By the time I got uphill to the #52 bus stop on Diamond in the Glen Park neighborhood that had a digital bus-times readout, it said 14 minutes, so being already partway up continued the uphill trek to the top of Farnum (at Addison) at Walter Haas Park.
There are 35 steps from the little hilltop park up to Diamond Heights Blvd. (first two pix) and a couple blocks to the Diamond Heights Shopping Center. Third pic: Topaz openspace above Diamond Heights Blvd. across the street from the park. Just next door to the shopping center is another park, Christopher, with access into Glen Canyon.
Across from the south edge of the shopping center on Diamond Heights Blvd. at Gold Mine, there’s a dead-end for vehicles, but a convenient way for walkers to get over to 28th at the south dead-end of Douglass, starting the descent into Noe Valley. There are five steps, then a block or so of a walkway between buildings to the top of 28th. This pathway is shown on Google Maps: 4, 5, 6.
Down steep 28th and a right on Diamond (pic 7) a half block or so for the top of the Valley stairway.
The slope on either side of the stairs is now considered a “park,” though the new green sign does not indicate a name for the little green openspace, pic 8.
Thens and Nows for the house at the top of the steps here: 9 (2004), 10 (2003), and 11, 12.
The steps (69 for the main stairway: 13 thru 17) are shown on Google Maps. It descends to the upper (west) end of divided Valley. Google Maps went to the dead-end for vehicles at the foot of the stairway. You can see the rounded end of the median here that divides upper and lower Valley’s last block.
To continue on the stairs part of Valley, stay on the north side (pic 18) after you get to the foot of the main steps. You’ll pass a few houses, then there’s a dead-end for vehicles with more stairs to descend, for a total of 121 for Valley partway to Castro.
Thens and Nows for the area between steps: 2003 and current: 19, 20.
Looking down at lower Valley from near the north stairway, pic 21.
The last part of the Valley steps: 22, 23, 24, 25.
The “peekaboo” fence I like is still here, pic 26. Valley near Castro.
At Castro, if you look to the north you’ll see the Castro steps up ahead; to the south Billy Goat Hill.
Crossed Castro at Valley to descend the few steps for the sidewalk that’s slightly below the street for this block from Castro to Noe (south side).
Surprise! Hadn’t hiked this area in a while and now whatever used to be here behind that solid wood fence at the corner is gone and there’s a huge hole in the ground with construction ongoing. The stairs to this lower sidewalk are presently blocked. My old pix have always showed the fence at the top of the steps. Pic 27 is from 2003, #28 from 2004, and #29 from 2007.
The hole: 30 thru 34.
But I was able to descend the next short stairway over to get to this lower sidewalk (pic 35).
A couple houses down from the corner-hole, an old home is now being gutted (36 and 37 from 2005 and pic 38 now). Hopefully at least the outside will be saved. The sidewalk was, however, open to continue down to Noe.
There are several short stairways here (two counted this time had 11 steps each) down from the street.
Pic 39: side of a residence at Noe & Valley.
Last pic: the “bug house” on Valley just off Noe. Love this!
A bus stop for the #24 Divisadero is at 28th and Noe.
There are 35 steps from the little hilltop park up to Diamond Heights Blvd. (first two pix) and a couple blocks to the Diamond Heights Shopping Center. Third pic: Topaz openspace above Diamond Heights Blvd. across the street from the park. Just next door to the shopping center is another park, Christopher, with access into Glen Canyon.
Across from the south edge of the shopping center on Diamond Heights Blvd. at Gold Mine, there’s a dead-end for vehicles, but a convenient way for walkers to get over to 28th at the south dead-end of Douglass, starting the descent into Noe Valley. There are five steps, then a block or so of a walkway between buildings to the top of 28th. This pathway is shown on Google Maps: 4, 5, 6.
Down steep 28th and a right on Diamond (pic 7) a half block or so for the top of the Valley stairway.
The slope on either side of the stairs is now considered a “park,” though the new green sign does not indicate a name for the little green openspace, pic 8.
