Wilderness Explorers: South Fortuna Summit

It was a beautiful day in San Diego for Hike #2. This time we decided to do the South Fortuna Summit because it's the next up in terms of distance and altitude. Instead of starting the hike from the area around the visitor'c center, we went from the Tierrasanta side. We got a bit lost because the signs don't really point you in the right direction so I would either recommend doing a little more research beforehand or just start from the visitor's center. We wandered around for about an hour and we finally approached people who knew the way. This particular hike has a portion that's called the "Stairway the Heaven" that was absolutely brutal. It was like Koko Head on crack. It's a shorter distance than Koko Head in Oahu, HI but it's very rocky and it feels like there's no margin for error. If you are afraid of heights, beware! This was possibly the first time I thought I had a panic attack. The incline for the stairway portion of the hike is extremely steep and I couldn't turn around without freaking out. I'm someone that's pretty afraid of heights so it was a pretty difficult hike for me.

• South Fortuna Summit
  • Altitude: 1,094 ft
  • Distance: 2.37 miles
  • Rating: Difficult

Overall, this hike wasn't really THAT bad but for someone that's afraid of heights, there were times when I just had to keep going and not look back because I totally would have freaked out. The view from the top was extremely rewarding and I definitely felt like I took a big step in conquering my fear of heights. I'm a scaredy cat so if you are having second thoughts, you can totally do this! If you want additional information on this hike, a great resource is Hiking SD County.