Blog Posts

Bos to Por

2/12/2020

Off the #44 O’Shaughnessy bus at Elk & Bosworth. Between Elk and the Bosworth entrance to Glen Park Rec. Center/Glen Canyon Park is this stairway down to a playing field: 1

On the west canyon floor trail. Lots of miner’s lettuce in the parks now: 2 thru 29

The trail turns east and continues north: 30 thru 35

Up to a higher trail for a short distance. A favorite wildflower, yellow oxalis, is showing up: 36, 37, 38

Back down, crossing the footbridge over Islais Creek: 39

Trail and steps to Portola Dr.: 40 thru 55

Down to in Ametyst in Diamond Heights: 56 thru 59

Amethyst, Diamond Heights neighborhood: 60, 61, 62

Twin Peaks from Diamond Heights Blvd.: 63, 64, 65

1 Stairs down from Bosworth

3 Glen Park Rec. Center to right

29 Islais Creek

35 To an upper trail

37 Yellow Oxalis and Diamond Heights homes

39 Back down again

40Steps-trail up to Portola

41 About 56 steps

56 Out to Amethyst in Diamond Heights

63 Twin Peaks from Diamond Heights Blvd.

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Holler

2/10/2020

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O’Shaughnessy Hollow is separated from Glen Canyon’s west side by winding O’Shuaughnessy Blvd. This spectacular viewspot is on Mount Davidson’s east side.

Took the #36 Teresita to where Teresita connects with Marietta which curves to the east.

Marietta is divided W-E by plantings and a few steps. Wind east a short distance and a dramatic view opens up. Trails and rocks and views across to Diamond Heights with Glen Canyon below.

Once there was a swing at the main tree here, but next time visited the swing had been removed. At least the tree is still here.

Marietta east: 1 thru 7

The park and views from: 8 thru 40

Mount Davidson Park in distance: 41

Back out again and downhill on Marietta to steep Stillings, past Detroit (above the stairway) and Congo with views to the left (north) of where I was earlier: 42 thru thru 48

Continuing down to the Glen Park Rec. Center at the foot of Glen Canyon. Elk St. down from Bosworth is also steep: 49

Those of you who think there aren’t many children in San Francisco these days apparently have never seen the nannies and parents, strollers, and little kids in the playground area and coming and going from this park.

Glen Park Rec. Center: 50, 51

The only stairway this time has 24 steps to a delightful enclosed N-S trail between Elk and the tennis courts, exiting near Chenery. Do not know the name of this plant lining the trail — love it: 52 thru 63

Out of the ark at Elk near Chenery: 64, 65, 66

Chenery east to Diamond St. in the Glen Park neighborhood: 67 thru 75

1 Marietta

3 Divided street

11 Diamond Heights across Glen Canyon

23 A swing once hung from this tree

29 O'Shaughnessy below

30 Glen Canyon

37 This lemon tree has been here for many years

41 Mount Davidson Park in distance

42 Looking back to where I was earlier

44 Downhill on Stillings

49 Down to Bosworth in the Flen Park neighborhood

50 Glen Park Rec. Center

52 24 steps

53 Up to a trail between the tennis courts and Elk St.

59 Tennis courts below

60 Yellow Oxalis, a favorite wildflower

64 Out of the park at Elk

67 Chenery St.

69 From Chenery, Burnside steps in distance up to Bosworth

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Pet Cem

2/8/2020

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Starting off at the second Bridge bus stop, crossing the pedestrian/bike bridge. 1 thru 7

Used to take the steps all the way down to the foot of the row of batteries. Now this short stairway is blocked off. You can walk alongside the battery: 8 thru 12

Along the trail to the east and under the Bridge: 13 thru 21

Bridgeviews: 22 thru 28

Down steeply to a picnic area: 29, 30, 31

From the picnic area, thru the low overhead tunnel: 32 thru 38

Out the other side, continuing east: 39 thru 42

The redone Battery East Trail to the stairway: 43 thru 52

Down 153 steps: 53 thru 64

At the foot of the steps you can go west to Fort Point or east for Crissy Field: 65

Behind some old buildings at west Crissy Field: 66 thru 71

Found the old Pet cemetery open and walkable, surrounded by a white picket fence.

