Hike Range Benchmark and Calumet Mountains Mojave Trails National Monument, CA

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Range Benchmark is the highest point in the Calumet Mountains, a small range within the Sheephole Valley Wilderness of the greater Mojave Trails National Monument. It lies adjacent to the better-known Sheep Hole Mountains. Since the range requires a bit of a walk from the highway, we decided to traverse the whole thing rather than just tag the high point.

We decided to traverse from west to east, starting with Range Benchmark. In hindsight, going the opposite direction would likely be preferable since most of the significant scrambling we encountered was during descents along the crest. I found the approach neat because the entire desert floor tilts northeast, guiding the dry washes toward the base of the peaks. The way the peaks rise abruptly from this sloping expanse creates a striking and almost disorienting perspective. The hike began with a long walk, starting on an old dirt road. After a mile or so, it disappeared, so we continued skirting around the tilted landscape, avoiding lumpier-looking terrain.

At the base of Range Benchmark, we ascended a major gully on its southeast side, a Class 2 route that was surprisingly fun despite the somewhat crumbly granite. Sticking to the drainage itself yielded the best result. Once on the crest, we ascended steeply to the summit, where a short Class 3 move led to Range Benchmark.

Earlier, from the road, this string of barren granite peaks had seemed unremarkable. But now that we were up here, we were pleasantly surprised. Peak 3353 lay just east of us, so we followed the crest toward what appeared to be its twin summits, learning that the southern one was clearly taller. Along the way, we found some uniquely textured rock, and the expansive, blinding desert views were far better than expected. The ridge crest generally featured tall pillars that required us to traverse below, but we could often stay on the ridge proper. Despite some crumbly sections along this portion of the traverse, the scrambling never exceeded Class 2+.

As we neared the last bit of descent from Range Benchmark, we dropped off the ridge crest, which quickly became surrounded by cliffs. Boulder-hopping led us into a small, beautiful bowl, where we followed a sandy wash with a couple of short dryfalls to reach the base of the peak. Ben chose to ascend directly up the Class 2/3 west face, while the rest of us headed for the northern saddle, where we found the crest to be great fun, with an option for an unexposed Class 4 move. We found no signs of a previous ascent, nor would we for the next two peaks.

The east ridge of Peak 3353 was undoubtedly the crux of the day. From above, it looked like there might not even be a viable route. I started down massive boulders just right of the crest, assuming my friends were following. Concerned about potential rockfall on the steep slope, I moved quickly. In the process, I lost sight of them entirely and decided to wait at the base. Along the way down, I encountered a few unexposed Class 4 moves, and the giant boulders made for a fun obstacle course. While an easier way down might exist with more scouting, I suspect all options are roughly the same. Once I cleared the largest boulders, I contoured back to the crest and looked up for my friends. They were nowhere in sight. Fortunately, I had service and learned via text that they had backtracked and dropped into the drainage to the north. I was surprised they chose to lose an additional 600+ feet of elevation and skip what would soon be a gorgeous ridge traverse. Rather than join them since I had already passed the crux, I continued alone, planning to meet them at the summit of Peak 3316.

The ridgeline that followed had many excellent features and never exceeded Class 3. The first obstacle was a lump just past the base of Peak 3353, where deep crevices in the granite required careful navigation along the somewhat narrow crest. A couple of times along the traverse, I bypassed high points by side-hilling around them. Occasionally, I reached a headwall, but a Class 2 ledge would wrap around it easily. The hardest sections and the largest boulder clusters could usually be avoided by dropping a few feet off the ridge, but I only did this a couple of times.

The final ascent to Peak 3316 was Class 2. I waited at the summit as my friends inched up the slopes. Seeing them against the vast granite backdrop provided a cool sense of scale. To the east lay two more minor summits, neither particularly interesting. Since the heat was intensifying, we decided to tag only Peak 2562, leaving its more remote neighbor orphaned. Our descent east from Peak 3316 was straightforward, nothing more than Class 2 with a single crumbly Class 3 move, until we reached the base of a side-lump on the crest. Here, we dropped south and wrapped around the base via a drainage before ascending to Peak 2562, where Class 2 terrain led us to the summit.

The final leg of our hike took us down steep Class 2 terrain from Peak 2562 into the major wash below. A series of arroyo crossings led us into another wash, which we ascended back toward the cars. The backdrop of the Northern Coxcomb Traverse we’d done a couple of days ago was gorgeous. Once again, the tilted desert floor gave us a dizzying sense of perspective.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Range Benchmark

3724 ft

1559 rise

Peak 3353

3353 ft

367 rise

Peak 3316

3316 ft

463 rise

Peak 2526

2526 ft

328 rise

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Starting from the highway, a view toward the Calumet Mountains.

Close-up of the first three peaks of our traverse. I'm not holding the camera crooked - they're actually angled at a tilt like that. It was cool.

The road faded away and we headed cross-country. The washes drain toward the peaks' base.

Approaching the base of Target Benchmark. We used the gully just right of center.

View back across the desert as we start up.

Class 2 up the gully.

View back down as we head up the gully.

Approaching the ridgeline.

Class 2+ at the summit of Range Benchmark, view down back along the ridgeline.

Range Benchmark, view north.

Range Benchmark, view east toward our traverse.

Close-up at the twin peaks of Peak 3353. Peak 3316 seen top center.

Along the traverse. Often pillars forced us to stick lower.

The granite was very cool along the traverse.

Weird formations on the narrow crest.

A steep Class 3 drop along the traverse.

View back up at the drop.

More navigating along the crest, often being pushed just right or left due to the pillars.

Peak 3353 center. We dropped to the right to avoid cliffs.

A gorgeous wash though a granitic bowl at the base of Peak 3353.

Ascending to the saddle seen top left.

Class 2 up to the saddle.

Pretty ridgdline.

Peak 3353 above. Class 3 along the ridgeline, with an optional Class 4 move at some points.

Peak 3353 summit, view toward Peak 3316.

It's a significant drop from Peak 3353.

Navigating Class 3/4 boulders.

View back up at my initial progress.

An arch along the way down.

Another shot back up at the Class 3/4.

I contoured to regain the crest proper. Maybe the crest would have worked as well?

Onward along the ridgeline, pictured is a narrow section with crevices to navigate above.

View back toward Peak 3353.

Wrapping around unnecessary humps and.

Another shot back toward Peak 3353.

Lots of fun obstacles along the granitic crest.

Looks harder than it is.

An example of a spot that looks tricky, but I was able to wrap around the boulders and stick just below the crest, Class 2.

A view back at my progress along the ridgeline.

Peak 3316 ahead.

Class 2 up to Peak 3316.

Peak 3316 summit, view back along the traverse toward Range Benchmark.

Peak 3316 summit, view east.

Spectre Peak and the northern Coxcomb Mountains.

Class 2 (with one crumbly Class 3 move) descent from Peak 3316.

View back up as we descend.

Taking a drainage down.

Approaching the base of Peak 2526.

Class 2 up to Peak 2526.

Descending south from Peak 2526 on steep terrain.

Coxcomb Mountains in the distance as we head back to the cars through washes.

View back toward the traverse of the Calumet Mountains we just completed.

Hire me or show me some love!

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!