Initially, I considered hiking Volcan Mountain to get it done for this year’s 6-pack of peaks challenge. But I realized I could hike it almost anytime, so instead I looked at some options out in Anza-Borrego. I still needed to be mindful of my neck issues, so I settled on trying a few easier ones on the Borrego Benchmark club list. First up was Wee Benchmark. Ted carefully drove up the dirt road to the Pena Springs Trailhead and parked at the turnaround. We grabbed our gear and set off.
Our route followed the California Riding and Hiking Trail for about a mile, making its way up. Soon, Wee Benchmark came into view, we continued on until we were directly south of it, then made the short cross-country climb to its summit.
There we found the benchmark and two registers. I signed us in, while Ted wandered around snapping a few photos. We gazed over toward Hellhole Flats and the various summits that stood out. Since we were hoping to climb a couple more peaks today we headed back down. Once back at the car, we tossed in our gear and headed to our next adventure, Rass Benchmark.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.