Distance: 7.9 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 1092' (South Fortuna), 1293' (Fortuna), 1243' (North Fortuna), Peak 879
Elevation Gain: 1972'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.5
Round trip time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 48 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Mission Gorge trailhead
Difficulty: Moderate
I mapped out a route in CalTopo to several peaks in Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego. I had been in the area in 2014 for a couple of LPC and SDC peaks, but skipped many of the smaller peaks. The main goals were South Fortuna, Fortuna, North Fortuna, and a couple of provisional no-names on the way back. I ended up skipping one in a signed burn area and another that looked overly brushy, but managed to get four. I arrived a little before the official opening time of 8:00 AM at the parking lot on Mission Gorge and was the first vehicle in the lot. No restrooms at the trailhead.
I started downhill on the Visitor Center Loop Trail. I continued to the San Diego River, and walked along the dam to get across. A couple inches of water were flowing over it that got my boots wet but not my feet. I noticed some "Area Closed" signs, thinking they referred to the delicate vegetation off trail. A second small water crossing was easier, then I was on a wide dirt road heading north into the park. I took an intersection that led to the South Fortuna Trail, a nice single track that ran into the South Fortuna cliff face. It looked unlikely, but wooden beams formed steep steps on the slope. There was one class 2 move on the main trail, but a use trail bypass was available. From the ridge, I walked a quarter mile to South Fortuna with a nice metal monument. The outing had already exceeded my expectations.
The trail was clear to Fortuna along a saddle a few hundred feet below. I met several hikers coming down as I was going up. There used to be a sign at the Fortuna summit, but it was missing. I didn't find any benchmarks and these peaks were far too busy for a register. I took a longer break at the highest point in the park. North Fortuna was less than a quarter mile away and had a monument similar to the one on South Fortuna. I followed the trail down to a fence line bordering Highway 52 at the northern border, then followed a trail back to Four Corners. I noticed an air pump station set up for mountain bikers. There were plenty of hikers around, but no bikers this day. I diverted southwest along the Rim Trail to pick up Peak 879. At the top, I found a benchmark stamped "MT-6" placed in 1990 by the Army Corp of Engineers. The views were OKish. The real goal was to pad the stats. I went back to Four Corners, then south on the Suycott Canyon Trail. When I got back to the San Diego River crossing, I noticed more "Area Closed" signs on this side of the river. Now, I suspected the river crossing was closed since water covered the road. Oops. I got around it by going over the dam again and getting my boots wet again. I enjoyed this hike quite a bit.
