Blog Archives

New Eastside Fence

12/27/2016

Another pleasant surprise from the Presidio, one of my most visited parks.

I’d been quite fond of an old fence that separated an easternmost section of forest from the street. Had expressed disappointment that it’d been removed.

My visit to wander in this beautiful section of forest was made even more enjoyable y the discovery of a good-looking new fence to replace that old one.

Passing the top of the Lyon stairway (290 steps, first pic), entered the park thru the Broadway Gate: 2, 3

This is a favorite section of forest in the park ANYway. but now even more gorgeous lately after the rains: 4 thru 8

The fence is laid out just like the old one was. You enter the residential area thru an opening in the fence like before: 9 thru 21

The new fence also separates the forest from the street like it used to.

Onward to descend the 62 upper to lower Simonds Loop brick stairs: 22 thru 29

Further west, Mountain Lake Park: 30 thru 33

103 steps to the Marine Cemetery Vista Overlook: 34

Upper Amatury Loop stairs: pic 35

Park Trail: 36

A trail east from a residential area just above the Fort Scott Community Garden: 37, 38, 39, 40

1 290 steps for Lyon down from Broadway

2 Broadway Gate into the park

3 Mountain Lake Trail

22 Upper Simonds Loop

23 Steps/walk down to lower Simonds Loop

24 62 steps

30 Mountain Lake Park

31 Down to the lake

32 One of two short stairways down to Mountain Lake

33 Shorter Mountain Lake stairway

34 103 Marine Cemetery Vista Overlook steps and boardwalk

35 Upper Amatury Loop stairs

36 Park Trail

37 East from a residential area

38 An old fence

40 This is where they make those rustic benches you see around the park

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New Wood Footbridge

12/26/2016

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One advantage of hiking in light rain is that there aren’t many (or any) other people on the trails. A disadvantage is that the trails can be muddy and slimy-slippery. The slickest I’ve ever experienced is the trail circling Sutro Tower.

Descending from Arguello and Inspiration Point Overlook, 45 steps to the Ecology Trail: first four.

Winding down to El Polin Spring: 5, 6

Continuing, 69 steps to the picnic area: 7, 8

The public restroom facilities here are probably the only ones like this in any of our parks. Be good to have more of this kind — if there was a way to keep them safe from vandalism: 9

http://www.campbellgradinginc.com/category/tags/composting-toilet

This time continued north thru the adjacent residential area to a spot where I used to score lots of blackberries. This was on both sides of the northernmost part of Lovers Lane, a paved trail that descends into the park on the south side from Pacific: 10, 11

Lovers Lane further north: 12

Knew they’d been clearing/planting in this area and was delighted to now see a wooden, railed footbridge for this northernmost part of Lovers Lane: 13 thru 18

Some THENs of the area from 2009: 19 thru 25

Construction was still going on around here but no one objected to me walking it.

Forest near Lovers Lane and south part of Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line : 26 thru 32

1 View from Inspiration Point Overlook

2 Down to Ecology Trail

3 45 steps

5 Ecology Trail

6 Gimme Shelter

7 69 steps to El Colin Spring

10 South trailhead for Lovers Lane

19 THEN: 2009

20 THEN: 2009

21 THEN: 2009

22 THEN: 2009

23 THEN: 2009

24 THEN: 2009

25 THEN: 2009

:26 Wood Line

27 Wood Line

28 Wood Line

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Kenny

12/25/2016

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Having read that the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Excelsior neighborhood’s Kenny Alley tiled steps was Dec. 10, visited the next day.

Elected to take the #43 south to Mission from the Balboa Park BART and walk a few blocks east on Mission from Geneva for this alley between Italy and France, the address 4949 Mission.

So now as far as I know, SF has five tiled stairways besides this new one. Two in Golden Gate Heights, one in Golden Gate Park near the carousel, the Lincoln Park steps in he Outer Richmond neighborhood, and the Arelious Walker stairs in the Bayview.

Which will be next? So many to choose from. How about at least one in each neighborhood. Golden Gate Heights is especially suited for these, with its superlong concrete stairways.

So first there is a colorful wall mural on the right side as you head south towards the stairs: 1 thru 18

Then on both sides another mural on the wood fences. On the left (east) side there are several planters of tiny cacti and other succulents. Love this!

Going up the stairs on the right side are a row of little trees.

