Coyote Benchmark

January 7th, 2023 at 11:07 AMSanta Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, CA

Info

Distance

5.4 mi

Elevation gain

2,500 ft

Route type

Loop

Duration

4 hr

Crux

Class 3

Quality

5/10

Ecoregion

Peaks bagged

1

Coyote Benchmark2,613 ft / Rise 1,133 ft

Trip report

Bear Creek Trail — Starting along the paved Bear Creek Trail.

Storm drain — After a short distance, we crossed a storm drain.

Approach — We picked up a use trail leading into the drainage between Coyote Benchmark and Indio Mountain.

Approach — View back toward La Quinta. Tanner brimming with stoke.

Approach — Approaching the base of Coyote Benchmark.

Start of ascent — Departing the use trail for spur ridge ahead.

Ascent

Ascent — Class 2.

Ascent

Ascent — The ridge steepens.

Ascent

Ascent — Making progress. Peak 1601, a P1K, is visible on the opposite side of the suburb of La Quinta.

Ascent — Some rugged terrain ahead.

Ascent — It was easiest to stay directly on the ridgeline.

Ascent

Crux — Approaching the crux of the climb: a class 3 crack up the large, protruding boulder on the right.

Photo op — But first, a quick photo op.

Downclimb — Tanner completing a short downclimb on the way to the crux.

Crux close-up — Close-up of the crux. The route zags left toward the center of the photo, then right up the slab.

Crux climb — Tanner making his way up the crux. Airy, but a crack makes for some solid handholds.

Ascent — Past the crux, a respite from the scrambling.

Ascent

Ascent — Coyote Benchmark still looms.

Ascent

Ascent — The start of a short section of downclimbing.

Obstacle — Looking back at a sheer, 20-foot cliff that we bypassed to the climber's left. Our route enters from the right of the base of the cliff in this photo.

Ascent — The terrain eases a bit. The cliff can be seen in the distance.

Ascent — The summit is looking a lot closer now.

Indio Mountain — Looking north toward Indio Mountain. This would be our descent route.

Sidehilling — Staying below the ridge as we approach the summit.

Summit ahead — Nearing the summit.

Looking back — A look back at the final ridge section.

Summit — From the summit, view northwest toward Palm Springs.

Summit — View south. Martinez Mountain and Toro Peak visible on the horizon.

Descent — Starting our descent.

Descent — View of north ridge toward the saddle.

Descent — Steep inital descent.

Descent — To avoid more difficult terrain, we stayed below the crest of the ridge to the left (west).

Descent — Looking back at Coyote Benchmark.

Descent — Clear view of Indio Mountain ahead.

Saddle — Arriving at the saddle.

Saddle — View northwest toward the snow-capped San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Mountains.

Descent — A social trail appears.

Descent — Descending the canyon on the way back to town.

Descent — View back toward the saddle.

Descent — Home free.

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