Stairways are Heaven
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Stairways are Heaven

Feets Take Me Where You Will

10/21/2014

0 Comments

 
Most times when hiking Sausalito I’ll ascend or descend El Monte Lane (120 steps, pic 1) and Excelsior Lane (about 179 steps, pic 2) as these two start up from Bridgeway. I’ll take one ascending, then maybe the other descending. Or this pedestrian walkway up to Bulkley to start, pic 3.

Would still like to find a certain old Sausalito stairway walks paperback but unable to find on Amazon or eBay. Out of print I guess. Would be fun to take a walk with the author. 

Random wandering… This time chose Noble Lane, 94 steps, up from Atwood (pix 4 thru 7), at the top of which is Sunshine and San Carlos. Sunshine up to Sausalito Blvd. and a couple of homes on Sunshine: 8, 9.

Pic 10: Sacramento Way down from Sausalito Blvd.

Miller up from the top of Excelsior Lane, pic 11.

Santa Rosa up to Spencer (184 steps): 12, 13. From Spencer you'll have several blocks of curvy narrow street before you hit Monte Mar and access to Headlands trails. 

Prospect, 204 steps; access stairs for Headlands hiking: 14, 15, 16.

Morning Sun Trail up from Monte Mar and the parking lot to the Alta Trail: 17 thru 22: 218 or so steps.

Spencer to Prospect, then down all of Cable Roadway (upper and lower around 289 steps) to Central Ave. Pix 23, 24.

Southview Park for a bite to eat, pic 25.

West Court: 103 steps, pic 26.

The Bridgeway boardwalk, pic 27. 

Bridgeway to Josephine & North, 120 steps and a built-in concrete bench partway up: 28 thru 34.

Second Street: 79 steps for the east stairway of this double-stairs-with-center-garden: last three. 


Picture
1. Foot of El Monte
Picture
2. Near foot of Excelsior Lane; down to Bridgeway
Picture
3. Pedestrian Lane up from Princess to Bulkley
Picture
4. Noble Lane: Atwood to Sunshine
Picture
5. Noble Lane partway up
Picture
6. Near top of Noble Lane
Picture
7. Top of Noble Lane at San Carlos/Sunshine
Picture
8. A Sunshine house
Picture
9. Another Sunshine dwelling
Picture
10. Sacramento Way, 45 steps
Picture
11. Miller Ave. near Spencer
Picture
12. Up the Santa Rosa steps to Spencer Ave.
Picture
13. Up from Santa Rosa, about 184 steps
Picture
14. Foot of the Prospect stairs
Picture
15. One of the stairways to access the Headlands
Picture
16. About 203 steps
Picture
17. About 216 steps for the Morning Sun Trail
Picture
18. Steps and trail above the freeway
Picture
19. Morning Sun switchback
Picture
20. Morning Sun fun
Picture
21. Morning Sun trees
Picture
22. A high-house as seen from the Alta Trail
Picture
23. Lower Cable Roadway
Picture
24. Lower Cable Roadway's foot at Central (left)
Picture
25. Southview Park
Picture
26. West Court, 103 steps
Picture
27. Bridgeway boardwalk
Picture
28. Bridgeway to Josephine & North
Picture
29. Foot at Bridgeway
Picture
30. A bench partway up
Picture
31. Bench beautyspot
Picture
32. 120 steps
Picture
33. Stairtop view down
Picture
34. Josephine & North
Picture
35. Garden between stairways on Second St.
Picture
36. Up the east Second St. steps
Picture
37. Second St. east stairs
0 Comments

Peixotto and the Slickenside

10/20/2014

0 Comments

 
At the north dead-end of Douglass (first pic, a few steps and walkway over to Ord and the Vulcan and Saturn stairs) are 37 steps to States St. (pic 2), dividing Eureka Valley from the Corona Heights neighborhood. An eye-candy house favorite of mine is directly across from the top of the stairs, pic 3. 

Started up the ramp from States into Corona Heights Park. How come the men’s room at the rampside playground was locked in the middle of the day?

Leaving the park on the east side, through the Randall Museum’s animal-rescue room and down to the street, passing the foot of the main stairway (130 steps, pic 4) with the trailhead infosign.

Ranting yet again, I have difficulty understanding the priorities of the park people. As mentioned some months ago, the steepish potholed trail here still needs work in places. It’s steep enough for some steps and railings. Pix 5, 6. 

Down the De Forest steps to 15th. 

Am drawn to the words “hidden” and “secret” when applied to trails, urban miniparks and the like, so when a friend mentioned a writeup of Peixotto Park at 15th & Beaver, realized I was familiar with the area but hadn't seen the playground the writer spoke of. The tennis courts at the north foot of Corona Heights Park are very noticeable; was also familiar with the part-stairs, part-narrow dirt trail on the west side of the courts that climbs into the upper part of the park near the summit rocks. 

It’s true one can’t see the playground from 15th. So entered thru the main gate on the east side of the courts. Another entrance was blocked with some of those orange flexifences when I'd started into the park from that side. The Rocky Mountain (Parent) Participation Nursery School’s Peixotto Clubhouse is here (pic 7). 
Benches and a small playground here.

The most interesting thing about the little park to me was the sheer wall of rock (pic 8) on the north side of the park, difficult to see from the street.  A narrow enclosed pathway led from the playground, behind the fenced tennis courts, directly to the foot of the Slickenside Trail, pic 9, short, winding, and popular. Three other people, two with dogs, passed me descending as I was hiking up, this on a weekday.  

