Blog Archives

Telval

6/29/2018

Nob Hill’s Joice stairway: 1, 2

The Stockton tunnel stairs (Nob Hill to Stockton St. in Chinatown) got a new paintjob: 3 thru 10

The Beat Museum (once a used bookstore) on Broadway: 11, 12

Romolo, starting up Telegraph Hill. There was once a parking lot to the left on Romolo. Up to Vallejo, 27 older, uneven steps on the right side. Newer sidewalk steps on the right: 13 thru 17

Vallejo at top of Kearny/Peter Macchiainni Steps from the top: 18 thru 21

On to the Vallejo steps.

First, two THENs from the 1970s taken by Clayton Juan (used with permission): www.facebook.com/claytonjuan

Pix 22, 23

Next, some of my own, also 1970s: 24 thru 32

NOWs (June 2018) 33 thru 85

There was a transformation (not sure of the year) from concrete slab to zigzag stairgarden.

It was too steep for cars. There were steep, uneven sidestairs on both sides and these still exist. 97 steps not counting the older side steps.

Vallejo, south side: 86

142 Peter Macchiarini Steps on the east side with view of west side: 87 thru 90

Foot at Broadway: 91 thru 94

Nottingham, North Beach (below Broadway): 95 thru 100

Chinatown: 101 thru 104

1 Joyce stairway, Pine partway to California, Nob Hill

3 Stairways on each side of the Stockton Tunnel

4 Down to Stockton St. in Chinatown

11 Broadway & Romolo

13 Romolo up from Broadway

15 Once a parking lot

16 Newer sidewalk steps on the left side of street

18 Vallejo & Kearny/Peter Macchairini Steps both sides

19 Cars can turn on Fresno to the right but Vallejo at top is not thru for cars

20 West sidewalk steps

21 East side, top, at vehicle barrier

22 THEN, 1970s. Photo by Clayton Juan

23 THEN, 1970s. Photo by Clayton Juan

24 THEN, 1970s, From just below Montgomery

25 THEN, 1970s

26 THEN, 1970s

27 THEN, 1970s

28 THEN, 1970s. North side steps

29 THEN, 1970s. Top, south side

30 THHEN, 1970s. South side

31 THEN, 1970s

32 THEN, 1970s. North side

33 NOW: Top of Vallejo, south side

38 North side

53 North side

55 North side

73 North side

75 Down to Montgomery

79 Back up again

82 Top, north side

86 Vallejo above Kearny, south side

87 On east Peter Macchiarini Steps looking across at west side

88 Fresno St. to right

92 Foot at Broadway

93 East side near foot

95 Nottingham

100

101 Chinatown

102

103

104

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Plumsearch

6/26/2018

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In past years was successful in foraging for some wild plums that had fallen off trees at Mount Sutro. Some were squashed, maybe run over by mountain bikes, but got what I could and washed them well to use in smoothies.

This last time only found four, a couple of weeks ago, so anyone know a good time for scoring some?

Starting the climb at the Stanyan trailhead and up to the road: 1 thru 16

East Ridge was next. Why was there still a trailblocker starting partway up this trail and at its summit trailhead? It has been months and looks like they’re still trying to block off this trail at its upper end.

East Ridge Trail: 17, 18

Summit from the three benches at the East Ridge trailhead to the concrete benches. There was new fencing alongside the dry grass and planting flags. Was cheering to at least see a few California poppies: 19 thru 34

North Ridge Trail: 35 thru 44

Edgewood trailhead from the road: 45, 46

Trail behind Edgewood Ave. homes: 47

Farnsworth Lane (149 steps): 48 thru 51

1 Stanyan trailhead

13 Edgewood Trail to right

17 East Ridge Trail

18 This barrier is at the summit trailhead

19 These summit benches near the East Ridge trailhead are a newer addition

21 What are they trying to grow here?

30 The concrete summit benches

34 About to start down the North Ridge Trail

45 Trailhead for the Edgewood Trail at the road

47 Trail behind Edgewood Ave. homes

48 Top of Farnsworth stairway down to Willard

49 149 steps

51 Nasturtiums

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Telegraph Jack

6/26/2018

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After checking out the North Beach Festival (happens each June), a hike round the neighborhood.

Upper Grant: 1 thru 8

Nobles off Grant: 9, 10

Up Filbert: 11, 12

Filbert west (63 steps): 13, 14

Finally, after a hole in the ground for many years, after the Bill Bailey house and others were demolished (1999?), something is going up there. You can look thru slats in the construction fence at the top of the west Filbert steps for a view down into the site.

