***NOTE: DUE TO THE FALL 2003 CEDAR FIRE, THIS SECTION OF THE PARK IS CLOSED TO ENTRY. EXPECTED REOPENING DATE IS MARCH 2004. CHECK BACK FOR MORE DETAILS.***
Like most San Diegans, when you think of hiking to the top of the hill at Mission Trails, you think of the walk up Cowles Mtn. But fire up your hiking boots for a trail less travelled, to the top of North Fortuna Mountain on the northern flank of Mission Trails Regional Park (http://www.sannet.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/mtrails.shtml).
If you'd like a semi-guided tour, print out this text, then plug the waypoints, listed at page bottom, into your gps, before you set off.
Total hike time is about 3 hours, 10 minutes, and covers about 5.3 miles. Hikers should be in good physical shape, as portions of the hike are challenging, with steep uphills and downhills. The hike begins at approximately 610 ft., tops out at about 1290 ft., and runs along established trails. The landscape is treeless and during the summer, sun-blasted; you'll have the best experience with a 7am start time. The location is isolated; you may want to travel with a friend.
Hiking boots, a good hat, and a walking stick are highly recommended; a liter bottle of water is mandatory.
Park your vehicle near Waypoint 1, at the end of Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Walk across the steel bridge and uphill to the left, trending toward Waypoint 2. You'll likely notice tall, mysterious pairs of pipes standing tall across the landscape. These are ventilation standpipes for the second San Diego aqueduct, which runs through this part of the park. Mitigation efforts have proven successful, now nearly eliminating the scar of the pipe trench. At Waypoint 2, notice the fencing. It's designed to keep you out of several vernal pools, which teem with life long after the winter rains have ended. Do an about-face to the east, and on a clear day, you'll see Cuyamaca Peak, at 6512 feet, looming majestically in the distance.
At Waypoint 3, take the right fork, to "Suycott Wash." A small distance from the fork, you'll get your first good look at Suycott Wash, a bowl-shaped canyon, hidden from view unless you're right at the rim or down in it. This place is alive with all kinds of plants and animals. I once saw a pair of coyotes here; mule deer are said to inhabit this area.
Continue downhill to a confluence of trails, and stay with the West Fortuna trail, trending toward Waypoint 4. Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes and mountain bikers (same genus, different species) :)
You'll begin to gain elevation as you climb out of Suycott Wash. Jet aircraft from MCAS Miramar may occasionally rumble in the distance. At Waypoint 4, you've reached the northern-most point of travel. Highway 52 screams below, just out of sight. Now, as you climb and pass the 1000 ft. mark, the trail grows steep. I've made the Fortuna Mtn. ascent from both the north and south side, and I think the north approach is easier.
A clear day's view to the east reveals a panorama of foothills. As you approach Waypoint 5, take the trail to the right, appropriately labeled "trail." The path grows skinny and winding as you approach the summit. You're now approaching the cache coordinates.
Original Cache Contents:
Logbook + pen
Birthday Button
Velcro strap
Shoelaces
Dental Floss
Post-It Notes
Small Swiss Army Knife
Spirit level
Allen wrench
Half a pair of dice
Wild bird call
Make your cache search and continue to the top. Although possibly anticlimactic after your mountain-goat efforts to find the cache, the Fortuna Mtn. summit, at Waypoint 6, provides a spectacular view of Cowles Mtn., the east county foothills, Cuyamaca Peak, Suycott Wash, Point Loma and Mt. Soledad. Due to the low volume of foot traffic in this part of the park, it's likely you'll have the whole place to yourself.
Continuing along to the south from the summit, the descent can be steep -- watch your footing. At Waypoint 7, hang a right and continue downhill into Suycott Wash. Steer back uphill toward Waypoint 8 on the other side of the wash, then on to Waypoint 9, where you'll hang a right, down into the canyon, along the trail, and back to your starting point.
Waypoints:
Waypoint 1 -- N32 49.516 W117 04.637 begin
Waypoint 2 -- N32 50.155 W117 04.275 vernal
Waypoint 3 -- N32 50.456 W117 04.219 Suycott
Waypoint 4 -- N32 51.155 W117 04.002 northern
Waypoint 5 -- N32 51.091 W117 03.911 trail
Waypoint 6 -- N32 50.820 W117 03.652 summit
Waypoint 7 -- N32 50.554 W117 03.446 right
Waypoint 8 -- N32 49.835 W117 04.203 topside
Waypoint 9 -- N32 49.567 W117 04.233 canyon
This is the second geocache placed in MTRP, and the first on North Fortuna Mtn.