Blog Archives

Lands End Lookout

4/28/2012

Made it to Lands End in time for the ribbon-cutting for the new Lookout building, but it was superpacked inside the first time I briefly entered. Waited a little while to go back in in and it wasn't quite as crowded. Noticed some interesting looking nature books for sale and some archaeological exhibits; will return at a later date when I can move around inside better. You can get food and drinks here now and there are real restrooms. Whatta view out the floor-to-ceiling windows!

Outdoors again, an unexpected treat was a free cup of chili or clam chowder for anyone who wanted one. Chose the latter; the line wasn't very long.

Nature walks were being organized, but in the mood for a vigorous hike on the most solitary trail I could find, headed 'round the horn and up the upper parking lot Overlook's stairway (first pic).

From there, a short distance onto the El Camino del Mar trail (second pic: view down to the second Coastal Trail Overlook), started up a favorite (steep but short) offshoot trail of zigzaggy thick sand (third pic). At the top of this starts the trail 'neath the trees across from the top of the Fort Miley ruins. Climbed the "hidden" short stairway (fourth pic) to the VA Hospital parking lot to pay a second visit to the picnic area (reached by stairways) that has recently magically appeared below the new retaining wall at the north edge (fifth pic).

On the way, surprised to see an orange windsock perched at the cliffedge. Is this park planning to have hang gliding like at Fort Funston?

The Battle of the Bulge Memorial Trail's 10 new steps at its foot now include a railing added since my last visit.

Passed the Legion of Honor heading downhill, the huge golf course on both sides, and eventually out of the park at Clement and 34th. This long curvy street, a walkers' trail on one side only, is Legion of Honor Drive.

Steps to upper parking lot Overlook along the Coastal Trail

Second Overlook on the Coastal Trail from El Camino del Mar Trail

Sandy zigzag trail up from El Camino del Mar Trail

"Hidden" steps up to VA Hospital parking lot

New picnic area below VA Hospital parking lot retaining wall

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Hunting for Oldies

4/27/2012

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My last few urban excursions sought to find NOW versions of buildings from the 1970s that I took back then (the old pix now scanned onto CDs). Google Maps has helped me search for some so as not to spend too much time hanging around studying houses. Recently someone was coming out her front door, noticed me standing on the sidewalk, and asked if she could help me. As in, why have you stopped on the sidewalk and are just standing there staring at houses? So with Google Maps I can explore the streets mostly at home until I pinpoint exactly where the target house is, or once was.

Those who walk may discover microparks, new little gardens, and other interesting stuff that those in cars might not notice at all, including places that invite one to stop for a while. Where there used to be spaces bare of trees, plants, and color, now increasingly people are beautifying their neighborhoods and creating miniparks. On Russian Hill, Hyde between Green and Vallejo (Hyde Street cable car line), is the Hyde/Vallejo Minipark between two buildings: flowers, benches, trees: first two pics.

Over to Priest's 57 steps on Nob Hill. Up from Washington, it's a dead-end stairway/walk with an old wood railing on one side. Unfortunately for many years there's been a massive apt. building blocking the view east. Cable cars run on Washington at the foot of this stairway: cables singing and birds chirping.

Announced in the Park E-ventures online newsletter for the Presidio for May 2012: " …By mid-May, you’ll be able to experience the new trails and overlooks for yourself, without having to wear a fluorescent construction vest or hard hat…" Two new Overlooks, new dedicated bike lanes, new trails, and the Golden Gate Bridge's 75th anniversary happen in May. Check out:

http://www.parksconservancy.org

And tomorrow, Saturday, the 28th, is the opening celebration for the new Lands End Lookout.

The last pix are from a recent hike: Twin Peaks Park over to Mount Sutro and down Forest Knolls' Oakhurst stairway:

First: Trail along Twin Peaks Blvd. (up the steps from Crestline)
Second: East Ridge Trailhead, Mount Sutro
Third: Quarry Road Trail, Mount Sutro

Hyde/Vallejo Minipark, Russian Hill

Trail next to Twin Peaks Blvd. - steps up from Crestline

East Ridge Trail climbs to the summit, Mount Sutro

Quarry Road Trail, Mount Sutro

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From One to Another

4/20/2012

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Off the #37 Corbett/Twin Peaks bus at the #74 Crestline stop and into Twin Peaks Park via the 94 steps that climb to Twin Peaks Blvd. (first pic). Appreciate this hybrid electric neighborhood bus that easily navigates up Corbett's narrow curves.

Down from the main viewplace (second pic) and over the west Blvd. guardrail onto the skinny trail that descends to Marview in the Midtown Terrace neighborhood. Continued down to Palo Alto's vehicle dead-end, stepping through the gap in the fence here onto La Avanzada, the road to Sutro Tower (third pic). Followed La Avanzada downhill a short distance to Dellbrook and then Clarendon.