This is where Crissy Field Ave. merges into McDowell near the old stables and beneath Presidio Parkway: 72 thru 93

Across the street from the Pet Cemetery: 94

Up the paved street that’s now marked at the top for walkers and bicycles, closed off several years ago to vehicle traffic. Partway up is a bench with a view down to Crissy Field where I’d just come from: 95 thru 105

At the top of this, Presidio Promenade has a couple of newer benches: 106 thru 116

Continuing back towards the Bridge on the old Andrews Road, a delightful trail. A vehicle street (Long Ave.) is below and Lincoln above: 117 thru 128

Back out to the Battery East Trail: 129 thru 135

Left to Battery East Overlook: 136, 137, 138

Back to the Bridge area just below Lincoln, looking down to the picnic area where I was earlier: 139, 140

8 This old stairway down is now blocked off

10 Walk alongside the battery

20 Under the Bridge

23 Fort Point below

29 Steep trail to the picnic area

43 Battery East Trail continues

53 153 steps

55 Looking back up

56 Wild rose

67 Shortcut

72 The old pet cemetery is open again

85 Pathway

92 Back out

95 This street is now closed off to motor vehicles

96 For bicycles and pedestrians now

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101 Partway up

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103 Crissy Field below

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117 Andrews Road back to Battery East Trail

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So many people on the Land’s End\Coastal (lower) Trail, even though I always hike it on a weekday.

On the Coastal to where steps ascend to the El Camino del Mar (upper) Trail for the rest of it.

Starting at the 32nd Ave. bus stop, up the 52 Lincoln Park steps: 1, 2

North on the trail just below the golf course: 3

Two THENs (2009 and 2010) and a NOW of Eagle’s PointOverlook: 4, 5, 6

Land’s End/CoastalTrail: 7 thru 10

Second stairway this hike — around 120 steps of various kinds up the east side: 11 thru 19

Third stairway: 138 steps down the west side: 20 thru 26

Continuing on the Coastal Trail: 27 thru 39

Fourth stairway, 89 steps to the El Camino del Mar Trail: 40, 41, 42

El Camino del Mar Trail: 43 thru 47

Out to the upper parking lot overlook: 48 thru 54

Down past Fort Miley Forest to 48th Ave. & Geary for the 38R Geary bus where it rests at the end of its crosstown journey at the east edge of Sutro Heights Park: 55 thru 58

1 52 steps

3 North trail just below Lincoln Park golf course

4 THEN -- Eagle's Point in 2009, east Land's End trailhead for Coastal Trail

5 THEN -- 2010. Eagle's Point.

6 NOW -- Eagle's Point Overlook

17 Looking back

19 Looking back

20 Down the west side

21 Looking back

23 Second bench down the west stairs

35 This descends to Mile Rock Beach

40 Up to the El Camino del Mar Trail

43 El Camino del Mar Trail

51 Steps from upper to lower overlook

56 Fort Miley woods

57 At the top of the forest you can continue to the VA Hospital

58 Another overlook. Sutro Heights Park in distance to left.

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Dragonfly Jan

1/31/2020

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Presidio’s Fort Scott neighborhood, heading east to the nursery: 1 thru 5

30 nursery steps: 6, 7

Old tile pathway: 8, 9

Trail from the nursery west to Fort Scott’s Dragonfly Creek footbridge: 10 thru 21

Not the best day to capture the charm of the old stone footbridge. A cloudy day would’ve been better. The steps and walkway were thick with leaves and eucalyptus fronds: 22 thru 40

Fort Scott neighborhood: 41 thru 48

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Some THEN photos from 2010 of the outdoor installations called Presidio Habitats. Hoped these would be permanent but this was not to be. Thought actual critters might choose to make one or more of these their homes.

My favorites were from the Fort Scott area. Possible Great Blue Heron sightings: 49 thru 57

Above Fort Scott’s Dragonfly Creek footbridge, a potential bat house: 58, 59, 60

Animal Estates Snag Tower designed for various wild things: 61, 62, 63

Western Screech Owl dwelling: 64

Rib Hill Campground area —this for red-tailed hawks: 65

Owl dome: 66

Gray Fox house on Park Trail: 67 thru 71

Park Trail American Robin housing: 72thru 77

3 Nursery below

6 30 steps

49 THEN -- Presidio Habitats, Fort Scott , 2010

58 THEN -- Dragonfly Creek footbridge bat house, Fort Scott

61 THEN -- Animal Estates Snag Tower for various critters

64 THEN --Western Screech Owl habitat

65 THEN -- For red-tailed hawks

66 THEN -- Owl Dome

67 THEN -- Home for a gray fox

72 THEN -- Park Trail American Robin dwealings

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Cem to Post

1/30/2020

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From the Arguello Gate, passing by the deforestation space that had caused me tome avoid the Spire area for a few months: 1 thru 5

At that time I’d walked past hills of wood chips and bare ground where a group of beautiful trees had been destroyed, said to be replaced by other trees in December.

This latest hike, in mid-January, took me past the depressing sight of still-bare ground. Not only that wide space, but on the other side of the trail some trees here were also gone: 6

Glad to then be in an unmolested forest a bit further on: 7 thru 13

Crossing to the residences and National Cemetery Overlook: 14, 15

Into the forest on the far south side, above the overlook: 16 thru 22

This section of forest has been cleared somewhat also.

