Distance: 4.1 miles round trip on dirt road and cross country
Summit Elevation: 2920' (South), 2765' (North)
Elevation Gain: 875'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.7
Round trip time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Recommended water: 24 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Highway 78
Difficulty: Easy
The enigmatic Cigarette Hills lie north of Granite Mountain in the San Felipe Wilderness, just outside Anza-Borrego State Park. The hills straddle both sides of Highway 78. I parked on the shoulder at Mastros Trailer Park Road and started walking up the dirt road. Maps showed the road passing near the South high point. In less than a mile, I left the road to reach the low ridgeline, then followed it to the top. It was relatively open country but was guarded by clusters of cacti and agave. At the summit was a register in a glass jar with a handful of entries. I added my name, then placed it back inside the transparent walls. No signs of any marks. Without fanfare, I continued northeast down the other ridge. I had to crawl under a barbed wire fence on both sides of Highway 78 when I crossed to the north side.
Trees on the north side grew to 15' or more, but I made steady progress through the maze. Past the trees was a wide plain where jackrabbits played. They would pause briefly to look back at me before bolting out of sight, only to stop and look again. I never had enough time to take photos of them, but they were legion. I ascended directly to the North high point, everything class 1. At the summit was another glass jar register. A clay cylinder looked like it once held a benchmark, but no longer. I took a short break on North, then completed the ridge traverse going northwest. Once off the ridge, I wandered in the general direction of the truck, but emerged on Highway 78 some distance away. I walked along the highway to close the loop. The open country was very manageable with less brush than expected. I packed everything up, then drove to the Volcan Mountain trailhead.
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