Trip Report
Beer for Breakfast and an FA
Wednesday July 6, 2016 11:23am
Hello. My name is David and I am a whore, a google earth whore. I ignore those around me as I glare into the screen of knowledge to find new rock to climb. Many have my addiction.

Me: “Hey Paul. So I was checking out this dome on google earth and I think it will be sweet! I can’t find a name, not sure if ever climbed and only about 1.5 miles in. It looks 500’+ tall.”

I showed Paul a picture I found of the rock from the top of Squaw Dome and sent him google earth snaps.
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google earth snap
google earth snap
Credit: DaveyTree
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West side of Miller Rock from Squaw Dome
West side of Miller Rock from Squaw Dome
Credit: DaveyTree
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Paul: “Hell yah. Let’s go for it.”

Plan in motion, leave 07/01 and drive to the Balls, climb Book of Revelation for a warm up and then set out Saturday. As always the waiting to leave on a trip really sucks. I made a few inquiries to people I know may know if there were any routes on it. Reports said it was a broken up piece of rock and nothing went all the way to the top. The stone was called Miller Rock and there was no reported routes. Game On!

Paul picked me up Friday morning and we were out. Before we made the Bass Lake turn off we were set on going straight for Miller Rock in case we needed multiple days to make a route go. We headed in and found after we crossed Cassidy Bridge there was a nice trail.
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Paulie on approach
Paulie on approach
Credit: DaveyTree
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Credit: DaveyTree
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It took us around the base from left to right. As we worked our way around the dome was indeed broken up into sections.
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Miller north side
Miller north side
Credit: DaveyTree
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Miller SW
Miller SW
Credit: DaveyTree
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The good news is the big portion was on the E-SE side. The trail began to head down into trees and topography kept the big portion of rock on the E-SE side hidden from view.

Off the trail we went for some rock hopping and some class 3 bushwhack up to our necks.
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Class 3 Bushwhack
Class 3 Bushwhack
Credit: DaveyTree
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Made the base with spirits lifted as we see the face of a nice long piece of granite. We sat to re-fuel and pick a line. Several look appealing and we chose a ramping starting in the middle of the lowest section heading up left toward a book. We rack up and tie into the 60m twin ropes.

I start up easy climbing that soon has my attention as I place a cam before it transitions into a flaky dusty 5.8 face. I end placing 4 bolts for the next 70’. There were some cool quartz nobs and pockets that allowed a good drill stance. I found a ledge and placed a two bolt anchor. Paul came up the 140’ (5.8) and we re-set.
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Paul following P1
Paul following P1
Credit: DaveyTree
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I realized I had just used six bolts on the first pitch and only had 4 more that I had brought. When in doubt………

P2 headed up to a book that had no pro. I got up to a spot where I could clean with my nut tools a place for a nut that seated nicely. Above was a sea of bushes. Moving up was fun with feet high on the right with shoulder on the book. Transitioned onto face and moved out right away from the bushes. I found myself on a series dikes angling up right separated by 5’ between them. The climbing was easy but at 80 or so feet above the nut I place another bolt. I continued up another 80’ and placed a 1 bolt anchor since I was out of rope (5.6R). Paul made quick work of it. His reaction to the one bolt anchor is a classic calm, “Cool.”
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Paul coming up P2
Paul coming up P2
Credit: DaveyTree
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P2 anchor
P2 anchor
Credit: DaveyTree
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P3 was easy 5.4 or less climbing. Went up and found a tri-cam pocket for pro then up to where the book to our left curved right. Place another cam and headed up a white quartz dike/ramp toward the left should of the dome. I found a nice stance and place a 1 bolt anchor. Paul was at the anchor in no time.
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P3 anchor
P3 anchor
Credit: DaveyTree
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P4 continued left and up the ramp to the shoulder. A few strange off balance moves were well protected. At one point I was using an under cling and cleaning it with my finger of the moss I felt. Turns out I was petting a bat….aggressively. Two bats came out greeted by our laughter of it all. I continued up around the corner and found it transitioned to a face. It was the same flaky dusty 5.8 stuff I had on P1 but this had a descent whipper potential below over a ledge. I scratched my way up to a hollow flake for some mental pro. A little further bit further gained me a solid cam. I headed up a head wall to a flake which turned out to be dirty and crappy. I was able to get a small cam in but I didn’t think it would hold. I had a good enough stance so I placed my last bolt.

As soon as I placed my last bolt I stared at it and worried I may have needed that higher up and possibly just made us have to come back to finish the route. I belayed Paul up to me because I was too much of a chicken to head up the .10a’ish move straight up since I could not tell what was above it and if it was just face then I would be stuck, have to down climb and knew I would whip onto the ledge below. Paul came up and liked the spice of it all. Once Paul was there I decided to traverse 15’-20’ on some 5.7 knobs to see what the left corner had to offer. I made the moves easily and was SO stoked to see the top out boulders 30’ up. I headed up and set a natural anchor. Paul followed and came up the direct way. Paul reported the move straight up was a .10a/b move and 5’ to the right would go at 5.9. We called the pitch 5.8+ 180’.
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Fresh top out
Fresh top out
Credit: DaveyTree
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We unracked and scrambled up a couple boulders to the top top. There was a piece of quartz placed in honor of the top which gave a grand view of Balloon, Disappearing, Squaw, 333 (Secret) Domes and many others. OH the amount of rock out there.
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Top Top of Miller Rock
Top Top of Miller Rock
Credit: DaveyTree
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Credit: DaveyTree
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The hike out, we headed down the north side of the mountain and met up with the Cassidy Bridge Trail. We realized we cut off about more than ½ a mile and all the bush whacking this way and will be our return approach. We made it back to the truck just as the black set in. Beer never tastes as good as after a day in the hills.