Up the east Pioneer Park steps (29 steps for the first flight into the park from this side): 15

Pioneer Park: 16 thru 21

Top of Lombard: 22. 23, 24

Down, past the foot of the Child St. steps: 25, 26

Julius down to Whiting (nine steps): 27 thru 32

64 steps for Jack Early Park (rises off Grant): 33 thru 49

Upper Grant: 50

Back thru the street fair, passing Pardee Alley (off Grant): 51, 52

Down thru Chinatown: 53 thru 58

1 North Beach Festival in June

9 Nobles

11 Filbert up from Grant

12 Filbert

13 Filbert west steps to Telegraph Hill Blvd./Pioneer Park

14 West Filbert stairs

15 South stairway to Coit Tower/Pioneer Park

18 Down to Telegraph Hill Blvd.

19 To Telegraph Hill Blvd. (west) down to Greenwich

20 View east near Lombard entrance to the park

24 Top of Lombard St.

25 Child steps up fr9m Lombard

27 Julius to Whiting

29 Nine steps

30 Julius at Whiting

32 Whiting to Grant

33 Jack Early Park up from Grant

34 Foot of Jack Early Park (op and back)

35 64 steps

50 Grant St.

51 Pardee Alley

53 Broadway

55 Broadway

46 Chinatown

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GGB to GGO

6/24/2018

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23 steps to the Roundhouse Cafe. 1, 2

Views: 3 thru 22

Onto the battery steps recently visited, but this time alongside the battery and down its main steps to the trail below, 41 total: 23 thru 35

West on the trail past more old batteries, nearly to the east trailhead for the Batteries to Bluffs: 36 thru 66

Main north steps to he Golden Gate Overlook, 19 to the benches and 26 for the top of the overlook: 67, 68, 69

Golden Gate Overlook: 70 thru 83

37 steps for the main overlook stairway.

Fort Scott neighborhood: 84

Onto a trail between two streets often taken back to the bus stop: 85

Normally would never take a photo of wrecked vehicles (!), but can anyone tell me why the park is storing these cars on this trail? Hope they’ll soon be removed: 86

42 Looking back

55 Shorter north stairs to Golden Gate Overlook

67 Main north overlook stairway

68 North steps to Golden Gate Overlook

69 Golden Gate Overlook

83 37 steps

84 Fort Scott neighborhood

85 Trail I take out to the second bridge bus stop

86 On the same trail as above pic, walking by these! Why are they here?

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Picnic VA

6/23/2018

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From the 38 Geary stop at the VA Hospital, west to an old favorite trail that took me past the VA Hospital’s community garden: 1 thru 7

The “hidden” old stairway and trail is just above Battery Chester: 8 thru 19

Down the unique and steep trail of thick sand to check for early blackberries. Several tiny but ripe:20 thru 27

Down to the El Camino del Mar Trail and east for the 47 steps to the west edge of the Legion of Honor parking lot: 28 thru 39

Up the Battle of the Bulge Trail: 40 thru 45

At the top of Land’s End/VA Hospital: 46, 47, 48

Continuing west to see if anything was new with the picnic area that’s been closed to the public for well over a year due to storm damage.

The east steps down are still closed. The west stairway is gone now, in its place a slope with new plantings. When this reopens wonder if they’re gonna only have one stairway.

Along the top at the VA Hospital’s north parking lot, from east to west: 49 thru 73

Passing the helipad as I circled back to where I started: 74

Fort Miley's picnic area: 75 thru 78

On my way down thru the forest, a short detour to say hi to the Fort Miley Octagon House, the former Point Lobos Marine Exchange Lookout Station. In a perfect world this old beauty would be open to the public and safe from vandals and taggers: 79 thru 84

Continuing down: 85, 86, 87

Sutro Heights Park from the 38R Geary bus: 88

8 Right turn here

10 Another right at foot of first short flight

19 Downhill

20 Top of thick-sand trail

21 Steep

22 Looking back at VA Hospital water tank

27 Down to El Camino del Mar Trail

28 El Camino del Mar Trail

29 Nasturtiums

30 A favorite place to eat lunch

33 Land's End/Coastal Trail below

34 Connector stairs between trails

36 89 steps

37 Back up on n the El Camino del Mar Trail

38 47 steps from the El Camino del Mar to Legion of Honor parking lot

45 Top of Battle of the Bulge Trail

46 Above the park

68 The west stairway is gone!

70 Wonder if they will put a new stairway here

74 The helipad

75 Fort Miley picnic area

76 Battery Chester

79 Fort Miley forest detour to Octagon House

87 Down to the road

88 Sutro Heights Park west side from the 38R Geary

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Wildflowers BTB

6/22/2018

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117
Baker Beach west: 1 thru 7

The new boardwalk was not yet walkable. There’s gonna be some kind of overlook at the west beginning of it, with benches. 8 thru 12

On the winding trail up to Lincoln: 13 thru 24

On Lincoln: 25 thru 29

Batteries to Bluffs Trail west to east this tine: 30 thru 117

FoerScott neighborhood: 118

1 West Baker Beach

5 Land's End in distance

6 New benches added at south end of second parking lot

8 Another new addition

15 Top of the shorter Sand Ladder

16 Battery Chamberlin

18 That's Lincoln up there

23 Up to Lincoln

24 Looking back

25 Lincoln

27 Battery Crosby center, distance

30 Batteries to Bluffs Trail

33 Battery Crosby

34 16 steps up to top of Battery Crosby

36 Down from the top

45 Looking back

56 Looking back

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108 Pacific Overlook above

109

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112

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114

115

116

117

118 Fort Scott neighborhood

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West Bridge

6/8/2018

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Turning west this time with a view down to Fort Point: 1 thru 13

To access a trail from one of the old batteries, a change was made a few years ago. Used to go all the way down on the original concrete battery steps to the trail that runs alongside the front of the batteries.

