The Mill Rock Climbing

2/2/26 Update: The Mill is now inaccessible once again, as the Forest Service found damage to the bridge that crosses South Antelope Creek on Ponderosa. The timeline for fixing the bridge is unclear.

1/20/26 Update: The Mill is accessible again after being closed for a little over a year due to the Park fire. However, the conditions have changed slightly. The road is impassable just south of the Mill due to several large washouts. This means Black Rock Campground is no longer accessible. The bridge across Mill Creek is also damaged and not passable. Due to these factors, the only way to drive in is from the north (which is what most of us were doing anyway). Camping is primitive camping only, either at the crag parking or one of the many spots north of the crag on Ponderosa (Long Point Rd, Peligreen Jeep Trail junction, etc.). The Forest Service has installed a gate on Ponderosa just after Long Point Rd, however I have yet to see it closed in the months I have been going out there. The road beyond the gate towards the Mill has deteriorated somewhat due to drainage issues post-fire. Still doable with 2wd, just make sure you have some clearance. Lastly, the likelihood of coming across a downed tree on the drive in has increased significantly with all the burnt trees. If you think you might be the first one out there after a recent storm, a chainsaw is highly recommended. 

The Mill is a beautiful basalt crag located on the rim overlooking Mill Creek Canyon on the edge of the Ishi Wilderness. Guarded by 45 minutes of driving on dirt roads, the area feels very remote and offers great adventure to those who come to explore it. The crag has plenty of both sport and trad routes, but the reason you are driving all the way out here is the plethora of high-quality sport routes. With routes ranging from 20m to 50m, the Mill is a single-pitch sport climber's paradise. The style is similar to Smith Rock or ORG: long, vertical to slighly overhanging routes with great rock quality. 

Best climbing season is late fall through early spring as it gets very hot in the summer. The Mill stays accessible all winter long, barring a huge snow storm with snow levels below 4500 ft. The crag is south-facing and tends to dry extremely quickly. For the weather forcast, I like to look at Paynes Creek. As a rule of thumb, a forcast over 60 degrees in Paynes Creek means it will likely be too hot to climb in the sun (most routes are not shaded). However between 60 - 70 degrees with enough cloud coverage is usually good for climbing. Optimal temps are in the 50s, ideally overcast. 

All sport routes have mussys or equivalent, most trad routes do as well. Everything is developed to be climbable with a 70m rope, but an 80m rope is optimal as it will allow you to avoid using midway anchors when being lowered on some routes.