000
First ascent.
First ascent.

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/4730262

The Buttermilker 8A+ Chris Sharma Boulder | worked Before 25th Jan 2001
First ascent.
First ascent.
First ascent.
First ascent.
A Scanner Darkly 8A+ Dave Graham Boulder | worked Dec 2002
First ascent.
2003
2004 The Swarm 8B Matt Birch Boulder | worked 2004
First ascent.
The Mandala SDS 8B Tony Lamiche Boulder | worked Before 3rd Dec 2004
First ascent.
2005
2006 Standing on the Shoulders of Giants 7C Sonnie Trotter Boulder | worked 2006
First ascent.
2007 Mandala Direct SDS 8B+ Paul Robinson Boulder | worked 27th Mar 2007
First ascent. Harder than The Mandala SDS.
2008
First ascent.

Not really a boulder problem.

Direct North 8B+ Shawn Diamond Boulder | worked 4th May 2009
First ascent.
First ascent. Initially suggested 8C+. Harder than Terremer.
2011 Misdirection 8B+ Daniel Beall Boulder | worked 2011
First ascent.
First ascent.

[I was] shaking a bit up there. It's f***ing scary!

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2012/01/alex_honnolds_big_balls_in_bishop-66088

2013
2014 The Enigma Variation 8C Daniel Beall Boulder | worked 2014
First ascent.
2015 Misdirected 8B+ Daniel Beall Boulder | worked 2015
First ascent.
The Wheel of Milk 8C Daniel Beall Boulder | worked 12th Jan 2015
First ascent.
First ascent.
2016 Terminus 8A+ Keenan Takahashi Boulder | worked 12th Feb 2016
First ascent.
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
First ascent.
First ascent.

Simply stunning, perhaps my best moment ever climbing. stoked for other people's thoughts... seemed pretty heinous albeit definitely morpho. one of the hardest highballs I'd reckon... go on youths, prove it ;)

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CpNz8Kxrvll/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFMup6zbl7I

First ascent.

Keenan Takahashi commenting on Sean's ascent:

It is hard to explain without a full conversation, but I truly believe this first move is top 5 hardest in the world right now. It's also a bit unique because the feet are quite high and bunchy, so it suits shorter folks a bit (generally rare for the upper end of hard boulders, at least currently). Time will tell but I feel like this one is certainly one of the hardest of the grade and would not be surprised by an upgrade by future ascensionist(s). So yes, Sean may have climbed V17 in two sessions.

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/5bnU43rvODIPSRk5rsfSnC?

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/C2202DBP8i8/

[3] https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2u9q9htHjj/

First ascent.
First ascent.
First ascent.
Climb Grade # Recorded Ascents Ascents Recorded Between
The Process 8C+ 5 15th January 2015 – 15th December 2025
Devilution 8C+ 3 1st January 2024 – 2nd February 2026
Ear of Life 8C+ (approx) 2 1st February 2026 – 1st March 2026
Lucid Dreaming 8C 16 30th March 2010 – 6th February 2026
The Gold Standard 8C 1 1st January 2024 – 1st January 2025
The Outer Gates 8C 1 1st February 2019 – 1st March 2019
The Enigma Variation 8C 1 1st January 2014 – 1st January 2015
The Wheel of Milk 8C 1 12th January 2015
Direct North 8B+ 33 4th May 2009 – 12th April 2026
Mandala Direct SDS 8B+ 5 27th March 2007 – 12th February 2026
A Little Life 8B+ 4 1st February 2023 – 22nd August 2026
Misdirected 8B+ 2 1st January 2015 – 8th December 2025
Misdirection 8B+ 1 1st January 2011 – 1st January 2012
There and Back Again 8B+ 1 8th December 2023
The Swarm 8B 25 1st January 2004 – 11th January 2026
The Mandala SDS 8B 20 3rd December 2004 – 1st December 2025
Spectre 8B 16 10th January 2001 – 1st March 2025
The Buttermilker Sit 8B 5 4th August 2006 – 1st February 2024
Blood Meridian 8B 3 1st January 2013 – 26th December 2024
Lifestyles of the Poor and Famous 8B 1 20th April 2022
Direction 8B 1 18th January 2008
The Mandala 8A+ 14 1st January 2000 – 30th December 2024
A Maze of Death 8A+ 11 23rd January 2014 – 11th January 2026
The Buttermilker 8A+ 10 25th January 2001 – 1st January 2026
A Scanner Darkly 8A+ 3 1st December 2002 – 3rd January 2019
Rastaman Vibrations 8A+ 2 1st November 2002 – 1st January 2025
Terminus 8A+ 2 12th February 2016 – 22nd August 2026
Evilution 8A+ 1 1st January 2002 – 1st January 2003
The Mandala Direct 8A+ 0
Ambrosia 8A 8 9th January 2009 – 1st January 2023
Evilution Direct 8A 5 1st November 2002 – 7th February 2026
Plain High Drifter 8A 1 1st March 2001 – 1st April 2001
Too Big to Flail 7C+ 3 15th January 2012 – 18th March 2019
Evilution to the Lip 7C+ 1
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants 7C 2 1st January 2006 – 14th December 2011
Footprints 7C 0
EVA 7C 1 1st January 2025 – 1st January 2026
Transporter Room 6C+ 3 1st January 1970 – 7th February 2026
Iron Man 6B+ 1 1st January 1978 – 1st January 1979