Originally, I had planned to hike up to Rosa Point and Mile High on Sunday, but one set of friends had to back out, and another let me know that his legs were a bit worn from climbing Sawtooth (the one on the SD Peak Club list). So I suggested that Robert and I explore and see if we might be able to climb Knob Benchmark from Sheep Canyon. At worst, it would be another great hike out to Sheep Canyon, and we’d probably have some wildflowers to enjoy as well. We met around 7 at the parking lot next to Jilbertos and transferred into the Outback. Robert and I drove out to the gate at the third crossing. We parked, gathered our gear, and set off. There were quite a few more flowers than last time as we hiked along the stream.
After the climb over Boulder Alley, we met a group of Boy Scouts returning from their overnight. Earlier, we had met a couple of bike-packers. As we got closer to Sheep Canyon, we could see where the recent rains had traveled across the desert sands. We walked over to the campground where another group of backpackers was milling around a picnic table. I assumed they might be WBC course participants, since a lecture was being held. Even with the closure, this is still a busy place. We found another table and had a quick snack break. Now onto the real adventure—could we find a route through Sheep Canyon, then onto Knob Benchmark? The route I had taken before is no longer available, so I was exploring alternatives.
As we headed into the canyon, the sounds of flowing water began to fill the air. A really good flow poured through the brush. That is a good sign for us if we can get in a backpacking trip to attempt SquareTop, as we will need to haul out very little with us. Maybe we could bring some firewood instead? We began slowly, picking our way through the brush and rocks, crossing the creek a few times. After almost an hour of pushing through the increasingly dense growth and only covering about 1/2 mile, we called it. We felt the canyon was going to get thicker and harder. Knob Benchmark is going to require a different route. We got back to the campground and had another snack before heading out. The day had warmed some, an indication of the warmer forecast for the coming week. We cruised back, stopping at the marker again. As we neared the gate, there were a lot more folks out enjoying the flowers. We drove back into town, grabbed a couple of sodas, and enjoyed our lunch at a picnic table under the shade of a cottonwood. While we never got close to the peak, it was still a fantastic day in the desert with some good company.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, available now!
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 both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer).
I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.