Mountain Lake

2/15/2014

The Presidio's new walkway along Arguello's east side is now open (first two pix, upper Ecology Trail below), though at the time of my visit construction was still going on at Inspiration Point Overlook.

The dredging and remediation of Mountain Lake has finally been completed and it looks like a regular lake again. Pics 3, 4, 5.

Mountain Lake Trail is fully walkable but one offtrail area's still being worked on, just below the golf course. I'd actually posted something fairly recently about this short trail that I was able to squeeze through a gate to explore. Work commenced here right after that and is still ongoing. Headed west on the paved trail from the golf course parking lot to try to see what's going on.

Parts of infosigns: "…Tree removal and site preparation work, Mountain Lake East Arm wetland enhancement" and "…New rearing habitat for long-absent animals." Through the chainlink fence noticed water and an openspace; looks beautiful down there.

There also used to be a peaceful lakeview area just off Mountain Lake Trail with three benches, THEN: 6, 7, 8. A wait-and-see…

Another spot was offtrail just below the golf course's west edge where there were concrete slabs/steps from some old building and blackberry bushes, a favorite foraging place (THEN: 9, 10, 11).

This former wildspot's trail is okay to walk and the construction stuff's gone. The slope above has been stripped of all its old greenery and now covered with straw wattles and netting. Another wait-and-see. Part of an old structure is visible that was previously hidden by plants: pic 12. Trees do still block the view of the golf course. This is where the south-north part of Mountain Lake Trail turns to run east-west with the Veterans Blvd. underpass just ahead.

My lake-circling completed, up the 103 steps to the Marine Cemetery Vista Overlook. Pics 13, 14:

Crossed Battery Caulfield Rd. to hike around in the forest on and offtrail. These sandy trails are lined with branches; lots of pine cones. You can head north out to the residences, cross over to the last buildings on the east side of the neighborhood (above Lincoln), and onto a short trail that connects this 'hood with the Connector Trail. Then you can either climb the stairs to Immigrant Point Overlook or down the rest of the Connector to Lincoln Blvd.

From the next day's trek, accompanied by heavy fog: Starting off up the 37 or so steps to the Golden Gate Overlook and crossing to the short trail that leads to the up-n-down Batteries to Bluffs Trail (pix 15 through 22, around 473 steps).

From the BTB's west trailhead at Battery Crosby, up the trail to Lincoln and across the street to the aforementioned forested Connector Trail (208 steps), pix 23 thru 28.