My goal this time was to hit part of one of the trails of the vast GGNRA (Golden Gate National Recreation Area) above Sausalito, the Morning Sun Trail.
First, however, I needed to get up there. First long stairway was Excelsior Lane (179 steps), about three blocks' worth. It climbs up from Bridgeway alongside the Wells Fargo Bank.
At the top of Excelsior, curved round on Santa Rosa to access the next long one (187 steps) that climbs to Spencer. There are various kinds of steps; it starts out as stone with wood railings and finishes with all wood at the top (pix 1 thru 7). It's unnamed, one of my favorite Sausalito stairways. This is where I saw a deer in someone's yard on a previous hike.
Spencer Ave. curves up and around for a few blocks to the freeway offramp for Spencer. Since there's an exit here, there are a fair number of cars descending into residential Sausalito. Walking towards the traffic seems safer than having cars sneak up behind, there being no sidewalks.
Pic 8: 45 steps up from Spencer to access a long one (204 steps) down to Prospect.
At the top of Spencer, a short distance ahead to the west on Monte Mar is an underpass (pic 9) with a parking lot beyond. Here's where the Morning Sun Trail starts up into the GGNRA (pix 10, 11, 12) .
Some of the old wood stairs are quite steep, no railings, with stretches of narrow dirt-and-leaves trail in between and gorgeous trees. 177 steps as far as I went -- but there were more up ahead that I could see. Didn't quite make it up to the top as I was limited time-wise; had to allow myself enough time to get back down the mountain in time to catch the ferry.
It's a popular trail, with other hikers encountered several times up 'n down. Pix 13 through 24.
Back down the Spencer-to-Santa Rosa steps, then west to descend the main Locust steps, 60 for this part down to Cazneau (last two pics).
First, however, I needed to get up there. First long stairway was Excelsior Lane (179 steps), about three blocks' worth. It climbs up from Bridgeway alongside the Wells Fargo Bank.
At the top of Excelsior, curved round on Santa Rosa to access the next long one (187 steps) that climbs to Spencer. There are various kinds of steps; it starts out as stone with wood railings and finishes with all wood at the top (pix 1 thru 7). It's unnamed, one of my favorite Sausalito stairways. This is where I saw a deer in someone's yard on a previous hike.
Spencer Ave. curves up and around for a few blocks to the freeway offramp for Spencer. Since there's an exit here, there are a fair number of cars descending into residential Sausalito. Walking towards the traffic seems safer than having cars sneak up behind, there being no sidewalks.
Pic 8: 45 steps up from Spencer to access a long one (204 steps) down to Prospect.
At the top of Spencer, a short distance ahead to the west on Monte Mar is an underpass (pic 9) with a parking lot beyond. Here's where the Morning Sun Trail starts up into the GGNRA (pix 10, 11, 12) .
Some of the old wood stairs are quite steep, no railings, with stretches of narrow dirt-and-leaves trail in between and gorgeous trees. 177 steps as far as I went -- but there were more up ahead that I could see. Didn't quite make it up to the top as I was limited time-wise; had to allow myself enough time to get back down the mountain in time to catch the ferry.
It's a popular trail, with other hikers encountered several times up 'n down. Pix 13 through 24.
Back down the Spencer-to-Santa Rosa steps, then west to descend the main Locust steps, 60 for this part down to Cazneau (last two pics).
1. Foot at Santa Rosa
2. Santa Rosa up to Spencer
3. 187 steps
4. Santa Rosa up to Spencer unnamed stairway
5. Continuing up
6. Gate to a residence
7. All wood at the top
8. Stairway up from Spencer to short trail and long stairway down to Prospect
9. Underpass to parking lot and Morning Sun Trail
10. Parking lot. Morning Sun trailhead lower left corner
11. Morning Sun trailhead
12. Morning Sun trailhead
13. Narrow, old wood, covered with leaves
14. Look at these gorgeous trees!
15. Forested delight
16. I wanted to stay here all day…
17. Sun-dappled switchback
18. Oh, to live nearby…
19. Steeply through the forest
20. Treelimbs over the trail
21. A sunny open stretch
22. The freeway's way down below, center, right.
23. Check out this view!
24. More steps up ahead
25. This is Locust's main stairway
26. Locust here is all wood, about 60 steps down to Cazneau
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