Distance: 11 miles round trip cross country
Summit Elevation: 2816' (Stage), 2620' (Moonlight)
Elevation Gain: 2777'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 2.22
Round trip time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 100 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at S2 turnout
Difficulty: Strenuous (combined)
I parked at a turnout off S2 (Great Southern Overland Stage Route) a couple miles south of Agua Caliente State Park. It was already light at 6:20 AM and I aimed to bag Stage Benchmark (SDC #77). If I had time and the will, I also planned to get Moonlight Peak (unofficial). I began in a wide, sandy wash that gained 700' over 3 miles before depositing me in the Inner Pasture. From this side of Stage, I could make the best approach up a steep gully. The cactus and boulders were not as harsh as Sunset Peak, but there was plenty of agave and cholla. Near the top of the first gully, my left foot came down hard near agave and a sharp point drove deep on the inside of my ankle. Blood seeped through my sock. I've been tagged by agave and yucca many times, so I resolved to dab it with antibacterial ointment at my next break. Ten minutes later, my ankle was throbbing unlike any agave wound I'd endured in the past. I stopped to take my shoe off and examine it closer. Because the level of pain was unexpected, I looked for a second puncture mark thinking maybe I got hit by a unseen snake. I didn't want to fail on Stage from a snake bite, but was ready to activate my PLB if needed. I only found one puncture mark, but decided to watch the swelling. I was only half a mile from the summit, so I continued up, scrambling and dodging cactus. Aspirin and adrenaline got me to the summit. I found the benchmark and two reference marks. The register was a small booklet placed by Wes Shelberg in 1984. It was weathered but only about half full. Good views all around, especially of the Inner Pasture and Sawtooth Mountains. I checked my ankle. It was red and still sore, but the swelling was minimal. I headed down and made the game time decision to attempt Moonlight Peak, adding roughly 3 miles to my round trip.
Stage at the start
Heading for the major gully
Scrambling near the top
Broken barrel
Summit with Red Top in the background
Sombrero
Inner Pasture
Register from 1984
When I planned the route to Moonlight, I initially drew a line straight up a ridge from the wash but after analyzing the details, created a safer route from the Inner Pasture. I walked about a half mile west before going up a ridge, then down to a saddle connecting to the major spine. After the saddle, I followed a faint sheep trail littered with scat. I stopped intermittently to scan for bighorns but didn't see any. To get to Moonlight, I had to go over a class 2 bump, a little more scrambling for the day. Temps heated up to near 90F. The summit had a register, placed in December 2016, made of cut pieces of a chemistry test from 1979. Four people from the "Friday Fanatics" signed it when they placed the register and Don Raether signed it in 2017. I was the sixth person to sign it, making me feel like part of an exclusive club. Most of the big time San Diego hikers hadn't made it here yet. There was no benchmark on this unofficial peak. The views of the Sawtooth Mountains were even better here than from Stage. I was glad I made the side trip. On the way down, I dropped down a gully at the last saddle. The sandy hike out was pleasant and uneventful. As I packed up to head home, my ankle started throbbing again. Adrenaline had worn off and it looked worse than it had 4 hours earlier. At home, it continued to get worse. I treated it with benadryl and ice, and it started to fade the next morning.
The class 2 bump and Moonlight
Stage BM from the Moonlight summit
Sawtooth Mountains from Moonlight
Moonlight from the wash on the way out
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