The Wickiup and Indian Benchmark in San Rafael Swell BLM, UT

Hike The Wickiup and Indian Benchmark San Rafael Swell BLM, UT

Class 3 3.6 miles 1000 gain 1-2 hr Out + Back Jun 19, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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After an excellent morning of fun San Rafael Peaks with friends, I set out on my own for one more small summer desert hike, clearly another attempt to overheat my body yet again. The Wikiup and Indian Benchmark are a couple of summits just off Interstate 70 that seemed colorful and interesting enough to check out. Head north here (38.88293, -110.65831) on a road suitable to vehicles with at least some clearance. There are a few rocky sections, but the road is overall very good. I parked where I did because it served as a nice access point for reaching both peaks without having to move my car.

First up was The Wikiup, a colorfully photogenic and conical peak with an eroded south face. It seemed the most pleasant option to reach the summit would be to head toward it from a low, wide hump on its southeast side. After some light navigating through the lumpy desert, I ascended a slope and gained the hump. This ended up being the right choice, since the view toward The Wikiup from here was pretty cool, and I was able to just wander along and take in the scenery rather than potentially struggle up the less-good terrain if approaching more directly from the peak's south.

After a few super minor lumps I was at the base of The Wikiup, which appeared far more eroded and steep from here. The ground is soft and a social trail is forming enough that it might be visible from farther away, so do your best not to kick too much dirt off to prevent erosion. I found myself crawling up the narrowing slope at one point, and one of the rock layers forced a Class 2+ move on sandy rock. A weakness to overcome a small lip pushed into the Class 3 realm. Above the lip, the summit perch was visible ahead, one more Class 2+ move required to overcome a loose obstacle.

I backtracked to my car and then headed south through a wash toward Indian Benchmark toward a toe on the northern side of the peak. I encountered a little bit of Class 2 higher up along this slope. I continued south along the flat mesatop, the high point seen ahead. There was a ton of cryptobiotic soil along this portion, most of which I could avoid by keeping close to the east rim, where I picked up a minor wash that took me to the base of a final Class 2 slope. I ascended this final hundred feet and continued on flat ground to the high point.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
The Wickiup
6982 ft
342 rise
2
Indian Benchmark
7143 ft
383 rise

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Starting toward The Wickiup, seen center poking out.
Starting toward The Wickiup, seen center poking out.
I gained the low, wide hump on its southeast side.
I gained the low, wide hump on its southeast side.
Along the hump to the base of The Wikiup.
Along the hump to the base of The Wikiup.
Cool eroded features on its south face.
Cool eroded features on its south face.
Image 4 from gallery
View back along the wide hump. Indian Benchmark seen top right.
View back along the wide hump. Indian Benchmark seen top right.
Ascending Class 2 initially on loose sand/rock.
Ascending Class 2 initially on loose sand/rock.
View back at the steep ascent.
View back at the steep ascent.
Class 2+ move on loose rock.
Class 2+ move on loose rock.
Class 3 rim move.
Class 3 rim move.
Past the rim move, the final Class 2/3 move to gain the summit perch.
Past the rim move, the final Class 2/3 move to gain the summit perch.
The Wickiup summit, view toward Indian Benchmark.
The Wickiup summit, view toward Indian Benchmark.
Back at my car, I headed south through a wash toward Indian Benchmark. I took the slope seen on the left.
Back at my car, I headed south through a wash toward Indian Benchmark. I took the slope seen on the left.
Ascending the slope.
Ascending the slope.
At the top of the slope, the terrain is flat and full of crypto. I avoided it b keeping left along the rim.
At the top of the slope, the terrain is flat and full of crypto. I avoided it b keeping left along the rim.
View toward Indian Benchmark's summit ahead, a cool cliff face visible on the east rim.
View toward Indian Benchmark's summit ahead, a cool cliff face visible on the east rim.
I took a little wash toward the final hundred feet of ascent to another flat section above.
I took a little wash toward the final hundred feet of ascent to another flat section above.
Class 2.
Class 2.
View back at the ascent. The Wikiup seen top right.
View back at the ascent. The Wikiup seen top right.
Indian Benchmark summit, view toward I-70.
Indian Benchmark summit, view toward I-70.

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!