This is narrow and winding trail, hiker logo-signs at either end, with about 42 steps, including a few actual rocks as steps and some logs. Seems it could be improved upon to make it less loose-rock-slidey, however, especially when descending: 10 thru 14. As I was ascending, someone coming down even mentioned the slipperiness. 

After emerging at the top of the Slickenside, continued down to the Roosevelt park exit past the fenced dog play area. From here it's only a few blocks north to Buena Vista Park and its main south entrance. This whole southside was beautifully upgraded several years ago. 

The main trailhead here is a stairway with 171 steps up past wooden walkways (pix 15 thru 19). leading nearly to the summit where there’s a grassy little openspace. 


Last pic: an older stairway on the north side before exiting the park at Haight near Central. 


Picture
1. North dead-end of Douglass. Left to Ord, Vulcan and Saturn.
Picture
2. Up to States St. in Corona Heights
Picture
3. Top of the stairs at States St.
Picture
4. Foot of the main park stairway, 130 steps.
Picture
5. Fix this trail in Corona Heights Park!
Picture
6. Eastside trail repair needed in the park
Picture
7. Rocky Mountain Participation Nursery School clubhouse in Peixotto Park
Picture
8. Sheer wall of rock
Picture
9. Trail up the north side of Corona Heights Park
Picture
10. Nearing the top
Picture
11. Rocks and dirt where there are no steps
Picture
12. Buena Vista Park upper right side
Picture
13. Trailtop
Picture
14. Downtown SF in distance
Picture
15. 171 steps for Buena Vista Park's main southside stairway
Picture
16. Walkways east and west alongside the stairs
Picture
17. Shady wood walk on the south slope
Picture
18. You can sit and rest on your way up
Picture
19. Top of the main stairway
Picture
20. Older steps on the north side
0 Comments

West Potrero Footbridge and Stairway Walk

10/19/2014

0 Comments

 
A history of the miniparks and footbridge: 

http://www.sfparksalliance.org/our-parks/parks/fallen-bridgeutah-18th-mini-park

75 sidewalk steps climb on both sides of Mariposa up to Utah, starting partway up from Potrero Ave. First two pix: north steps.

The blue pedestrian bridge: 3 thru 9. 

The Benches on the San Bruno Ave. side is an even smaller micropark at the dead-end of 18th where the bridge starts. You can walk around inside the fenced Benches Garden: pix 10, 11. 

When you get to the west side of the blue bridge (a different color several years ago), pic 12, you’ll see Fallen Bridge Park/18th & Utah Minipark below, extending to where Utah curves around to 18th: 13, 14, 15.

Older houses at 18th near the park: 16, 17.

Slovenian Hall on Vermont near Mariposa, pic 18.  

This mural (pic 19) is at the foot of both McKinley Square Park (39 steps for the stairway here) and the Vermont wiggly street near 22nd. When you cross the 22nd St. bridge to the westside behind the hospital buildings, the first streets on the west side of the freeway are also Vermont and San Bruno. 

Farther along noticed another pedestrian freeway bridge (between 24th & 25th) but it was locked, unusable. Cars and pedestrians, however, can cross over at 23rd. 


I’ve long liked this old corner house on the west side of Vermont at 25th, across the street from an old firehouse, pic 20.   

17 steps to start on divided 23rd, 79 in all. At the top of the south sidewalk stairway just before Wisconsin you need to cross the street for the rest of the stairway; out at the corner of a small grocery:  21, 22.

147 steps for the Wisconsin down to Arkansas stairs, pix 23, 24, 25.

On to the 24th St. sidewalk stairways. The #19 Polk bus stops at the foot of these steps at Rhode Island (pic 26). The steps climb to De Haro: 132 steps for the south stairs (pic 27) and 107 for the north stairs (28, 29, 30). The drivable street in the center is bricked. Starr King Openspace is also at the top of the stairs. Attended an enjoyable groupwalk several years ago in this little park.

Last two: Houses on De Haro as I downhilled to the Whole Foods.


Picture
1. Potrero Ave. to Utah sidewalk steps on both sides of Mariposa .
Picture
2. North sidewalk stairs on Mariposa, 75 steps up to Utah
Picture
3. Onto the bridge from the east side
Picture
4. To get to the other side
Picture
5. More of these, please, across busy streets and freeways
Picture
6. Looking back
Picture
7. ... And in various bright colors
Picture
8. Looking out at the west hillside
Picture
9. Looking north and down
Picture
10. The Benches micropark and garden, east side
Picture
11. The little garden was unlocked
Picture
12. Out at the Utah side
Picture
13. Fallen Bridge Minipark below
Picture
14. Utah & 18th Minipark sign
Picture
15. Park mosaic
Picture
16. Utah & 18th
Picture
17. Utah & 18th
Picture
18. Vermont near Mariposa
Picture
19. Foot of McKinley Square Park
Picture
20. Vermont & 25th, across from an old firehouse
Picture
21. 23rd St. sidewalk stairway near the top
Picture
22. 23rd St. sidewalk stairs continue at top on opposite side of street, out to Wisconsin
Picture
23. Wisconsin stairway down to Arkansas
Picture
24. About 147 steps
Picture
25. Foot at Arkansas
Picture
26. Foot (at Rhode Island) of double sidewalk stairs up 24th
Picture
27. 132 south sidewalk steps up 24th St.
Picture
28. Looking down the north side
Picture
29. Bricked street with Starr King minipark at the top
Picture
30. 107 sidewalk steps to De Haro on 24th
Picture
31. 1050s De Haro
Picture
32. De Haro
0 Comments

    Author

    I like meandering around on San Francisco's park trails and public stairways, sometimes taking photos, and enjoying nature and the outdoors.

    Archives

    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.