Cross carefully at Clarendon. People zoom around this curvy highstreet too fast. There oughta be a pedestrian overpass here too, like there is at the foot of Forest Knolls' Ashwood stairway.

On the Mount Sutro side now, trekked steeply up past the Aldea Community Center, the Sutro Stewards' nursery, and finally onto the Quarry Road Trail, short but gorgeous and sun-dappled. I had the trail to myself; found a log to sit and have a bite and drink before stepping out onto the Historic Trail. There's a good north view through the trees on the Historic.

Along the Historic a short distance, made my way carefully down the steep West Ridge Trail that comes out at Crestmont (fourth pic: slightly above Crestmont), close to the top of the Oakhurst stairway in the Forest Knolls 'hood. Used to climb up the West Ridge a lot, long before it got its trail marker (fifth photo).

After the long Oakhurst stairway to Warren, there's still a steep sidewalk to wind down before emerging at the foot: 7th Ave. at Garden for the Environment, where I crossed 7th to wait for the #43.

It was superpacked and my favorite driver said that if people couldn't push behind the yellow line, they should wait for the next bus. IMHO they should all say that. Soon got a seat but decided to stand again when this guy sat next to me jabbering to no one in particular with an arm across the bar where I was sitting.

There are normally a lot of people on Haight, especially on a warm afternoon. However, when the bus got down there noticed considerably more than usual. It was bumper-to-bumper along Haight and the bus took forever. Apart from street fairs, I've not seen so many people on the sidewalks in a long time. The driver said there was a "marijuana festival" going on. Sure enough, noticed some wearing leaf garlands and weed-logoed T-shirts.

Trailhead into Twin Peaks Park at Crestline

Down from the viewplace. Twin Peaks Reservoir. The trail down is to the left.

La Avanzada. To Sutro Tower and down to Dellbrook.

View from West Ridge Trail, slightly above Crestmont, Forest Knolls.

Trail marker for West Ridge Trail, Mount Sutro

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New Lands End Picnicspot

4/15/2012

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The first thing noticed when entering Lands End this afternoon was the sweet aroma of wildflowers. Passing the doorway (still fenced) of the new Lands End Overlook building, noticed two of Adolph Sutro's lion statues are guarding the entrance.

Down the Merrie Way stairway and over to the Sutro Baths ruins cavetop viewspot, continued onto the west trailhead for the Coastal Trail. This trail (this part called the Sutro Baths Upper Trail) was extended to around 141 steps several years ago.

Headed round the horn to ascend the stairway from the first Coastal Trail Overlook to the upper parking lot Overlook (59 steep steps). From here, east on the El Camino del Mar (the park's upper trail).

Across the footbridge, climbed the uppermost stairway that leads to the end of the parking lot for the Legion of Honor Museum and Lincoln Park golf course.

The trailhead for the Battle of the Bulge Memorial Trail (about 23 steps, first pic) starts up from this parking lot. Was wondering if it had seen any changes since I knew a retaining wall was being constructed along the cliffside at the north edge of the VA Hospital's parking lot. This short trail has been widened, with white gravel underfoot and some new replacement steps. The red flowers I like are still there.

This was a nice enough discovery, but from the parking lot up here spied a couple of new wood stairways descending from the wall a short distance away.

These new stairways and picnic area are open to explore (next three pix). There's a short trail leading to the first stairway, 77 steps. This area is gonna be absolutely gorgeous once the many new plantings grow some more.

Two concrete benches and a few picnic tables are an attractive light-rose shade and there are a couple of short footbridges at the foot of the stairs. Another set of steps from the main stairway leads to a single picnic table. Climbing back up to the parking lot on the opposite side are 72 more steps. So if you count it all as one up-and-down stairway: 149 new steps for the main one, not counting the offshoot steps. The trails are brick-lined and curvy.

At the top you'll still be at the VA parking lot. This unexpected find is partway between the top of the Battle of the Bulge Memorial Trail and the way down (a paved trail for walkers) into the Fort Miley picnic area.

Checked to see if my "secret" steps were still there. Yep, no one has messed with this very old stairway (about 41 steps). This one descends to the Fort Miley ruins under a tree canopy from the edge of the VA parking lot (next to the wider trail to the small picnic area). You can see the bottom part of this stairway from the picnic area but not the short "hidden" part (fifth pic) unless you walk up the bottom set from the paved road at the Fort Miley ruins.

So instead of doing my usual west-to-east hike, this time circled round to come out at the west side of the park again, down through the forest near the upper parking lot Overlook, and across from one of the newer stairways down the west slope.

