Aqua Benchmark and Spectre Peak Loop in Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Hike Aqua Benchmark and Spectre Peak Loop Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Class 3 13.6 miles 3700 gain 6-8 hrs Loop Feb 18, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Spectre Peak, the high point of the Coxcomb Mountains, is a pretty remote and wonderful peak on the northeastern end of Joshua Tree National Park. There are three peaks that make up the summit area: Specre Peak, Dyadic Point, and Aqua Benchmark. Recent surveys read that Spectre is the tallest, but Dyadic is very close in elevation. Fortunately, since Dyadic Point is Class 5 and therefore Whiley and I didn't even attempt it, we were able to get to this small range's high point succussfully. Aqua is significantly lower than both, but worth the extra effort.

Just off CA-62, a gate blocks vehicle access onto a road that has eroded to the point of being basically just a sandy wash. We passed this gate and started south through the desert, occassionally finding hints of the road remains. The route curved slightly southwest, then back southeast, taking miles of pretty boring hiking to get to the base of the peaks. Eventually we were able to locate the road more easily once it wasn't so heavily integrated with the many washes of the lower portions of the route. The road disappeared as we entered a major wash draining from the Coxcomb Mountains. This wash bisects the range, and seems to be the standard route for summitting Spectre Peak. Whiley and I decided to take a more direct route to gain the summit since it would pass closely to Aqua Benchmark and we could bag that peak before going for Spectre. We planned to descend using the standard route via the wash. We found that the direct route (Class 3) was incredibly more efficient than the standard route (Class 2+). We assumed the standard route would be less riddled with boulders, but it wasn't. While the direct route was more steep and required a bit more scrambling and route-finding, we agreed it would have worked well as an out-and-back. I was happy to make the route into a loop, regardless.

Anyway, we started up the direct route by heading south up a particularly bouldery-looking slope, typical for Joshua Tree area scramble routes. Aside from a Class 3 move a few hundred feet up, the route was Class 2+. The scrambling was a bit relentless, but fun overall. We reached a saddle that gave us great views south toward the rest of our route, which required descending slightly as we picked our way through a few drainages. The boulder-hopping to reach the west slope of Aqua Benchmark got a bit tedious, but there were plenty of open sections to stroll through and enjoy the scenery. The slope leading to Aqua Benchmark's west was a little bit difficult to reach, Whiley and I choosing slightly separate routes to navigate the steepening bouldery slope. Once there, it was straightforward route-finding to Aqua's summit (Class 3 from the west). We headed down the south side (Class 2) and down into the drainage that separated Aqua from Spectre. This drainage would later serve as our descent route (the standard route most use to access to the summits). We located a minor drainage that worked up the east side of Specre Peak.

The route-finding got a little tricky on the way up to Spectre Peak. I recommend turning right at the second dead tree to leave minor drainage to scramble up Class 2+ to Spectre. From the summit, we toyed with the idea of going for Dyadic Point, but instead dropped back down into the standard route wash. We were surprised at how much work the standard route was, almost expecting the route to be less boulder-filled. There were some pretty slickrock sections and talus caves.  The route dropped an additional 300 feet via this drainage, which we'd have to re-ascend. At the bottom of this drainage/wash, we took a hairpin turn and started heading northwest, which ascends to a low, sandy saddle. From this low saddle, we headed down through the major drainage I mentioned earlier that bisects the Coxcomb Mountains and back the way we came.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Aqua Benchmark
4419 ft
252 rise
2
Spectre Peak
4482 ft
2546 rise

