Sala Benchmark, Arizona, December 2024 – GlassMountains Trip Reports

On Christmas Eve I hiked to the summit of Sala Benchmark, a peak in the Southern Dragoon Mountains of Arizona. Sala Benchmark has 1264 feet of topographic prominence and rises to the east above Cochise Stronghold.

Cochise Stronghold, China Peak, and Sala Benchmark from Middlemarch Road

Several of people had visited it before me and had published helpful trip reports. This was to be a short hike, mostly on an unmaintained trail. I expected few surprises.

Sala Benchmark is the high point on the left in this view from Middlemarch Road

Cochise Stronghold from Middlemarch Road. Sheepshead is just right of center.

Sala Benchmark left of center. My route will follow the high ridge right to left.

I took a relaxed approach to the hike, stopping on the drive in for several photographs of the southern Dragoons. The roads were in good shape and I found a good parking spot at Middlemarch Pass.

From Middlemarch Pass I climbed a steep slope to my left to gain the Southeast ridge above

Climbing low on the Southeast Ridge, I found the unmaintained trail to my left

I started west up a steep open slope to reach the southeast ridge above me. After climbing northwest on this ridge through grass and over loose rocks I soon found the unmaintained trail. It was much easier following this trail higher.

My first view of Sala Benchmark from the Southeast Ridge

Mountain Yucca (Yucca madrensis) beside the trail

At a subsidiary point I finally saw the Sala Benchmark highpoint ahead. Here I also found an attractive yucca plant and paused for several minutes to photograph it from several angles, hoping to identify it later.

The Sala Benchmark summit, the ridge highpoint near SALA BENCHMARK

From there I continued higher on the trail through a short forested area and then on to the summit.

Black Diamond Peak on the left and Peak 7155 just in view in the center to the south

The summit was marked by a pile of rocks a few feet from the SALA BENCHMARK. I found two summit registries in glass jars. The paper in the older jar was brittle and fused together. I did not attempt to pull the pages apart. The newer registry was in very good shape and I enjoyed reading the entries in it before adding my own.

The City of Tombstone and the Huachuca Mountains lie to the Southwest

The Chiricahua Mountains and the Sulphur Springs Valley lie to the east

I had an early lunch, then took photos of the many familiar mountain ranges around me. I identified several peaks in the Dragoons I had not yet visited. The weather was ideal.

The Northern Dragoon Mountains from Sala Benchmark

The Rincon Mountains and China Peak on the right to the northwest

The Mustang and Whetstone Mountains to the WSW

I followed the summit ridge through forest to the north to be sure I had tagged all candidate high points. The views to the north were better from there.

I returned to the summit, then packed up and descended the trail back down the ridge. Once above Middlemarch Pass I left the trail on the ridge and descended the steep slope to my Jeep.

On the drive out I paused to identify the starting point for a nearby peak I plan to visit this winter. I also detoured through Sonoita on my way home to find the trailhead of another peak to visit in the Whetstone Mountains. It had been a relaxed, solitary, and rewarding day of hiking in the Dragoons.

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