The East Ridge and North Ridge Trails on Mount Sutro have been horribly butchered.
This treehugger was specially shocked by the way the East Ridge looks now, but the North Ridge has seen a huge amount of tree-felling and clearing as well.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, there were numerous paint splotches on other trees, apparently awaiting their doom. And what about all the wildlife habitat destruction?
The tree-killers have been picking on the East Ridge for years anyway, so depressing to one who remembers how lush and invitingly “mysterious” it used to be.
Compare this THEN (pic 1) of the East Ridge trailhead from before the destruction started with its current starkness. NOW: 2
Where are our good-for-nothing politicians when we need them to help prevent environmental harm, including spreading herbicides in our parks where wildlife live and dogs are walked?
Thousands are spent to fell healthy trees in this time of climate crisis instead of respecting and protecting this mid-city treasure and other endangered parks and street trees. They can’t be trusted not to overdo what they call “managing” the forest.
Started up the 149 Farnsworth steps to Edgewood Ave.: 3 thru 8
South on Edgewood to the Edgewood Trail: 9, 10
Edgewood Trail and up to the road: 11 thru 46
Along the road to the south: 47 thru 54
South along the road to the trailhead for the East Ridge and winding up past the tank to the summit: 55 thru 64
Upon reaching the summit from the East Ridge, several benches and new fence sections: 65 thru 69
The summit is now green due to the rains. Lots of planting flags. I keep hoping for wildflowers like used to be up here (a THEN of the summit from 2004, pic 70), including California poppies. Also hoping to see dandelions around the benches like I used to: 71 thru 75
Passing more planting flags to take the North Ridge Trail back down to the road, seeing more depressing clearing on the way: 76 thru 91
THEN from 2006 of the trailhead for the North Ridge at the road, pic 92. NOW: 93
Along the curvy road (Medical Center Way), down to the lower parking lot where the north stairway can be accessed: 94 thru 100
136 steps and out to Parnassus where the #6 and #43 buses stop: 101 thru 117
1 THEN: The East Ridge trailhead before all the tree-felling started
2 NOW: East Ridge trailhead as it looks today
3 Farnsworth Lane up to Edgewood Ave.
4 149 steps
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8 The swing has been here a long time
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10 Redbricked Edgewood is a dead-end for cars up ahead
11 Edgewood Trail begins
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21 Love the switchbacks on the Edgewood
22 Looking up to the road
23 Looking back
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52 Fairy Gates Trail below
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55 East Ridge Trail
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58 Left turn, Right is the Mystery Trail
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65 East Ridge to the summit
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70 A THEN of summit wildflowers from 2004. What I'd love to see now.
71 Summit benches ahead
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76 North Ridge Trail from the summit
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92 A THEN from 2006 of the North Ridge trailhead
93 NOW -- North Ridge trailhead
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99 Trailhead for the Historic Trail
100 Down alongside one of the medical buildings
101 Top of the north stairway
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117 Out to Parnassus from Medical Center Way
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