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Bengal Blocked at Top

2/15/2013

4 Comments

 
The top of the Bengal Alley steps (Lansdale down to Miraloma) on Mount Davidson was blocked today, but you can ascend from Miraloma, at the foot of the renovated stairway-minipark. Upon reaching the attractive wood gate, found it to be blocked with a large-containered plant and I couldn't descend the rough stone stairs (first pic). 

Could it be it got closed off due to a safety issue with this first part down? 

Curious as to whether it was still accessible from the foot. But had to continue south a few blocks (on Casitas now) as there was no way down until I got to where Hazelwood meets Yerba Buena. So walked back up on Yerba Buena, then Miraloma, to the Bengal sign. 

Improvements to Bengal's lower part have been made since my last visit. Goodlooking new wood railings have been added and an attractive solid wood fence constructed alongside the newer wood-and-concrete stairs. The old chainlink fence is still there but you can still easily walk around it; about 52 steps to the bench and 64 to where the stone steps begin. Last time I did the whole thing I counted about 107. 

Plopped down on the bench for a few minutes before descending to the #43 bus stop. This stairway really does serve a purpose for those who take the bus; the stop is right in front of it. Otherwise, as done today, one has to walk a few blocks over to get to Yerba Buena to a bus stop. 

From the main south trailhead into Mount Davidson Park (from the #36 Teresita stop here) headed up the steepish trail to the openspace (second pic), then up one of the two openspace stairways (third pic), and on to the forest. The cross (fourth pic) is 103 feet tall. Down 24 old log steps (pics 5, 6) from the monument, then more steps, stone this time (pics 7, 8: 51 steps) to a main trail. 

Decided on a couple of lower, more secluded trails not hiked in a while (trailheads out to La Bica and Chaves: ninth pic) before climbing again to a main trail and out a west park trailhead to steep Dalewood (10th pic), then over to Lansdale (11th pic) to check out Bengal. 



Last one's from a few years ago, taken from Diamond Heights across Glen Canyon. 


Picture
Top of Bengal Alley steps
Picture
Main south trailhead into Mount Davidson Park
Picture
Mount Davidson Park openspace
Picture
The Summit Cross
Picture
Down to a Trail from the Cross
Picture
Down from the Cross; more steps to left.
Picture
Continuing to a main trail
Picture
Stone steps in the Forest
Picture
Out of the Park to Chaves
Picture
Out the West Side to Dalewood
Picture
Lansdale with Dalewood to left
Picture
Mount Davidson Park in distance, Glen Canyon center, Diamond Heights
4 Comments
Save Sutro link
2/15/2013 01:56:50 pm

Great account of your hike, and neat pictures! Those stone steps are so romantic.

Just a thought: Could you maybe number the captions on your pics next time? It would make it easier to follow along.

Reply
Tony
2/15/2013 11:59:14 pm

Will do next time. Thanks for the suggestion.

Reply
Kay Curry
4/2/2013 03:58:32 am

Hi,

Thanks for featuring Bengal Alley again. Love your photos.

I can answer any questions you have about Bengal Alley. It is a street park, and I am its steward. The owners of abutting properties, and our neighborhood group, Friends of Bengal Alley, have spent four years renovating the Alley.

We recently received from SFDPW the approved permit to reopen the Alley. Yesterday, the last official barrier to public use of the Alley, a chain-link fence at the Miraloma entrance, was removed. All are now welcome to walk the Alley and enjoy the excellent views out over the Pacific.

The entrance at Lansdale is due for some work but is marginally passable now. We have removed the "closed" tape and will remove the potted plant and prune the shrubbery that currently blocks part of the entrance.

The cobble stones at the Lansdale Avenue end were professionally repaired four years ago. I agree they look rough, and they are uneven, but they can be navigated, with care.

Getting the Alley back in shape has been a long, complicated process, and receiving approval from the public is like receiving grace. Thanks again.

Reply
Phoebe
10/13/2013 03:19:54 am

Tragically the wood they used for the Bengal Stairs AND planters where food is growing is pressure treated. That means it's full of arsenic. This type of wood has a distictive look, notice the evenly placed horizontal indentations? It's so toxic that you'll absorb it just by touching it, and arsenic will get in the food that's growing. I'm really shocked that anyone, especially anyone in San Francisco, would use this toxic wood that is so hazardous that it needs to removed and disposed of by hazmat trained companies. Read about this toxic wood here:
http://www.origenbio.com/ccawood.html

Reply



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

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