A peaceful place to log-sit for a bit. This isn’t a heavily traveled trail; encountered only one dog walker and her charges: 23 thru 47

Post Chapel and the forest above where I’d just come from: 48 thru 55

A THEN of a beautiful bench that was once in this area: 56

57 steps down to the Main Post: 57 thru 64

The old theater: 65

THEN — Officers’ Club before its huge makeover. Still miss the little gift shop that used to be here: 66

Officers'Club NOW: 67 thru 71

Next to the Officers’Club: 72

THENs of the former Pershing Hall before its makeover into In of the Presidio: 73, 74

NOW - Inn at the Presidio: 75, 76

THEN - 36 concrete steps, 2009: 77

NOW - 6 steps descend from the Main Post/Inn at the Presidio to the next street —and an old trail not taken in a long time: 78 thru 82

The old trail: 83, 84

North end of Lover’s Lane: 85

1 Entering a section of forest

2 Deforestation section

4 Very disturbing sight

6 To my left, some other trees were felled

7 Moving on

12 North on Arguello

14 Residential area near the cemetery overlook

22 A south trail

56 THEN - from 2009. Not here now.

59 57 steps

65 Presidio Theatre

66 THEN - Officers'Club from 2009

67 Officers'Club

73 THEN - Pershing Hall, 2009

74 THEN - Pershing Hall, 2009

75 NOW - Inn at the Presidio

76 NOW - Inn at the Presidio

77 THEN - 36 steps, 2009

78 NOW - Makeover of the former concrete steps

85 North end of Lover's Lane

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Rob Connect

1/28/2020

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Starting up at the Presidio’s 15th Ave. Gate, passing Lobos Valley Overlook and a now beautifully green section of forest on the left side of Battery Caulfield Road: 1 thru 4

But then couldn’t avoid the shocking sight of newly bared ground at the Marine Cemetery Vista Overlook area. Too much open space here now. Disturbing to look at: 5

Approaching Washington: 6, 7

Curving round on Washington: 8 thru 13

Immigrant Point Overlok: 14 thru 18

Up into Rob Hill Campground: 19 thru 24

Partway along a favorite trail down from the Campground, east: 25, 26, 27

Back to Immigrant Point Overlook: 28 thru 32

Down 208 Connector Trail steps to Lincoln: 33 thru 47

East on Lincoln, Batteries to Bluff Trail below, west to east: 48 thru 68

Fort Scott neighborhood: 69, 70, 71

Continuing east, past Golden Gate Overlook’s main stairway: 72, 73

1 Lobos Valley Overlook

5 Bare-looking Marine Cemetery Vista Overlook area

6 Residential area

14 Connector Trail

15 Immigrant Point Overlook

19 Up to Rob Hill Campground

28 Steps to Rob Hill Campground

33 208 steps for the Connector Trail down from he overlook

34 Looking back up

44 Looking back

45 Looking back

46 Lincoln below

50 East on Lincoln

52 Looking back

69 Fort Scott

72 Main steps to Golden Gate Overlook

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Eggs

1/26/2020

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The Sunnyside neighborhood is on the southeast side of Mount Davidson.

The staircounts for this hike: 67, 55, 36.

Starting out on Bosworth from the Glen Park BART, a few blocks west, just past the Lippard skyway, is Hamerton, 67 steps: 1 thru 5

The stairway has two bench areas off to the side, one at Bosworth, the other partway up.

At the top you’re still on Hamerton but now it’s a street ascending steeply to the east dead-end of Mangels, a long street in the Sunnyside neighborhood: 6 thru 9

Continuing west on Mangels: 10, 11

Passing Dorothy Erskine Park’s south entrance. A short section of Baden here is said to be one of the city’s steepest: 12, 13

A THEN from 2006. This little house on Mangels collapsed some years ago: 14

The new owners were not hurt but this narrow lot is still vacant:

The lot is next to the Baden and Joost Street Minipark, the second stairway of the day, 55 steps: 15 thru 45

Joost near Baden: 46, 47

Joost between Baden and Congo: 48, 49

Three THENs from 2005 of the Sunnyside Conservatory before the renovation: 50, 51, 52

A few more THENs from the 2009 reopening of the Conservatory with Gov. Gavin Newsom, then San Francisco mayor: 53

Down from Joost, 36 steps for the north entrance to the Conservatory.

The Conservatory now: 54 thru 108

The restroom was locked. Assume it is, like the ones at the Presidio’s Rob Hill Campground, kept locked unless a group is renting the buildings. Probably so the homeless don’t lock themselves inside for long periods.