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A long walk through the desert on a heavily degraded wilderness road. The Coxcomb Mountains are visible ahead in the center.
A long walk through the desert on a heavily degraded wilderness road. The Coxcomb Mountains are visible ahead in the center.
Slowly making progress to the major drainage.
Slowly making progress to the major drainage.
Within the major drainage. Keeping within the drainage leads along the standard route, but we opted to take the more direct route, visible right of center in this photo.
Within the major drainage. Keeping within the drainage leads along the standard route, but we opted to take the more direct route, visible right of center in this photo.
View back into the wash we ascended from.
View back into the wash we ascended from.
Lots of boulder-hopping on this direct route.
Lots of boulder-hopping on this direct route.
Class 3 as we make our way higher, toward a saddle.
Class 3 as we make our way higher, toward a saddle.
Almost at the saddle.
Almost at the saddle.
View back the way we came, just below a saddle.
View back the way we came, just below a saddle.
At the saddle, view toward Aqua Benchmark up there somewhere. The route required dropping down a bit from the saddle.
At the saddle, view toward Aqua Benchmark up there somewhere. The route required dropping down a bit from the saddle.
Reasonable terrain as we headed up toward Aqua Benchmark.
Reasonable terrain as we headed up toward Aqua Benchmark.
Bit still lots of boulder-hopping.
Bit still lots of boulder-hopping.
View back as we make our way up to Aqua Benchmark.
View back as we make our way up to Aqua Benchmark.
Image 12 from gallery
Wide shot of the area just below Aqua Benchmark. It's a bit difficult to find the "best" route. Whiley and I went slightly different ways, but we both reached the west slope of Aqua in roughly the same spot.
Wide shot of the area just below Aqua Benchmark. It's a bit difficult to find the "best" route. Whiley and I went slightly different ways, but we both reached the west slope of Aqua in roughly the same spot.
After we crested the west side of Aqua Benchmark, this lovely view of Spectre Peak greeted us.
After we crested the west side of Aqua Benchmark, this lovely view of Spectre Peak greeted us.
Aqua Benchmark ahead, some Class 3 up the west ridge.
Aqua Benchmark ahead, some Class 3 up the west ridge.
Aqua Benchmark summit, view back into the jumble of granite we came out of.
Aqua Benchmark summit, view back into the jumble of granite we came out of.
Aqua Benchmark, view toward Dyadic Point.
Aqua Benchmark, view toward Dyadic Point.
Close-up toward Dyadic Point.
Close-up toward Dyadic Point.
Class 2 down Aqua Benchmark's south slope, headed to Spectre Peak ahead.
Class 2 down Aqua Benchmark's south slope, headed to Spectre Peak ahead.
A drainage leading to the left side (northeast) of Spectre Peak
A drainage leading to the left side (northeast) of Spectre Peak
At this second dead tree, we headed up.
At this second dead tree, we headed up.
Class 2+ up a minor gully.
Class 2+ up a minor gully.
View back down as we make our way up Spectre Peak.
View back down as we make our way up Spectre Peak.
Class 2/3 scrambling to the summit. Dyadic Point visible top right, and the drainage/wash most use as the standard route (which will be our descent route) visible left of center.
Class 2/3 scrambling to the summit. Dyadic Point visible top right, and the drainage/wash most use as the standard route (which will be our descent route) visible left of center.
Spectre Peak summit, view south-ish.
Spectre Peak summit, view south-ish.
View back up toward Spectre Peak as we head down the main wash most use as a standard route.
View back up toward Spectre Peak as we head down the main wash most use as a standard route.
Class 2/2+ down this wash.
Class 2/2+ down this wash.
View back up, lots of boulders.
View back up, lots of boulders.
It was certainly slower-moving than we thought it would be.
It was certainly slower-moving than we thought it would be.
Image 30 from gallery
Image 31 from gallery
Some fun talus caves, but overall just lots of boulder-hopping.
Some fun talus caves, but overall just lots of boulder-hopping.
One of a few dryfalls to scramble.
One of a few dryfalls to scramble.
View back up the descent from Spectre Peak, just before making a hairpin turn and heading northwest.
View back up the descent from Spectre Peak, just before making a hairpin turn and heading northwest.
Heading northwest up to a low, sandy saddle.
Heading northwest up to a low, sandy saddle.
At the low, sandy saddle, view back the way we came. The drainage/wash we came down from Spectre Peak is somewhat visible on the right.
At the low, sandy saddle, view back the way we came. The drainage/wash we came down from Spectre Peak is somewhat visible on the right.
Descending into the major wash draining from the Coxcombs, completing the loop.
Descending into the major wash draining from the Coxcombs, completing the loop.

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