MTRP's 5-peak Challenge

MTRP is the Mission Trails Regional Park. The park was once a part  of the Kumeyaays ancestral domain for over 2,000 years. The Kumeyaay domain  included the most  of what is now the San Diego county, the Laguna Mountains, the Anza Borrego Dessert, Imperial Valley and the northern portion of Baja California, Mexico until the Spanish occupation. The discovery of the Kumeyaay tribal domain by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542 led to a settlement headed by Padre Junipero Serra in 1769. Padre Junipero  Serra is the recently canonized saint amid controversies. such as displacement of the Kumeyaays whom the Spanish missions called Indians, the indigenous peoples whom they might be referring as indios. The Spanish fort and mission complex known as the  Mission Bassilica San Diego de Alcalá which is located not far from what is now the MTRP  was built using Kumeyaay slave labor. The MTRP is the site of the Old Mission  Dam which was used to store water for the  Spanish fort and mission complex.

The 5-peak challenge was launched  late last year to decongest foot traffic on the  Cowles Mountain trail. Everyday, hundreds flock to the Cowles Mountain summit and MTRP thinks its being "loved to death". The popularity of Cowles Mountain summit owes to the fact that it "offers a 360-degree view of San Diego County and points of interest and beyond: there's Mount San Miguel in the southeast, Mount Laguna peaks in the  east, the radio towers of Mount Woodson northward, downtown San Diego and San Diego Bay in the west  just to name a few. Far and beyond is the Tijuana skyline in south and Pacific Ocean to the west, and then again, just to name a few. Cowles Mountain got its name from George Cowles, one of San Diego's ranching pioneers.

MTRP's 5-peak challenge guideline requires hikers to have a photo of themselves in each of the peak or summit.  These would be  1) Cowles Mountain; 2) Pyles Peak; 3) Kwaay Paay Peak; 4) South Fortuna Mountain; and 5) North Fotuna Mountan.  What's the difference of a peak from a summit? Peaks are pointed tip top of mountains just like Mission Peak while a summit is the highest point of a hill or a mountain. Selfies are acceptable proofs that that hikers  have summited or bagged the peaks.

For the umpteenth time, I was  being photographed with  the popular landmark. I am glad to be
showing Naomi the way, the truth and the life, not that I was acting like Jesus Christ.
There are three trailheads leading to Cowles Mountain. The most popular would be the Navajo Road trail head. The Barker Way and Mesa Road trailheads are alternate trailheads and provide better parking opportunities. I couldn't believe I am one of the hikers who have been loving Cowles Mountain to death. First Ascent to Cowles Mountain Summit was more than four years ago.

My attempts of learning how Pyles Peak got its name led me to a dead end just like where Pyles Peak is.  It's only my second time to bag Pyles Peak. To get to Pyles Peak, get off from the Cowles Mountain summit into the service road that leads to the Cowles Mountain radio towers. Turn left and there is a trail sign that would direct you into Pyles Peak Trail. Enjoy the descent and switchbacks while you can. The trail dips to a point where you feel you're so close to residential area and  wish you can just  get off the trail and find a short cut  to the parking level.  There's no way, Jose!

Kwaay Paay means  chief or leader in the Kumeyaay language. The Peak is accessed  through the Father Junipero Serra  Trail which is not really a trail but a paved bike route. Kwaay Paay Peak is one of the lower peaks of the MTRP but still very difficult. If not for the 5-peak challenge, perhaps hikers would not even bother to locate and bag the peak.

I was alone with the chieftain  for while and decided to go topless. I chanted some om while the cool Kumeyaay breeze touched my skin...yes, it's omg. I remember the two topless men I saw the first time I was in the area  summiting South and North Fortuna Mountains. I hastily put my tops on for fear of being seen topless by anyone.

The photo was taken by Jesus. I was not topless anymore and working on the D3200 self-timer for an acceptable proof when he reached the peak and saw me. Jesus must have been a Kumeyaay kwaay paay in his previous life.

The northeast end of the Father Junipero Serra Trail which is really the MTRP bike route is where one can easily access the Kwaay Paay Peak. The visitor center is located at the southwest end of the bike route.  At the west side back of the visitor center by Jackson Drive is the San Diego Crossing River Trail which connects to the South Fortuna Trail. This route goes through a stairway to heaven.

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I tried to count the wooden steps that lead to the South Fortuna Mountain Summit the first time I hiked the area. I counted about 300 until I lost my count. The wooden steps seemed to prevent erosion and made hiking the steep trail a little less difficult. I referred to the wooden steps the "stairway to heaven"  to Naomi.
"Oh, makes me wonder!"

South Fortuna maybe the lesser peak but with the stairs and the rocky trails, it is just as difficult. For the 5-peak challengers, it's probably easier to use the trail head by the Old Mission Dam to access the Fortuna Mountains.

The baby snake was giving me the right of way. After an eye contact and stopping to catch him on a photo, he crossed the trail. North Fortuna, the northernmost peak is normally the final peak for those taking the challenge. The saddle that leads to the North Fortuna summit provides a clear view of  the traffic congestion that is regularly plaguing Highway 52.

After several false summits, Naomi and  I  finally made it to the real one.  Naomi felt very fortunate for summiting North Fortuna and wrote an entry into the registry notebook thanking God for the strength He gave to her in making it to the summit. I took time reading the entries on the registry notebook.

Inspired by the cheers to fuckers, I made my entry on the registry notebook, fairly  incoherent as usual. This inglorious wanderer is one just one of them fuckers who took the challenge.