Blog Archives

Battery East Trail

11/9/2013

I usually move west from the Bridge area when starting a hike from up there. These first six pics are some of the reasons why I'm compelled to do so; I've found some stairways/trails to be highly addictive. Batteries to Bluffs Trail: First four pics (473-ish steps), and Immigrant Point Overlook Connector Trail (208 steps), pix 5 and 6.

However, this time decided to head east along the Battery East Trail (pic 7).

The Battery East Trail's curving wood stairway has 153 steps (pics 8 through 13). It descends to west Crissy Field near the Warming Hut.

Back up the stairs again, turned onto the Presidio Promenade Trail (pic 14), heading south via Crissy Field Overlook (pic 15) and down past the stables to say hi to the friendly hosses (pic 16).

Up the Park Trail and from there continuing up on the Cemetery Overlook Connector Trail (98 steps), past the Frog Woman Rock temp art installation in the forest (pics 17, 18, 19).

Out at the overlook's south entrance, continued past Inspiration Point to the Arguello Gate (last pic: I like this bench: just before exiting the park here).

1. West trailhead for the Batteries to Bluffs

2. Batteries to Bluffs midtrail

3. Marshall's Beach below

4. View west on the Batteries to Bluffs

5. Connector Trail up from Lincoln to Immigrant Point Overlook

6. Immigrant Point Overlook Connector Trail

7. Battery East Trail

8. Battery East Trail

9. Battery East Trail down to Crissy Field

10. Top of Battery East Trail stairway

11. Battery East stairway

12. Back up again

13. Battery East Trail

14. Presidio Promenade Trail

15. Crissy Field sculptures below

16. Presidio Stables

17. Cemetery Overlook Connector Trail up from Park Trail

18. Frog Woman Rock: Art in the Park

19. Up to Cemetery Overlook

20. Bench at Arguello Gate

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299 Steps Laurel Lane

11/8/2013

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For this latest Sausalito hike, started up the El Monte stairway (120 steps, first two pics) from Bridgeway to Bulkley. Continuing on Bulkley, saw another of those pedestrian pathways just below the narrow street as mentioned in a previous post. The walkway has several short stairways leading up to Bulkley with the homes on the other side (pics 3, 4, 5).

My first longer stairway discovery of the day, just past Locust, was 85 steps up from Girard to Filbert (approx. 89 Girard, its foot found on Google Maps Streetview later): older concrete with the last, top, section wood steps and wood-railed. (pics 6, 7, 8, 9).

Continued uphill to the dead-end of Marie where there are a couple of benches and 25 wood steps, a short connector mentioned in a previous post (pic 10), up to Woodward.

Another treat: Langendorf Park has 52 wood steps down from Woodward to picnic tables and a playground, pics 11, 12, 13.

Back up on Woodward again, came to an old stairway whose foot (pic 14) can be seen on Google Maps in Streetview (look up 117-123 Woodward). Continuing up this one, there's a welcoming bench (pic 15) at the 163rd step. Pics: 16, 17, 18, 19. This corresponds with "Laurel Lane" on Google Maps though the stairway has no sign at either end. The steps climb to a cul-de-sac (pic 20).

This is the longest Sausalito stairway I've found so far at 299 steps; beats out Cable Roadway's 288. Laurel continues steeply uphill about a block as a vehicle street to Toyon.

Other street names noticed: Platt, Currey, Vista Clara, Crecienta. The freeway wasn't crossable here. Could see some street exit names on a freeway sign through the trees; the first was Spencer. Trees shielded most of the freeway from the homes, but there was still plenty of noise. I suppose one gets used to it to a certain extent.

1. El Monte stairway up from Bridgeway

2. El Monte steps, Bridgeway to Bulkley

3. Just below Bulkley

4. Several short stairways down to the pedestrian walkway

5. Walkers' pathway below Bulkley

6. Girard up to Filbert, no name

7. Up to Filbert from Girard

8. Top of stairs at Filbert

9. Top of stairway at Filbert

10. Vehicle dead-end of Marie. Steps up to Woodward

11. Langendorf Park down from Woodward

12. Langendorf Park stairway

13. Langendorf Park steps back up to Woodward

14. Foot of the long Laurel Lane stairway up from Woodward

15. Bench at the 163rd step, Laurel Lane

16. Laurel Lane continues up

17. Laurel Lane

18. Continuing up Laurel Lane

19. Near the top

20. The block-long vehicle part of Laurel up to Toyon

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New Twin Peaks Trail

11/2/2013

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At the south end of Twin Peaks Blvd. at Portola is a new dirt trail starting up on the other side of the guardrail (first pic) that I'd call "easy" and very pleasant.

