Ted and I pulled off Sunrise Highway next to the trailhead. It was just before 7am, and there were only two other cars lining the road. We grabbed our gear and set off down the Sunset Trail. The destination today was Manza Benchmark. Derek mentioned that he had done some trail work recently, and it had been almost 7 years since I last hiked it. I knew that the trail had probably become overgrown during that time. We cruised along the trail, catching the sun poking out through the trees. Soon thereafter, we caught sight of Manza Benchmark off to our west, and the descent and ascent that it required.
We reached the spot to leave the trail and begin our cross-country portion of the hike. A very faint use trail led across the forest floor until it reached the drainage that we would follow. A mix of cairns, clipped brush, and bits of a use trail would guide our journey. Checking my saved route and verifying that we were right on track, we began the steep climb up to the ridgeline. We got quite the workout for those 200 feet or so of elevation. That familiar X of downed trees was still in good shape, so I knew we were now ready to turn north and push on to the summit.
Again, cairns and clippings help navigate us toward our goal. I also remembered various sections from time to time. Atop a false summit, I pointed at the true summit and we pressed on. Soon we made a short scramble up some boulders and reached the summit. I signed the register and, after some photos, enjoyed a snack along with some nice views.
Our return went very smoothly, with just a few double-checks along the way. Once back at the car, the roadsides were no longer empty. Quite a few folks were out enjoying the various trails that start off from this trailhead. Ted now has 14 peaks left to finish Derek’s list and 15 peaks to finish the San Diego Sierra Club list. Our adventure today was 4.0 miles in 2:42, with 764 feet of gain.
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.