Joost: 109 thru 121

This house is on Acadia: 122

Continuing on Joost to the south dead-end of Lippard: 123, 124, 125

These Lippard homes are across the street from Glen Park School: 126 thru 131

Glen Park School mural: 132 thru 135

Lippard skyway over Bosworth on my way back to the Glen Park BART: 136

1 Foot of Hamerton at Bosworth, Glen Park

9 East end of Mangels at Hamerton

10 Mangels

13 Baden entrance to Dorothy Erskine Park rom Mangels

14 THEN from 2006. This house was on Mangels. It collapsed. Still a vacant lot here.

15 Mangels entrance to the Baden and Joost Street Minipark

50 THEN: Sunnyside Conservatory in 2005 before its makeover

51 THEN, 2005

52 THEN, 2005

53 THEN: Reopening of the Conservatory in 2009

54 THEN: Reopening of the Conservatory in 2009

55 THEN: Gov. Newsom, then mayor, at the Reopening of the Conservatory in 2009

56 THEN: Reopening of the Conservatory in 2009

57 The Conservatory now - down from Joost

60 Looking up

98 Out to Monterey Blvd.

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103 Out to Monterey Blvd.

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107 Starting back up to Joost

108 Out to Joost

109 Joost

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126 Lippard

127 Lippard, Glen Park

128 Lippard

129 Lippard

130 Lippard

131 Lippard

132 Glen Park School mural on Lippard near Bosworth

133 Glen Park School mural

134 Glen Park School mural

135 Glen Park School mural - Lippard skyway over Bosworth in background

146 Lippard skyway over Bosworth

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Butchered

1/25/2020

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The East Ridge and North Ridge Trails on Mount Sutro have been horribly butchered.

This treehugger was specially shocked by the way the East Ridge looks now, but the North Ridge has seen a huge amount of tree-felling and clearing as well.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, there were numerous paint splotches on other trees, apparently awaiting their doom. And what about all the wildlife habitat destruction?

The tree-killers have been picking on the East Ridge for years anyway, so depressing to one who remembers how lush and invitingly “mysterious” it used to be.

Compare this THEN (pic 1) of the East Ridge trailhead from before the destruction started with its current starkness. NOW: 2

Where are our good-for-nothing politicians when we need them to help prevent environmental harm, including spreading herbicides in our parks where wildlife live and dogs are walked?

Thousands are spent to fell healthy trees in this time of climate crisis instead of respecting and protecting this mid-city treasure and other endangered parks and street trees. They can’t be trusted not to overdo what they call “managing” the forest.

Started up the 149 Farnsworth steps to Edgewood Ave.: 3 thru 8

South on Edgewood to the Edgewood Trail: 9, 10

Edgewood Trail and up to the road: 11 thru 46

Along the road to the south: 47 thru 54

South along the road to the trailhead for the East Ridge and winding up past the tank to the summit: 55 thru 64

Upon reaching the summit from the East Ridge, several benches and new fence sections: 65 thru 69

The summit is now green due to the rains. Lots of planting flags. I keep hoping for wildflowers like used to be up here (a THEN of the summit from 2004, pic 70), including California poppies. Also hoping to see dandelions around the benches like I used to: 71 thru 75

Passing more planting flags to take the North Ridge Trail back down to the road, seeing more depressing clearing on the way: 76 thru 91

THEN from 2006 of the trailhead for the North Ridge at the road, pic 92. NOW: 93

Along the curvy road (Medical Center Way), down to the lower parking lot where the north stairway can be accessed: 94 thru 100

136 steps and out to Parnassus where the #6 and #43 buses stop: 101 thru 117

1 THEN: The East Ridge trailhead before all the tree-felling started

2 NOW: East Ridge trailhead as it looks today

3 Farnsworth Lane up to Edgewood Ave.

4 149 steps

8 The swing has been here a long time

10 Redbricked Edgewood is a dead-end for cars up ahead

11 Edgewood Trail begins

21 Love the switchbacks on the Edgewood

22 Looking up to the road

23 Looking back

52 Fairy Gates Trail below

55 East Ridge Trail

58 Left turn, Right is the Mystery Trail

65 East Ridge to the summit

70 A THEN of summit wildflowers from 2004. What I'd love to see now.

71 Summit benches ahead

76 North Ridge Trail from the summit

92 A THEN from 2006 of the North Ridge trailhead

93 NOW -- North Ridge trailhead

99 Trailhead for the Historic Trail

100 Down alongside one of the medical buildings

101 Top of the north stairway

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117 Out to Parnassus from Medical Center Way

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Lovers IP

1/7/2020

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The south Lover’s Lane trailhead is at Pacific at Presidio Blvd. Some plants alongside the first section of the paved trail have been removed: 1 thru 5

Views from Lover’s Lane: 6 thru 9

A left turn, west to just past the playing fields: 10 thru 15

Down the eastside trail to El Polin Spring: 16 thru 20

Up 69 steps to connect with the Ecology Trail: 21 thru 27

Ecology Trail: 28 thru 35

Up 33 steps to Inspiration Point Overlook: 36 thru 41

Inspiration Point Overlook, off Arguello: 42

Arguello Gate: 43