The BACC is thrilled to announce the hiring of two new seasonal climbing rangers. Thanks to an incredible partnership with Friends of the Inyo and the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association (ESIA), we’re happy to welcome Jimmy & Alexa to Bishop. The climbing rangers will be working as ESIA employees on Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and Los Angeles Department of Water & Power land— covering all our favorite climbing areas, from Pine Creek to the Tablelands to the Owens River Gorge. They will also be monitoring the Alabama Hills for climbing-related issues.
Alexa Flower comes to Bishop after years of experience working with the public in Yosemite National Park. She spent the summer of 2019 as a climbing ranger there following three years on the Search & Rescue team and one as a climber steward. Originally from Vail, Colorado, Alexa spent many winters working ski patrol. Her experience rappelling off the slabs of Half Dome while she and her crew picked up thousands of pounds of trash stuck with her, and she’s excited to learn and see how she can best apply her experience here on the Eastside.
Jimmy Capangpangan is no stranger to the Bishop area. Originally from Hawthorne, California, he’s been enjoying his winters here for the past eight years . Jimmy has spent the past three summers as a ranger in Devils Tower National Monument as a law enforcement climbing ranger. He’s worked in Yosemite and Joshua Tree, and a clean-up event in the Buttermilks years ago has kept him eager to give back to his Bishop community.
The team here at the BACC is so thankful to our many donors, both big and small, who are supporting this program. We’ll be posting the climbing rangers’ events on our “Happenings” page, and you can look out for them on our social media channels as well. They’ll be conducting climbing patrols all over the Eastside, so make sure to give them a warm welcome when you see them out at the crag!