Raising a family in Bishop?

Long time forum reader, first time posting. My wife and I are very average climbers but love it nonetheless and I recently came across an job opportunity to move to Bishop. We’ve always loved Bishop and the eastside and we know enough to know that it’s obviously a smaller town with the attendant isolation and simpler life. Which as adults we are fine with.

I’m curious to hear if any fellow MPers have raised kids in Bishop, tho, or know folks who’ve raised kids there. We’d have a young kiddo in tow who hasn’t started school yet. Can anyone comment on the quality of schools? Do students go to university after Bishop High etc? Is the social scene for teenagers healthy or filled with small town angst (know from experience), drug use etc?

From the adult side is there a community of 20 to 30 something’s who have kids but are still active climbing and getting outdoors? It’s always seemed like less of a kid filled placed but I’m biased after spending most of my time at the Mountain Rambler. I’ve spent a good bit of time in town but had never really considered from a family perspective until recently.

Appreciate any local wisdom!

Betting yes, but if people say no, there are a ton of climbers (gumby to pro) with kids in reno. Bishop is a 3-4 hr drive depending on how heavy your foot is

Aaron Dobie wrote:

I’m curious to hear if any fellow MPers have raised kids in Bishop, tho, or know folks who’ve raised kids there. We’d have a young kiddo in tow who hasn’t started school yet. Can anyone comment on the quality of schools? Do students go to university after Bishop High etc? Is the social scene for teenagers healthy or filled with small town angst (know from experience), drug use etc?

I know at least one family. Their kids were fine, but instead of climbing they spent most of their time taking their children to non-climbing activities. Now that the kids have left home for big cities no less, they’ve returned to climbing.

Like any city or town, it’s up to you as parents to raise them, hopefully away from bad influences?

I believe their kids did appreciate the small town growing up? They’re well adjusted from what I’ve heard?

I'm not local, but I've worked with administrators and teachers in Bishop Unified and Inyo COE. I think the folks who work there have the right ideas and do good work, but it is hard work. They do try and get support and different folks to come in so that it doesn't turn insular due to geographic isolation. Facilities could really benefit from an update, but it's difficult to get enough interest in the needed capital expenditures. The college going rate is lower than average, but in-line with other rural and geographically isolated schools. Interestingly, most student who attend a 4 year institution do so out of state, not with a CSU/UC. 

The point above is a good one--if the kids take to mountain stuff there's few better places to be. If they take to other activities it might mean lots of time heading up and down 395 for events.

It’s not like it has to be forever. You could make it a 5 year commitment with the idea of moving to a more suburban or urban area later. You and your wife might be thoroughly sick of the Bishop lifestyle after 5 years.

With all the online resources for accelerated learning these days, that you could use to supplement your child’s learning if they are not challenged enough, I doubt it would impact them up to around 4th grade. I did grades 1-9 at a Catholic school with a basic curriculum, with the same 40 kids whose learning capacities ranged widely. It didn’t affect my achievement level at all when I finally joined a more competitive environment for high school.

Bishop is a fantastic place to be as a climber. You might want to grab that opportunity while you can. Once your kid gets to junior high/high school age, they might be happier to be in an area where they can have a much wider range of choices, academically and activity-wise. 

I'm currently raising three boys here. There are days I question the wisdom of this move, but mostly I don't. Kids have a good time here. Organized sports are tough because you often have to drive three to four hours for games, but after that, there is a lot to do as long as kids like the outdoors. Kids can play with sticks and rocks and be happy.

The schools are fine. I guess the real answer to your question depends on what you want for your child. Ticket to Harvard? Might want to try somewhere else. Middle School Ski team? Bishop is great.

I have good friends up here who are raising young kids here. They seem to be doing very well. One of my friends has managed to get both her daughters into very good colleges with scholarships.

If my dad was asking, I'd say fuck yeah.  It's a small town, plus tourons, so you gotta deal with the small town plus tourons thing.  The hospital is first-rate but that's what adults worry.  The little league field is as good as they come.  And it has a view of the mountains.  If the other kids are mean, we could go out and you can hit me gounders. The internet sucks, but its better than when the only connection in town was McDonald's modem.  Keep a distance from pad-people.

I lived and worked in bishop for a bit and don’t have kids. Nearly everyone I worked with grew up there and had no plans of leaving. The guys with kids seemed like they had happy little families. If your kid has health issues be prepared for regular trips to Lancaster to see a doctor. Having a house I was living out in Rovana, I’d recommend living in bishop proper for your kid to have other kids to hang out with. Also all the dudes that grew up there with the exception of one had no interest in climbing. They were stoked on the fishing, hunting, and other small town antics 

just a quick note that just because you have an opportunity to work in bishop doesn't mean that you have to live in bishop.  there are plenty of people who work in bishop, live up the hill somewhere and send their kids to mammoth.  not trying to advocate one over the other, just saying you may have more choices than you think.  we're about halfway between bishop and mammoth and have a neighbor who works in bishop, wife works in mammoth, and kid is in school in mammoth.