Broken Arrow, Hidden Benchmark, Question Mark Peak in Arrow Canyon Wilderness Area BLM, NV

Hike Broken Arrow, Hidden Benchmark, Question Mark Peak Arrow Canyon Wilderness Area BLM, NV

Class 3 11.9 miles 4700 gain 7-10 hrs Out + Back Jan 11, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Broken Arrow, Hidden Benchmark, Question Mark Peak GPX Track

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After the first time I checked out the Arrow Canyon Range High Point, I kept getting a strange draw to come back to the area. After more research, Broken Arrow appeared to be the highlight, so Adam and I set out with high hopes. It didn't disappoint! Our route heads up to Hidden Benchmark, over to Broken Arrow, back to Hidden Benchmark, and then over to Question Mark Peak. Just a note that I would actually recommend combining my Arrow Canyon Range High Point route and this route for a full ridge traverse. It would be a long day, but in hindsight I think would have been a good time.

From the side of NV 93, we headed east through the desert for a couple of miles, Broken Arrow's sheer and gorgeous banded cliffs visible above. Our first landmark was a major wash drainging northwest. We headed up this Class 2 boulder-hop. At the fork, we kept left and ascended to the ridge just north of Arrow Peak. We could see Hidden Benchmark to the north, our first goal, and Question Mark Peak to the east, our last goal. It seemed a little silly to get it since it was a bit out of the way and would require losing quite a bit of gain to get back, but we decided later it was worth it. We ascended the ridge to Hidden Benchmark, some Class 2 and Class 2+ cliff bands along the way, and then continued past the peak north to Broken Arrow. It looked completely impenetrable on the way over, but as we got closer, we noticed a weakness along the south side of the peak.

Just below the base of Broken Arrow, a small bright cliff band served as a fun Class 3 obstacle which we tackled from the west side, and then we were at the base of Broken Arrow. Surprisingly, the scramble up the black cliff band that looked so daunting earlier went at Class 3, with a single Class 3+ move toward the end. I really enjoyed this section of scrambling. It was just thoughtful enough and the rock was solid, so it ended up being a lot of fun. We continued on Class 2 to the summit, took in the views, and returned the way we came back to Hidden Benchmark.

We saw the inviting ridge leading south to Question Mark Peak and strolled over to it on easy terrain, except for the last few rocky hundred or so feet to the summit. Adam and I both thought Question Mark Peak should have a better name that stuck with the Arrow theme of the other peaks, so he suggested "Quiver Peak". Noting someone else had called it "Bueno Vista Peak" (note the poor Spanish misspelling) in the register, we thought giving it a third name would be irresponsible. From the summit, we noted the jagged ridge leading from Arrow Canyon Range High Point to Arrow Peak to the west, and the saddle to the right of the ridge where we came up earlier in the day that we'd have to return to in order to get back down. With a small sigh, we realized we'd have to drop down well below the saddle, and then regain about 600 feet because of how set off from the ridgeline Question Mark Peak is. We headed back down the north ridge from Question Mark Peak to a low point and dropped into a drainage leading west. We followed it for a while and then ascended a slope back to the saddle, where we dropped back down into our drainage we ascended that morning.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Hidden Benchmark
5086 ft
406 rise
2
Broken Arrow
5146 ft
830 rise
3
Question Mark Peak
5008 ft
588 rise

