Peak 84 - Sentenac Mountain - Desert Shortcuts Rarely Pay Off

Sentenac Mountain
Elevation: 3,068’
Mileage: ~2.2
Trailhead: The end of Plum Canyon Wash
Agency: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Date Hiked: 12/04/2020
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12/04/2020
After my trip up to Borrego Mountain West Butte and East Butte, I looked at my watch and figured I had enough time to get one more peak in. I hopped back in my car and drove the dirt road back out to the 78 and headed to Plum Canyon Wash.

It was a pretty good dirt road leading to the Plum Canyon Trailhead. No one else was parked there as I loaded my pack and grabbed my trekking poles and headed up the sandy bottom of the canyon.

The beginning of the wash to Sentenac Mountain

The first part of the hike was a nice warm-up, as the canyon was relatively flat and obstacle-free as it turned gently back and forth. I encountered some boulders blocking the way, but found a use trail climbing up to the right and over the blockage.

The afternoon was nice, with the occasional bird singing and the breeze coming from up the canyon to the south. The only other sounds were the crunching of my shoes in the soft canyon bottom.

Just when I was approaching the side wash that I was to climb, I saw a white post in the canyon bottom opposite the wash. I am not sure why it was there, but it’s a good marker for future hikers headed up to Sentenac Mountain.

A white post exists where the side wash appears on the right

I headed right up the wash, where the trail narrowed. There were some rocks to step on and acacia to avoid, but it was fun to scramble up this remote wash.

A fun scramble up the wash to Sentenac Mountain

I had done some research on the hike and where the wash begins to turn west, some people went straight up the side of the mountain, and some people followed the wash to its end, where it levels out.

Once again, I opted for the shortcut. I headed straight up the mountain, zig-zagging to avoid the defensive plants that live there.

Cholla, agave, and Cat's Claw Acacia all tried to hang on to me as I made my way up the steep hill. I headed for a gap in the rocks above me and made it to the top of the mountain.

Granite and Grapevine Mountains from Sentenac Mountain

I sat on a boulder and relaxed. The day was getting late, but it wasn’t that far back to the car. I had a panoramic view of this part of the desert, with prominent Granite Mountain in the near distance and Grapevine Mountain next door.

Looking south all the way to Whale Peak from Sentenac Mountain

The breeze and the sun combined to make a heavenly environment as I thought about this quest to do 100 peaks and all the challengers attempting (and several succeeding) to summit all of them in a year. Hike your own hike, but I personally would rather take my sweet time to complete all of these.

I certainly never intended to complete them in a year. It takes a certain amount of availability to be able to do that. Every hike takes time away from loved ones, unless they’re coming along with you. Every 2-hour drive out to the desert, which is how long it takes me, is a 4-hour round trip drive of not being with my family.

Rushing it in a year is a worthy goal, and something I only posted as a challenge at the behest of some of my followers. Since I moved away from San Diego and then started a restaurant, it’s been on my mind, but definitely sank a few rungs on my hierarchy ladder.

The end of my list is near. I saved many of the distant and challenging ones for the last. The more I am getting out to Anza-Borrego, the more I am falling in love with it. The more I look at the map, the more I want to explore areas that are not necessarily the high points.

After getting my fill of the views and the breeze, I headed back down, swinging more to the west, where the way was easier. I startled a covey of quail, who instantly disappeared into a large bush, all 30 of them. I then made the choice to head straight down to the wash I ascended. I looked to the west and regretted my decision.

Again, shortcuts in the desert rarely pay off. I slowly zig-zagged down the crumbly hillside, avoiding the grabbing plants as much as possible. It took a decent amount of time. Next time, I would swing wider to the west, for sure.

I made my way back to the car, not having run into anyone on the actual trails on the three peaks of the day.