Steins Pillar is an impressive 350’ tall tower with a steeply overhanging aspect on all sides. This light-colored rock tower with its dark red summit cap stands out well above the forested pine trees overlooking the idyllic ranches on the upper Mill Creek valley in the Ochoco mountains northeast of Prineville, Oregon.

The monolith is composed of moderately welded tuff from pyroclastic flows typical of dacitic or rhyolitic ash eruptions, a relatively soft light-colored rock, deposited in deep layers from a series of volcanic eruptions that were part of the John Day Formation. While still hot the soft ash compacted to form a solid layer of rock. Erosional processes gradually swept away the surrounding lesser resistant landscape, leaving this monolithic feature cresting the hillside. Soft welded tuff ash formations often lack the type of solid rock that climbers appreciate most. Putting quality aside, climbers still energetically opt to scale this impressive tower enduring the chossy nature of the scarp. The pillar was named in honor of an 1860s explorer Major Enoch Steen of the U.S. Army, and although misspelled the incorrect version eventually became official.

Steins Pillar is best suited for three season (spring-summer-fall) climbing. The pillar is located just outside of the Mill Creek Wilderness in the Ochoco National Forest.

There is one common book source for information and beta to Stein's Pillar climbing site:
1. Northwest Oregon Rock

An out-of-print 1980s guidebook (Oregon Rock, by Jeff Thomas) also provides good details about this site.

Services: Gas for your vehicle is available in Prineville, Oregon (19 miles distant).

Amenities: Prineville also offers several grocery stores, a selection of fast-food facilities and restaurants, and evening entertainment bars.

Camping: Free roadside camping exists at or near the trailhead. About 4 miles up Mill creek valley is a low tech campground (pit toilet and firepit).

Administrative Agency: The Ochoco Forest Service office for this district is located in Prineville, Oregon. A self-registration trailhead permit is available where you park the vehicle.

Seasonal Factors: The Pillar is at 3477' elevation; is climbable from spring through fall seasons (though summer afternoons tend to be scorching hot); the Pillar offers routes on all aspects, and is located on a northwest facing lightly forested pine tree slope.

Climbing Precautions: Stein's Pillar rock is less than ideal on certain sections, so wearing a helmet while climbing is a wise precaution. Some portions of routes can be crumbly poor rock while the remainder of the climb may be sounder.

Road Accessibility Conditions: The last 2.5 miles of the roads are well-maintained graveled roads. The valley is domesticated farmland with a variety of settlements throughout the valley.

Additional Notes: A good photographic scenic overlook from the valley looking up eastward at Stein's Pillar exists about 1 mile north of the NF500 road on the mainline gravel road.