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Oct 07, 2020 — Cherry Creek Benchmark is an obsure and fairly big mountain in central Nevada, located off NV-93. My mid-clearance had no difficulty making it to my start point, and I suspect even less burly vehicles than mine could have made it with maybe some decent tires. The road continues a little farther, but a massive boulder blocks vehicle travel, and the road peters out shortly after anyway. I started hiking along the road to a point where I couldn't easily stay on the road due to lots of overgrowth, dropping to my right into the mouth of Exchequer Canyon where hiking was far less tedious. I continued up Exchequer Canyon, dodging the occasional tree and brush, but by no means did this feel like a bushwhack.
I came across a set of mining ruins just outside of the drainage, followed by another a few hundred feet up. The second set was nestled next to a limestone cliff that marked the entrance to a nice narrow section of canyon. I continued through the canyon, some minor Class 2 along the way. The canyon ws short-lived, but a nice shift from the gully that otherwise comprises the majority of this hike. I passed a junction in the drainage, keeping right. I eventually passed Exchequer Spring, which is just a trickle of water with some mosses and grasses. The drainage started becoming more steep past the spring and initially it was just a nice forest walk. Later, the drainage became littered with deadfall, easily avoidable by keeping just out of the drainage. The ascent got even steeper as I neared the head of Exchequer Canyon, but it's not an unpleasant experience.
Once out of the drainage and on the ridge I headed to the right and soon reached the summit, which has nice views of the surrounding obscure NV peaks and an old survey marker that's still standing.
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