The following morning we split a beer and had tri-tip & egg burritos to celebrate the route. Bats in the Belfry: 5.8+R, 4P 650’ with pro to 3”. FA: David Fries / Paul Amico 07/01/16.
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Breakfast of Champions and fat middle age men
Breakfast of Champions and fat middle age men
Credit: DaveyTree
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We hiked around and scouted and got into a position on another ridge to get an actual picture of the east face of Miller Rock for a topo. We climbed a few other small things on Sunday and headed down for a must meal and beer at South Gate Brewing in Oakhurst. Hard to beat the adventure.

  Trip Report Views: 2,568
DaveyTree
About the Author
DaveyTree is a trad climber from Fresno.

Comments
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Jul 6, 2016 - 11:35am PT
Thanks for sharing the adventure. I've been interested in that rock for over 40 years. After all, before there was Google Earth, there were topographic maps. Tim Schiller and I made a four-pitch first ascent on the west face of Squaw Dome in 1973, and I wanted to go explore that larger formation, but a sudden abcess sent me down to Fresno, and other events since intervened.

Curiously, our route on Squaw Dome also involved placements in several holes, but in those days, we had only Stoppers, Hexcentrics and pins. I used several pitons (barely tapped, for fear of becoming permanent) on those holes. Today, I would use Tri-Cams or Aliens.

Thank you again for a fun and excellent trip report.

John

guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
  Jul 6, 2016 - 11:45am PT
Way to get after it......

Thank you for posting...

you going back to fix the belays and straighten out the top?

5.8 is just what the doctor recommends for me.

EDIT to Add. That stone looks like Suicide Rock, if it was in LA there would be hundreds of climbs.

limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Jul 6, 2016 - 11:50am PT
The best kind of trip! What is that, your 100th FA this year or something?

TFPU
Killer K

Boulder climber
Sacramento, CA
  Jul 6, 2016 - 11:58am PT
From one Google Earth whore to another. Nice job!

Keep searching for adventure and you will surely find it!

I'm an arborist.. Do you work for Davey?
labrat

Trad climber
Erik O. Auburn, CA
  Jul 6, 2016 - 12:04pm PT
"Turns out I was petting a bat….aggressively."

Nice!

TFPO
Erik
DaveyTree

Trad climber
Fresno
Author's Reply  Jul 6, 2016 - 12:05pm PT
J, there were some cool quartz pockets here and there. I have a set of 2-lobe splitter cams (no longer made)that work well like tri-cams in pockets.

Guy, When I go back I will probably add bolts to P2 and P3 anchors. The line at the top is set to go straight up with that bolt. I was just too scared to go for it without another bolt in hand. I didn't know I was so high on the dome. Knowing now that the bolt protects the hardest part of the move then easy to top.

Crab, funny you ask. For some reason I actually counted while writing in my notes book. This climb was #50 FA. I am glad it was actually something cool instead of something short at the Bone Yard. I have a couple invites that will be coming your way for some "spots"
O.D.

Trad climber
LA LA Land
  Jul 6, 2016 - 01:34pm PT
Excellent! -- the FA, and report!
Banquo

climber
Amerricka
  Jul 6, 2016 - 01:43pm PT
I was there a couple years ago. My photo of your route is a bit fuzzy.

I couldn't find a name for the place so started calling it Miller Rock. Miller Crossing was the usual river crossing before the Cassidy Bridge was built in 1957. I don't know the origin of the name Miller Crossing.

micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Jul 6, 2016 - 02:14pm PT
Nice work fellas! Why didn't you offer us a beer for breakfast the other morning at Tollhouse? Were yall holding out on us or what?


DaveyTree

Trad climber
Fresno
Author's Reply  Jul 6, 2016 - 02:18pm PT
Banquo, that is actually the south side of the formation which can be seen from the trail. The face we were on is to the right and out of view unless you leave the trail and bushwhack. This portion and the face we were on is separated by a gully.


Your picture is looking up the rock from the base on the left side of the gully slightly around the corner. We almost climbed that line but I wanted to see the face I had seen on goggle earth.

Cool area
Banquo

climber
Amerricka
  Jul 6, 2016 - 02:31pm PT
Slabbier face to the right:


DaveyTree

Trad climber
Fresno
Author's Reply  Jul 6, 2016 - 03:46pm PT
Sweet Banquo! That is it. I like your angle better it shows portions out of view from the pic we took. Was that from the Balloon Dome side of the gorge? You climb anything on it?
DaveyTree

Trad climber
Fresno
Author's Reply  Jul 6, 2016 - 03:52pm PT
Here is the line over your pic Banquo
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
  Jul 6, 2016 - 11:07pm PT
The traverse(s) looks rad.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jul 7, 2016 - 04:47pm PT
Thank you!
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Jul 7, 2016 - 04:51pm PT
Purdy cool!
grover

climber
Castlegar BC
  Dec 13, 2018 - 01:07pm PT
Full on adventure bump
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