Basin Mountain in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

's eastern Sierra Nevada range is a large and visually prominent peak near Bishop

Bishop, California

Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...

. Basin Mountain is not as high as its neighboring peaks, Mount Tom and Mount Humphreys

Mount Humphreys

Mount Humphreys is a mountain peak in the Sierra Nevada on the Fresno-Inyo county line in the U.S. state of California. It is the highest peak in the Bishop area. The mountain was named by the California Geological Survey of 1873 for Andrew A...

, but it dominates the view to the west from Bishop as it rises above the Buttermilks

The Buttermilks

The Buttermilks, or Buttermilk Country, is a well known bouldering destination. It comprises the western edge of the Owens Valley near Bishop, California, in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada.The Buttermilks are located in Inyo County at...

. It is a relatively easy scramble to the top. The summit is not especially notable, except for the wonderful views it offers of Mount Tom, which dominates the skyline just to the north. The night-time views of Bishop and the Owens valley are spectacular.