Thought I’d check out the Hidden Garden Steps project planned for the 16th Ave. (Kirkham to Lawton) stairway (148 steps) to see what, if anything, might have been accomplished since my last visit. Uphill a short distance from the 16th Ave. and Judah Metro stop, a colorful mural now decorates the low walls at the foot of the steps. There’ve also been some new plantings alongside since my last visit. See these sites for more info and a drawing of how the stairway is to look when completed:
http://www.hiddengardensteps.org
http://hiddengardensteps.org/AbouUs.html
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2143716381/tile-the-hidden-garden-steps-and-honor-glbts
The Golden Gate Heights neighborhood is a public stairway enthusiast’s heaven. Take your choice of superlong ones.
Only climbed two of these today, however; the second the Moraga/16th Ave. tiled stairway, 163 steps, artwork completed in 2005: First pic.
At the top is a retaining wall and short stairway, then the long zigzag stairway up into Grandview Park (144 steps. Second foto: a Grandview Park trail).
The fog up here was so thick I had to keep wiping my glasses, and whenever I passed beneath trees fat drops would plop on my head. Not a good day to take pix but definitely a good workout.
Passed by the fog-ghostly feet of stairways Cascade Walk (131 steps, third pic: this the top at Pacheco), Aerial East (116, fourth pic: Looking across to Mount Sutro’s west side), and Oriole (90-something steps).
At the dead-end of Quintara just past 10th Ave. is a very short fenced pathway out to the Forest Hill neighborhood. There’ve been some new plantings here too since last visit.
You’ll come out onto shady Mendosa on the lower slope of the hill called Forest Hill (one source says about 775’ elevation). A long, winding hike to the east finally took me down to the Forest Hill Metro Station on 7th Ave. Curved past the foot of the Alton stairway (92 steps) and the top of the grand Pacheco stairway. Fifth pic: the Pacheco stairway as seen from the shorter Pacheco stairway in the Edgehill Heights neighborhood.
I get plenty of stairwalking in the Metro/BART stations as well, sometimes taking the long stairway down to catch the train from the Forest Hill station instead of the elevator. This long, gloomy, in-between passageway could use some color. Inspired by the new mural at the foot of the 16th Ave. stairway, I’m seeing these wall tiles transformed into bright solid colors and designs.
16th Ave. & Moraga Tiled Stairway
A trail in Grandview Park
Top of Cascade Walk stairway at Pacheco
Descending Aerial stairway east. Mount Sutro's west side in distance. Twin Peaks right.
Pacheco stairway into Forest Hill 'hood from Pacheco steps into Edgehill Heights
RSS Feed