The original battery steps got blocked off for an addition of a newer short flight for access to the battery area, plus a new bridge for walkers and cyclists:14 thru 34

The battery trail will take you to the Golden Gate Overlook.

2 Down this way for the picnic area, tunnel, and Battery East Trail

5 Fort Point below

14 This short flight was added a few years ago at the top of the battery

16 Showing the new pedestrian bridge and battery steps addition

19 Old concrete steps blocked and detoured alongside the battery

20 Used to descend all the way

24 Keep going to the Golden Gate Overlook

34 Out to a vehicle street. Second GG Bridge bus stop to right

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Lobos

6/8/2018

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West Baker Beach to start: 1, 2, 3

Crossing Lincoln for the Lobos Creek Trail. The small lizards I sometimes see here move too fast for me to get pix: 4 thru 23

Into the forest: 24 thru 30

Up to the Loos Creek Overlook: 31

Lobos Creek Overlook: 32 thru 42

Heading towards the 16th Ave. park exit: 43, 44

q Duney obstacle trail to the beach

4 North trailhead for the Lobos Creek Trail

23 Up a few old wood steps into the forest

31 Up to the Lobos Creek Overlook from the forest

44 To the 16th Ave. exit

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Broadway Mac

6/5/2018

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Taylor, downhilling to Macondray Lane: 1

39 steps for Russian Hill’s Macondray. Several years ago Macondray’s old wood steps up from Taylor got replaced. They are now safer with sturdy rails on both sides and alongside the rough stones at the top: 2 thru 7

Macondray out to Jones: 8 thru 14

Jones: 15, 16

Jones unique double stairway: 17

South side of Vallejo up to Florence: 18, 19, 20

Florence to the stairway at the south end: 21, 22

Where stairways turn and/or can’t be seen from the street or residences, one may on occasion encounter a homeless person or others who seek a private spot, as experienced this day on Florence. Bernal Heights’ Bradford zigzag steps are another popular choice for this sort of thing.

50-something steps for the main Florence stairway down to Broadway: 23 thru 31

Top of the Broadway sidewalk steps. The top (partway to Jones) is a dead-end for vehicles. There are built-in benches here.

168 for the south Broadway sidesteps down to Taylor: 32 thru 49

Taylor, Nob Hill: 50, 51, 52

The Grace Cathedral waterfall again: 53

Taylor to Pine, 191 steps, west side of street: 54, 55

1 Taylor downhilling to Macondray Lane

2 Foot of the steps at Taylor

3 39 steps

14 Macondray continues across Jones

15 Jones sidewalk steps

16 Jones

17 Jones double stairways

18 Vallejo up from Jones

19 Vallejo sidewalk steps, south side

20 Looking across to north side of Vallejo

21 Florence

23 Florence south end at top of the stairs

32 Top of Broadway sidewalk steps on the north side

34 Top of Broadway looking east

35 Broadway top of steps, south side

36 Broadway at top of steps benches

37 Broadway south side at top of steps

38 Looking back up

42 Looking across to north side

43 North side from south side

44 South side

46 North side again

48 Southside near foot at Taylor

49 North side at Taylor

50 Taylor, Nob Hill

53 Again, Grace Cathedral's waterfall

54 Taylor west sidewalk steps

55 Nob Hill, 191 steps. Pine to California St.

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Ina Up

6/4/2018

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Mason, Nob Hill: 1, 2

Crossing Broadway on Mason and west uphill on Vallejo for the foot of Russian Hill’s Ina Coolbrith Park: 3 thru 6

Up the south stairway and a view down the north stairs. 119 steps up to several benches: 7 thru 33

Continuing up the south steps, 152 steps for the next row of benches. On the north side down from here to the first-bench-landing, 36 stone steps: 34 thru 58

Back up again on the south stairway to the top of the park at Taylor & Vallejo. 165 steps total: 59 thru 69

Across from the park, another stairway climbs to a minipark from Taylor: 70

Taylor: 71

Downhill now, the next stairway on this side is Fallon Place, once thru, now an up-and-back for the 77 steps (less than it used to have before the newer residences were built): 72

Broadway’s double side-stairs partway up to Jones from Taylor. This is a dead-end for vehicles with built-im benches at the top: 73, 74

Broadway: 75

Broadway down to a fenced-in community garden. 29 steps descend from Himmelman to the north dead-end of the next little alley below Himmelman, Salmon St.

Google Maps says this is the “Broadway Tunnel East Minipark.” It is above theLady Shaw Senior Center on Mason, but closer to Himmelman. At the top of the stairs was a black chair.: 76 thru 82

Back up to Himmelman, now Nob Hill: 83 thru 86

Taylor: 87

At Taylor & California is Nob Hill’s Grace Cathedral. Once again a mural has been installed on some of its stairs: 88 thru 92

The present waterfall is probably not permanent. The “clouds” mural that decorated these steps a while back wasn’t.

Crossing California, down the 191 west sidewalk steps on Taylor: 93, 94