Turn left at the top of the stairs. A block or so to the north, curving round on Crestmont, is the foot of the elusive West Ridge Trail up into Sutro Forest. There’s no trailmarker for it on Crestmont, a couple of old steps to start, and It’s steep: 10 thru 14
The first part of the West Ridge climbs to the Historic Trail. You can continue up the West Ridge for a delightful summit shortcut.
This time winding to the left on the Historic. Disappointed to see so much clearing-and-chopping. They’ve apparently also eradicated the little patch of Miner’s Lettuce that used to grow in a certain place up here all year round (the plant is normally seasonal, showing up in the parks during winter and spring months). It’d been there since the beginning of time. Hopefully they didn’t get the roots and it’ll reappear with more rain.
Continuing on the Historic to a rock just offtrail where I like to stop for a bite to eat.
Soon seen below are the medical buildings and Medical Center Way.
The upper Historic: 15 thru 29
The end of the trail descends to the road where a short distance from here are trailheads for the North Ridge, Fairy Gates, and East Ridge: 30, 31, 32
From the Fairy Gates trailhead down to the Edgewood Trail and out to the south dead-end of Edgewood Ave. Pix 33 thru 39
Three or so blocks downhill on Edgewood (past the top of Belmont) to its north dead-end for vehicles and the 149 Farnsworth steps: pic 40
But instead of descending on Farnsworth, a few yards west from the top of the steps and the swing (pic 41), onto a trail just behind the homes on Edgewood Ave. Partway along is a trail downhill. A lot of hacking has been done in this area too: pic 42
Go down this and you’ll soon come to a very old wood stairway with 16 steps: 43 thru 47
This connects with the longer one (138 steps) that descends from the parking lot, the stairway I’m always going on about: 48 thru 52
Last pic: Aldea residential area netween Behr & Johnstone with steps between the two streets, the residences and the community center.