Class 2 3.2 miles 1900 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Apr 12, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

West Maria Benchmark GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Turn off Midland Road at 33.87814, -114.79524 and follow this surprisingly good dirt road to the a point along the road you feel comfortable you can turn around on. It may be hard to find a spot to turn around if you have a bigger vehicle. Once I parked at a somewhat arbitrary point along the road, I started through the desert, heading toward the major canyon west of West Maria Benchmark. I did my best to stay out of the main drainage since it was brushy and rocky, instead keeping to the right side until I ultimately had to enter the mouth of the canyon.

The canyon was quite pretty, and there were fun Class 2+ obstacles within, minor dryfalls and boulder-hopping keeping things fun. At a certain point near the end of the canyon when the drainage seemed to be getting brushier and less interesting, I kept right, choosing to head up a slope rather than continue within the drainage. Alternatively, you could just follow the drainage to its head and ascend to the ridge from there. The slope I chose was steep and brought me up to the west ridge, which I followed to the summit. There were some more minor Class 2 sections along the summit ridge, including a wannabe knife-edge.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
West Maria Benchmark
2887 ft
1567 rise

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!

View from my parking spot toward West Maria Benchmark. The canyon I headed to is visible on the left.
View from my parking spot toward West Maria Benchmark. The canyon I headed to is visible on the left.
Approaching the canyon, I kept just right of the drainage to avoid brush/rock.
Approaching the canyon, I kept just right of the drainage to avoid brush/rock.
I started into the canyon.
I started into the canyon.
Class 2/3 obstacles through the canyon.
Class 2/3 obstacles through the canyon.
A fun and lightly cryptic set of Class 2/3 moves.
A fun and lightly cryptic set of Class 2/3 moves.
Farther up the canyon.
Farther up the canyon.
Looking back through the canyon.
Looking back through the canyon.
At this spot that seemed to be a junction of sorts, I kept left and headed up more fun scrambling on the lighter-colored rock.
At this spot that seemed to be a junction of sorts, I kept left and headed up more fun scrambling on the lighter-colored rock.
Looking back down the canyon from the top of the lighter-colored rock scramble.
Looking back down the canyon from the top of the lighter-colored rock scramble.
I left the canyon before its head (visible top left) to avoid brush, instead ascending on the right on Class 2 terrain.
I left the canyon before its head (visible top left) to avoid brush, instead ascending on the right on Class 2 terrain.
Along the summit ridge to West Maria Benchmark.
Along the summit ridge to West Maria Benchmark.
West Maria Benchmark ahead.
West Maria Benchmark ahead.
West Maria Benchmark, view south.
West Maria Benchmark, view south.
West Maria Benchmark, view west back along the ridge.
West Maria Benchmark, view west back along the ridge.

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!