Thens and Nows for the house at the top of the steps here: 9 (2004), 10 (2003), and 11, 12.
The steps (69 for the main stairway: 13 thru 17) are shown on Google Maps. It descends to the upper (west) end of divided Valley. Google Maps went to the dead-end for vehicles at the foot of the stairway. You can see the rounded end of the median here that divides upper and lower Valley’s last block.
To continue on the stairs part of Valley, stay on the north side (pic 18) after you get to the foot of the main steps. You’ll pass a few houses, then there’s a dead-end for vehicles with more stairs to descend, for a total of 121 for Valley partway to Castro.
Thens and Nows for the area between steps: 2003 and current: 19, 20.
Looking down at lower Valley from near the north stairway, pic 21.
The last part of the Valley steps: 22, 23, 24, 25.
The “peekaboo” fence I like is still here, pic 26. Valley near Castro.
At Castro, if you look to the north you’ll see the Castro steps up ahead; to the south Billy Goat Hill.
Crossed Castro at Valley to descend the few steps for the sidewalk that’s slightly below the street for this block from Castro to Noe (south side).
Surprise! Hadn’t hiked this area in a while and now whatever used to be here behind that solid wood fence at the corner is gone and there’s a huge hole in the ground with construction ongoing. The stairs to this lower sidewalk are presently blocked. My old pix have always showed the fence at the top of the steps. Pic 27 is from 2003, #28 from 2004, and #29 from 2007.
The hole: 30 thru 34.
But I was able to descend the next short stairway over to get to this lower sidewalk (pic 35).
A couple houses down from the corner-hole, an old home is now being gutted (36 and 37 from 2005 and pic 38 now). Hopefully at least the outside will be saved. The sidewalk was, however, open to continue down to Noe.
There are several short stairways here (two counted this time had 11 steps each) down from the street.
Pic 39: side of a residence at Noe & Valley.
Last pic: the “bug house” on Valley just off Noe. Love this!
A bus stop for the #24 Divisadero is at 28th and Noe.
1. Walter Haas Park up to Diamond Heights Blvd.
2. Bernal Hill in distance, center, top
3. Topaz openspace above Diamond Heights Blvd.
4. Steps, right, out to 28th & Douglass
5. Gold Mine & Diamond Heights Blvd. over to 28th St.
6. Out at 28th near Douglass, down into Noe Valley
7. Diamond near 28th
8. A sign for the stairside openspace
9. THEN, 2004: Top of main Valley steps at Diamond
10. THEN, 2003: Valley stairway down from Diamond
11. Top of Valley stairs at Diamond
12. Diamond at top of main Valley stairway
13. Top of Valley stairway
14. Now a minipark
15. Midway down to west dead-end of divided Valley
16. 69 steps for this first part
17. Foot of the main Valley stairs. Turn right for more steps.
18. Upper part of divided Valley
19. THEN, 2003: Upper part of divided Valley between stairways
20. NOW: Replacements for above house
21. Upper part of divided Valley looking down to lower part
22. Valley steps continue: down the north side
23. Near foot of north Valley steps
24. Partway down to Castro
25. Foot of the north Valley steps
26. The "peekaboo" fence is still here. South side of Valley near Castro.
27. THEN, 2003: Valley & Castro, south side
28. THEN, 2004: Steps down from Valley & Castro
29. THEN, 2007: To lower sidewalk from Castro & Valley
30. NOW: Corner of Castro & Valley, south sidewalk
31. The hole at Castro & Valley as of mid-February 2015
32. Under construction, Valley down from Castro
33. Valley's lower south sidewalk down from Castro
34. First part of the lower sidewalk is seeing some huge changes
35. Second short stairway down is walkable
36. THEN, 2005: South sidewalk, partway to Noe
37. THEN, 2005: Valley south sidewalk
38. NOW: Huge makeover ongoing for this house
39. Valley at Noe
40. The Bug House, Valley just east of Noe
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