The Peabody Boulders in the Buttermilk Country west of Bishop are not your average, garden-variety stones. About 55 feet tall, the gigantic Grandpa and Grandma Peabody (once a single boulder) are two of the world's largest, and present challenging problems to even the most advanced climbers. Since the last boulder I scaled was "Big Rock" back in high school, we came to the Buttermilks just to look up at the remarkable rocks. Arriving early to catch the morning light, we hiked the short but steep, decomposed granite trail through the boulder field. At the top of the trail, we scrambled around on the frictiony surface of the quartz monzonite, and marveled at the views of the radiant Sierra Nevada range. The big, bad boulders of the Buttermilks get 3 stars for their extreme girth and brilliant setting. Even though I didn't do any bouldering myself, the Peabody Boulders deserve another star for their world-class climbs. Next visit, I will bring some chalk and a crash pad. Directions: From downtown Bishop, take Highway 168 (W. Line Street) approximately 7.25 miles west, turn right on Buttermilk Road, and travel approximately 3.5 miles west to boulders. read more

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