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May 31, 2022 — Mansard Benchmark is a cool-looking little mesa just outside of Kanab, Utah. Its neighbor to the east resembles the domes of Zion, and would serve as a nice addition with some light scrambling. These peaks were on my radar because a really nice trail known as the Mansard Trail leads nearly to their summits, making for a straightforward approach. Although my main goal was to visit the peaks, the Mansard Trail's primary destination is a slab with many petroglyphs, a worthwhile add-on. To reach the trailhead, navigate here (37.03125, -112.42115) and follow the good dirt road to the end.
The Mansard Trail switchbacks excessively up a slope, and it seems to be a pretty popular hiking spot. One Class 2+ move along the trail is the only notable obstacle, and I quickly found myself on a pretty ridgeline above. Both of my peaks of interest were just to the north, and the Mansard Trail continued pleasantly toward them. Just before reaching the southern base of East Mansard Peak, the trail curved left and headed west toward Mansard Benchmark. I'd come back for this east peak later.
Some easy walking got me to a junction with a very sandy ATV road at the base of Mansard Benchmark, and at the end of this road was a sign outlining the rules for visiting the petroglyphs. A short hike along the base of the southern cliff of Mansard Benchmark got me to a pretty alcove where I located the petroglyphs on a slab on the ground.
I backtracked along the sandy road and followed it north as it wrapped around to the north side of Mansard Benchmark. The road continued away from the peak, so I left it and headed up toward the cliff band surrounding Mansard Benchmark. I kept my eyes peeled for a weakness, finding a Class 3 move that worked nicely. Some steep hill climbing past this (Class 2) and I was on the mesa top. Some light bush-dodging got me to the high point.
I backtracked along the Mansard Trail to the base of East Mansard Peak, where I picked up a fairly good social trail that wrapped to the south side of the peak. A slickrock bowl offered some nice Class 2 scrambling and a Class 2+ move toward the summit.
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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
