From the Forest Hill Metro stop, headed north on Laguna Honda to Clarendon, then uphill on Clarendon for the Ashwood stairway into Mount Sutro's Forest Knolls 'hood (first pic: Forest Knolls from afar). A longish trek but in the mood to enter the neighborhood from the east end for a change. Ashwood has 109 steps and a fenced sidewalk between the top of the stairs and the street (second pic).
Upon reaching the top of Ashwood, the foot of Blairwood was directly across the street. Blairwood is in three sections: 116 steps for the first flight, 103 for the second, and 118 for the highest: 337 steps total (next two pix).
To continue into Sutro Forest, west on Crestmont (past the retaining wall and top of the Oakhurst stairway) to the steepish West Ridge Trail. There's no trail marker on Crestmont for this end.
Since my last visit, someone had tied a rope to a tree limb to make it easier to pull one's self up. Tested it; seemed sturdy enough. At the top of this part was now a trail marker for the Historic Trail with the West Ridge continuing up.
For a change, turned left on the Historic (love all the ferns), descending to curvy Medical Center Way with its sidewalk between the guardrail and sturdy rope-and-wood fencing where one can get glimpses of the lower trails: Fairy Gates, Edgewood, and (lower) Historic. Next pic: Fairy Gates trailhead at Medical Center Way.
Down the Fairy Gates and onto the lower Historic trail (next pic) to come out at the Stanyan trailhead (at 17th: last pic).
Upon reaching the top of Ashwood, the foot of Blairwood was directly across the street. Blairwood is in three sections: 116 steps for the first flight, 103 for the second, and 118 for the highest: 337 steps total (next two pix).
To continue into Sutro Forest, west on Crestmont (past the retaining wall and top of the Oakhurst stairway) to the steepish West Ridge Trail. There's no trail marker on Crestmont for this end.
Since my last visit, someone had tied a rope to a tree limb to make it easier to pull one's self up. Tested it; seemed sturdy enough. At the top of this part was now a trail marker for the Historic Trail with the West Ridge continuing up.
For a change, turned left on the Historic (love all the ferns), descending to curvy Medical Center Way with its sidewalk between the guardrail and sturdy rope-and-wood fencing where one can get glimpses of the lower trails: Fairy Gates, Edgewood, and (lower) Historic. Next pic: Fairy Gates trailhead at Medical Center Way.
Down the Fairy Gates and onto the lower Historic trail (next pic) to come out at the Stanyan trailhead (at 17th: last pic).
Forest Knolls/Sutro Forest
Ashwood at Clarendon
Blairwood stairway
Blairwood stairway
Fairy Gates Trailhead
Lower Historic Trail, right
Trailhead at Stanyan & 17th
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