Kudos to the people who did such an outstanding job with this neighborhood-beautifying project: 17 thru 28

47 steps: 29 thru 39

London is the next street up: 40, 41

41 London St.

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Presidio Hikeplaces

12/11/2016

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I try to do the Batteries to Bluffs Trail at least once a month. East to west, 473 main trail steps: 1 thru 22

Up to Lincoln: 23

The Connector Trail up to Immigrant Point Overlook/Rob Hill Campground is now lushly green along its 208 steps: 24 thru 31

El Polin Spring and its 69 steps up to the Ecology Trail: 32 thru 36

Ecology Trail: 37, 38

45 steps up to Inspiration Point Overlook from the Ecology Trail: 39, 40

57 steps to the Post Chapel where one of my favorite trails climbs E-W thru the forest alongside the cemetery: 41, 42

103 steps (counting the stepped boardwalk) on the Mountain Lake Trail for the Marine Cemetery Vista overlook: 43, 44. 45, 46

Southeast Presidio: 47 thru 51

1 East trailhead for Batteries to Bluffs

13 About 473 steps for the main trail

15 Marshall's Beach Trail center - 49 steps

20 Top of west stairs at Battery Crosby

21 Down from the battery

23 Up to Lincoln

23 Across Lincoln, Connector Trail ahead

24 208 steps

31 To Immigrant Point Overlook and Rob Hill Campground

32 Ecology Trail to El Polin Spring

33 69 steps

37 Ecology Trail

39 To Inspiration Point Overlook from Ecology Trail

40 45 steps

41 To Post Chapel and trail alongside cemetery

42 57 steps

43 Mountain Lake Trail connector to Marine Cemetery Vista Overlook

44 103 steps

45 The stepped boardwalk

47 Lovers Lane center

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Stairclimbs at Lands End

12/7/2016

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West to east at Lands End. The stairways pictured do not include all the stairs in this park.

First, 125 steps descending from the lower parking lot overlook. First three pix.

This leads to a trail above Sutro Baths that will take you to the west trailhead for the Coastal Trail: 4, 5

Coastal Trail, this part AKA Sutro Baths Upper Trail, with 142 steps: 6 thru 14

Here’s one with 41 steps: 15

First Coastal Trail overlook to the upper parking lot overlook and El Camino del Mar trailhead, about 59 steps: 16, 17

Connector up to the El Camino del Mar Trail. 89 steps: 18 thru 21

This one (47 steps) will take you from the El Camino del Mar Trail up to the west end of the Legion of Honor parking lot: 22

Descending from the Coastal Trail about halfway along is the Mile Rock Beach stairway, 262 steps: 23 thru 34

Looking down: 35

And now the Coastal Trail ascends with 138 steps - on the west side: 36, 37

Now down the east side. 120 viewsteps: 38 thru 42

Continuing east on the Coastal/ Lands End Trail: 44, 45, 46

At the park’s east trailhead, crossing the street to a trail that’s just below the east edge of the Lincoln Park golf course (47).

This will take you to the top of the 52 Lincoln Park tiled steps.

Down to the west dead-end of California St. at 33rd Ave. in the Outer Richmond neighborhood: 48 thru 52

1 Down from lower parking lot overlook

2 125 steps

4 Sutro Baths ruins below

5 Around to the cavetop viewplace

6 Coastal Trail starts here

7 142 steps

8 AKA Sutro Baths Upper Trail

15 41 steps

16 59 steps between two overlooks

17 Upper parking lot overlook to El Camino del Mar Trail

18 89 steps connecting El Camino del Mar and Coastal Trails

22 47 steps to west end of Legion of Honor parking lot

23 Mile Rock Beach Trail descends from Coastal Trail

24 262 steps

32 Mile Rock Beach below

35 Looking down from Coastal / Lands End Trail

36 138 steps

38 Starting down the east side

39 120 steps

46 out to Eagles Point Overlook

47 Trail between Lands End east trailhead and Lincoln Park tiled steps

51 52 wide steps

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Greenslopes

12/4/2016

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The #44 O’Shaughnessy bus came before the #52 Excelsior this time, so starting this canyon hike near the Elk St. stop. Passing the stairs down from Bosworth to the Glen Park Rec. Center. first pic.

Into Glen Canyon via its southernmost trailhead, off Bosworth, and a westside trail: 2 thru 6

Crossing Islais Creek, 15 steps and a footbridge: 7, 8, 9, 10

Directly across is a stairtrail starting up from the main trail. 70 for the first flight up to a short dirt trail between steps.

Continuing, 115 steps as I follow the trail up to some rocks.

Total steps for this part, counted as one stairway, 134: 11 thru 25

A trail fork (pic 26) and a W-E trail (27). Next, 17 steps/trail to the foot of the main stairway that ascends to Christopher Park: 28 thru 33

Now for the main eastside stairs,77 up to the bench. Total for this one, 92: 34 thru 46

Bench in Christopher Park with canyontop trail to left: 47

27 steps from the north side of Christopher Park to Diamond Heights Shopping Center’s parking lot: last one