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Headed through the open desert to a major drainage below Hidden Benchmark.
Headed through the open desert to a major drainage below Hidden Benchmark.
Entering the drainage.
Entering the drainage.
Lots of Class 2 boulder-hopping.
Lots of Class 2 boulder-hopping.
View back down the drainage.
View back down the drainage.
We reached the saddle of Hidden Benchmark and Arrow Peak (top center), then headed north along the ridgeline to Hidden Benchmark.
We reached the saddle of Hidden Benchmark and Arrow Peak (top center), then headed north along the ridgeline to Hidden Benchmark.
Hidden Benchmark ahead.
Hidden Benchmark ahead.
View back toward the ridgeline.
View back toward the ridgeline.
Hidden Benchmark top right, Broken Arrow on the left. There were some Class 2/2+ cliff bands to negotiate or avoid on the way up.
Hidden Benchmark top right, Broken Arrow on the left. There were some Class 2/2+ cliff bands to negotiate or avoid on the way up.
View back again, Question Mark Peak on the left, Arrow Peak on the right.
View back again, Question Mark Peak on the left, Arrow Peak on the right.
Hidden Benchmark summit, view toward Broken Arrow (left).
Hidden Benchmark summit, view toward Broken Arrow (left).
Approaching the cliff band protecting Broken Arrow. Its cliff looks really hard from here.
Approaching the cliff band protecting Broken Arrow. Its cliff looks really hard from here.
Approaching Broken Arrow's southern ridge. Before reaching the featured Class 3 section, this lighter-colored cliff band added some scrambling. We headed left around its base.
Approaching Broken Arrow's southern ridge. Before reaching the featured Class 3 section, this lighter-colored cliff band added some scrambling. We headed left around its base.
Around the left side of the lighter-colored cliff band.
Around the left side of the lighter-colored cliff band.
Adam scoping the Class 3 section to get over the lighter-colored cliff band.
Adam scoping the Class 3 section to get over the lighter-colored cliff band.
Past the lighter-colored cliff band, the really fun Class 3 section up Broken Arrow.
Past the lighter-colored cliff band, the really fun Class 3 section up Broken Arrow.
View down from the Class 3 section. You can see the lighter-colored cliff band in the center that we also scrambled up just before.
View down from the Class 3 section. You can see the lighter-colored cliff band in the center that we also scrambled up just before.
Adam coming up the Class 3.
Adam coming up the Class 3.
Broken Arrow summit, just past the scramble. View north.
Broken Arrow summit, just past the scramble. View north.
Broken Arrow summit, view east.
Broken Arrow summit, view east.
Broken Arrow summit, view west.
Broken Arrow summit, view west.
Broken Arrow summit, view south toward Hidden Benchmark (left) and the high peaks of the Arrow Canyon Range (right).
Broken Arrow summit, view south toward Hidden Benchmark (left) and the high peaks of the Arrow Canyon Range (right).
We headed back over Hidden Benchmark and then down toward Question Mark Peak, center.
We headed back over Hidden Benchmark and then down toward Question Mark Peak, center.
Approaching Question Mark Peak. The terrain was pleasant
Approaching Question Mark Peak. The terrain was pleasant
A few hundred feet of rocky walking to the summit of Question Mark Peak.
A few hundred feet of rocky walking to the summit of Question Mark Peak.
Question Mark Peak summit, view back toward Hidden Benchmark (right). The saddle separating Arrow Peak from Hidden is visible far left. We would have to get back to that saddle in order to return to the cars.
Question Mark Peak summit, view back toward Hidden Benchmark (right). The saddle separating Arrow Peak from Hidden is visible far left. We would have to get back to that saddle in order to return to the cars.
Close-up toward the traverse from Arrow Canyon Range High Point to Arrow Peak.
Close-up toward the traverse from Arrow Canyon Range High Point to Arrow Peak.
We descended back north from Question Mark Peak and turned west at a saddle, descending into this drainage. You can see Arrow Peak on the top left, the saddle we are headed for top center.
We descended back north from Question Mark Peak and turned west at a saddle, descending into this drainage. You can see Arrow Peak on the top left, the saddle we are headed for top center.
View back toward Question Mark Peak (top right). The drainage we came down from left of center.
View back toward Question Mark Peak (top right). The drainage we came down from left of center.
Almost back to the cars, view back toward the Arrow Canyon Range, Broken Arrow on the left.
Almost back to the cars, view back toward the Arrow Canyon Range, Broken Arrow on the left.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!