Top of the Battle of the Bulge Memorial Trail

New steps down (77)

Old steps down from VA Hospital to Fort Miley ruins

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OMG the BTB

4/14/2012

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Today found the Presidio's Coastal Trail below the bridgeviewing area to still be closed with lots of construction around the two future Overlooks (to be completed later this spring). But the Batteries to Bluffs Trail (474 or so steps) is green and wildflowery and with this being a weekend, plenty of hikers and trail joggers up and down its length. Highly recommending the BTB for locals and visitors alike. Bring your camera, but mere photos don't do it justice. First three pix: Taken from/on the Batteries to Bluffs Trail.

Today's critter sighting was on the short stairway down from Battery Crosby to the sandy trail that winds up to Lincoln (fourth pic): a couple of tiny lizards. One obligingly stopped to pose for a couple of pix (fifth photo).

At the west trailhead, a gaggle of skateboarders atop Battery Crosby. Crossed Lincoln and continued my climb up the Connector Trail to Immigrant Point Overlook (208 steps), passing a bongo-playing dude on the trail's single bench.

Looped around, down the short, eucalyptus-scented trail behind Rob Hill Campground to the back of the Fort Scott neighborhood, across the field, and around to the #28 bus stop this time instead of down Battery Caulfield Road as I often do.

Taken from the Batteries to Bluffs Trail

Down from View Point, Batteries to Bluffs Trail

Midtrail-ish, Batteries to Bluffs Trail

From Battery Crosby up to Lincoln

Battery Crosby steps

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Telegraph Trekkin

4/6/2012

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Today's was a Telegraph Hill hunting expedition to match some of my early 1970s THEN photos with what's currently there. Several tiny houses were demolished and replaced with modern apt. buildings. One cottage in particular was difficult to be certain of because the old photo didn't include sides of surrounding buildings.

My route first took me to the east end of Union at the Calhoun steps where dwells an old house that received an extensive makeover starting in 2004.

Continued on to the north dead-end of divided Montgomery and the Greenwich steps, past the Filbert stairway. First pic: Filbert down from Montgomery. Second: Filbert up from Montgomery to Coit Tower/Pioneer Park. This area is always crawlin' with tourists huffing up and down these two superlong stairways. Partway up the bricked Greenwich steps from Montgomery is a new sign: "174 Steps to Coit Tower." Last three photos: bricked Greenwich up to the park.

Directly across the parking lot more steps descend to Telegraph Hill Blvd. and out of the park on Greenwich with sidewalk steps on both sides.

Trudging up from Chinatown, the dividing street between Hills Nob and Russian is Broadway (or Pacific). At Mason and Broadway is an elderly residence. Uphill along the south side of this building is a short stairway to a narrow street called Himmelmann. Himmelmann ends at Broadway where there was once a neglected micropark of sorts. This tiny space has undergone a delightful transformation: it's now an attractive community garden with a sturdy fence around it.

Filbert steps continue below Montgomery

Filbert stairway up from Montgomery to Coit Tower/Pioneer Park

Bricked Greenwich steps up to Coit Tower parking lot

Almost there: Greenwich stairway

Top of the eastside Greenwich stairway at Pioneer Park/Coit Tower parking lot

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More Bernaling for Retakes

4/5/2012

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San Bruno Mountain Park is now open until 7 p.m. My mountain is dressed in various shades of green with fat bumblebees, butterflies, birds, and lots of different wildflowers (first two pix: Saddle Trail).

My two most recent excursions have been to Bernal Heights again, making attempts to take better photos to match up with some old THENs, mostly from the early 1970s.

So far I've got three different fotos I've been unable to match up with NOWs, so will just get them scanned and put 'em in as THENs without NOWs. But will continue to look. Maybe when I post them someone out there can tell me where I can find these if they're still around. One pic was taken on Peralta, one on Precita, and one on Coleridge. Back then I neglected to note cross-streets. All will eventually be in my Photobucket and Facebook albums.

One of the NOW pics just retaken is now missing the front stairway to its second story and has a huge palm tree hiding most of its windows. A "people" mural that used to be on a wall at the west side of the library is gone now. Will post this soon.

The other day visited Holly Park for a few matchups around there. This is an inviting little mound of green, clean and well-tended, a few blocks south of Cortland on the west side of the hill. Next two pix are a couple of stairways walked recently: Fair to Lundys (up from Mission) and Kingston up from Coleridge. Last pic: Coso and Coleridge as it's looking these days.

From http://www.parksconservancy.org --

The new Lands End Lookout Grand Opening is upcoming on April 28. The event will include open house, a ribbon-cutting, and half-hour guided walks starting at 11.

I quote: "Beautifully situated near the Merrie Way Overlook and trailhead, just above Louis’ restaurant, the aptly named Lookout boasts big windows that offer expansive views of Sutro Baths, the Cliff House, and sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

… notable features of this state-of-the-art, 4,000-square-foot facility:

Park store … exhibits and artifacts that share stories of Lands End’s vibrant past, present, and future … Maps and visitor information on the area’s many trails, natural features, and historic sites … Café offering to-go snacks and sandwiches and hot drinks for those chilly coastal excursions."