Midcrest Way is above the trail/Blvd. (pic 2) and Glenview's rooftops below as one continues. Re a recent newspaper article, I can't see why anyone would object to this trail. It's not all that close to Glenview and makes it safer for hikers and joggers to get up to the park this way. Pix 3, 4, 5.

Used to mainly climb up Midcrest to its vehicle dead-end where there's a park entrance (pic 6), and back down that way as well, but like the new trail more.

At the end of the new trail are around 22 widely spaced steps (pix 7 through 11). The top of Midcrest is a short distance to the right in pic 10.

Took my usual route up via another flight of widely spaced steps, directly across from Midcrest's dead-end, old and sometimes steep (40 steps, pics 12, 13), to the part of Twin Peaks Blvd. where one can access each of the peaks via more old wood steps. All steps in the park, including up and down each of the peaks, are old, wood, and sometimes steep. Noticed a new dirt, stepless, steepish trail nearby.

Pix 14, 15: Noe peak's south steps start up from Twin Peaks Blvd.

Pic 16: Eureka peak's south steps up from the Blvd.

Crossing over to the west side of the Blvd. (Midtown Terrace/Sutro Tower/Mount Sutro side, pic 17), saw that some bushes have been cleared away on this side too, so now one can walk on a trail just over the guardrail like one can on the east side.

Heading back down again, the east side (pic 18) has long had a trail here, all the way to the main overlook. The stairway down to Crestline where the #37 Corbett/Twin Peaks stops (the #74 Crestline stop) has about 93 steps (pics 19, 20, 21).

At the bus stop is the top of the first flight of the long Vista Lane stairway (about three blocks) that descends to Burnett. Last two pix: Vista Lane's top flight down from Crestline.

1. Starting up the new trail at south end of Twin Peaks Blvd. Portola to right.

2. Midcrest Way homes above

3. New trail continues up

4. Twin Peaks Blvd. to left of guardrail

5. Curving around

6. Midcrest Way vehicle dead-end and short trail into the park

7. End of new trail and steps into the park, center

8. Trail into the park with widely spaced steps

9. Trail climbs higher. Glenview's rooftops below.

10. Midcrest homes upper right corner

11. At a higher level of Twin Peaks Blvd. with more steps to climb

12. Up an older stairway. Midcrest homes directly below.

13. About 40 widely spaced steps

14. A long stairway up Noe Peak's south side

15. Noe Peak's south steps up from Twin Peaks Blvd.

16. Up the south side of Eureka Peak

17. Midtown Terrace below; Sutro Tower center right; Mount Sutro and the Forest Knolls 'hood center

18. The eastside trail winds around next to Twin Peaks Blvd.

19. Top of the eastside steps down to Crestline

20. Twin Peaks Blvd. down to Crestline, 93 steps

21. The Crestline steps are old and steep

22. Top flight of the long Vista Lane stairway down from Crestline

23. Top of the Vista Lane stairway series down to Burnett from Crestline

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Frog Woman Rock

11/1/2013

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Just beyond the Presidio Cafe on Arguello is the south trailhead for the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Passed the Spire (first pic), soon into the Cemetery Overlook area (pic 2).

Partway down the cemetery connector trail (pic 3), 98 steps through the forest down to Park Blvd., is a temporary outdoor art installation (to November 17) called "Frog Woman Rock" (pics 4, 5, 6). An explanatory quote from "Presidio eNews" of October 30:

"This interactive outdoor installation by local artist David Wilson features an elaborate 16-foot-high ink drawing displayed against the eucalyptus forest and accompanied by a recording of music performed on site. It is part of a larger installation entitled Arrivals, featuring art at six outdoor locations throughout San Francisco. The installation is presented in partnership with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art …"

Back up the steps again to continue on the Bay Area Ridge Trail just below the residences (pix 7, 8), and on to Washington/Compton at Hunter Rd. where I noticed five or so new wood steps (pic 9). There's soon to be a new segment of the Anza Trail that will connect the Public Health Service District with Immigrant Point's picnic area, so say the infosigns.

There's a short stretch along Battery Caulfield Rd. on the west side of the street between upper Presidio Forest trails and the Lobos Creek Overlook that's not pedestrian-friendly. I've long wished for a continuing trail in this area and would either detour on Presidio Forest trails or watch for cars curving downhill that'd pass uncomfortably close.

So today on the way down Rob Hill on Battery Caulfield, just past the west trailhead for the Marine Cemetery Vista, was pleased to see a new (dirt) trail that was perfectly walkable, at the foot of which one can cross over to the Lobos Creek Valley Overlook or continue on the regular sidewalks near the Landmark residences.

The Marine Cemetery Vista trail with its 103 steps, boardwalk, and benches (pics 10, 11) is also a good way to go, at the foot of which you can continue out at the 14th Ave. "Gate."

Pix 12 through18: Some recent Batteries to Bluffs Trail pix.