3 DAYS, 5 PEAKS & 25 MILES

zmartian
Sep 12, 2016
4 min read

Summer is a great time to challenge yourself and get outside. As great as it felt to sleep in until noon, I found it was even more satisfying to get up and exercise. When looking for some fun outdoor outlet, I stumbled upon Mission Trail Regional Park's 5 Peak Challenge. For those of you that do not know, Mission Trails is San Diego's main hiking destination; a chain of 5 peaks, the tallest reaching over 1500 feet. This expanse is made up of North Fortuna, South Fortuna, Kwaay Paay, Pyle's and Cowle's. The 5 peak challenge is basically a way for Mission Trails to increase their foot traffic but it also offers a great challenge and even comes with a prize.

The first day we began the morning by meeting at 7 at the back side of Cowle's Mountain called the Barker Way Trailhead. The journey up the back side of the mountain is peaceful and not too strenuous, even though it is mostly uphill switchbacks. The trail stays relatively uncrowded but make sure to start early since it is on the east side of the mountain. By the time you make it to the meet up point between the front and back side trail, it gets a lot more crowded as you become stuck in a single file trek to the top. The top is similarly busy, this is the most known hike out of the five. However, it's a nice rest stop and there are a few places on the side of the mountain you can climb around. They also keep several dog bowls at the peak, so if you have a furry friend with you, they can stay hydrated. Harley sure appreciated it.

If you're going to hit all five peaks, be ready for two in a day! Along with hitting Cowles Peak the first day hiking, we also got to Pyles. The only way to get to Pyles is through Cowles - when you reach the peak, there is a service road to your left, the trail head for Pyles is just a little down that road. This trail is incredibly empty, especially compared to our previous trek on Cowles, we only passed two groups of people. The trail was mostly shaded, especially because we were out before noon. The hike itself was not too difficult, though there was one short stretch that was at a straight uphill incline. Going back was just as easy, and we took the fire road back down, which was very steep and I would not want to walk up. We passed several mothers hiking with their babies on their back, up the strenuous incline. Respect to that.

The next day we met bright and early again to tackle the North and South Fortuna peaks. This time, we had someone drop us off at a path that led to North Fortuna. As we got out of the car and gazed at the mountain, I could have sworn that the walk there was longer than the hike up the mountain itself. But we proceeded, walking probably around 2 miles before we reached the base. This hike was completely deserted, rocky, and thin - just challenging enough, but still very possible. The path was a little harder to follow, there were many forks and the signs never said what went where. Our lesson of the day- always go left. The path led us up the side of the mountain, right over highway 52. However, there were a good amount of trees and bushes that lines the path, so we barely noticed the traffic. The peak had a small geocache filled with notebooks.

The second part of our day led us to South Fortuna. We took a short saddle trail that led us right to the peak. This path was easy, and took less than a half hour. We almost missed the peak while admiring the city below, we would have missed it completely if our curiosity hadn't let us to the little outlet. The walk down South Fortuna is the real challenge. Right by the bottom, the trail becomes steps. These steps wind back and forth on the mountain and pass many rock and short cliff drops, making it hard to tell what is a boulder and what is a step sometimes. Luckily, we had planned it so we could go down the steps rather than up, we passed many wheezing hikers on the way down.

The last hike was the only day with only a single peak. This would be Kwaay Pay, the mountain we expected to be the easiest and the shortest. Do not be fooled. This mountain may be small, but it is mighty. The walk from the parking lot to the base was short, which fooled us even further. But as soon as we got 10 minutes in... this hike goes straight uphill and does not stop. Take lots of water and enjoy the views on the way up. The hike is breathtaking (literally), but also because of the outlook over Mission Trails and the tree lined path.

The last part of the challenge was a visit to the Mission Trail Visitor Center. After sending in photos of us at each peak, we picked up our prizes; a certificate of completion, a 5-peak challenge pin, and $10 store credit to A12. However, the most rewarding of all was the feeling of reaching each peak, gasping for air and legs burning, the satisfaction of pushing ourselves to reach the top, and of course, the taste of half frozen coconut vanilla yogurt as we rested.