Stairways are Heaven
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Round the Long Way

9/20/2015

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Midcity Mount Sutro Forest is easy to get to for riders of public transportation if you’re okay with trekking up from the bus stops. The #43 stops at various streets one can climb up from: Stanyan, Willard, Parnassus, Seventh Ave. & Lawton — depends on what trailhead you wanna start with. What stairs you feel like ascending. 

One well-designed stairway can be accessed behind medical buildings on Parnassus (get off at the Hillway/Parnassus stop). Years ago there was another stairway back here. The steps will take you to a parking lot for UCSF employees (permits only). Hikers can continue uphill a short distance to upper Medical Center Way where you will soon see trails leading up and down from the road. 

This stairway is not as well known as the others in the area. It’s shown as a trailhead on Google Maps, however. The Medical Center Way stairs, about 136 steps: 1 thru 12. 


Uphilling steepishly to the road, crossing it for the trailhead for the (upper) Historic Trail. This time the whole trail, winding round the north, then west side of the mountain to the summit: 13 thru 24. 


Right next to the upper trailhead for Christopher, a trail blockage for "treework." Also caution signs for upper Medical Center Way at the guardrail, like last time. No need for me to detour though. 


The summit benches: pic 25.


Down the East Ridge Trail: 26 thru 30. 


Another gorgeous way to enter the forest is from the south dead-end of Edgewood Ave. onto the Edgewood Trail. 


Edgewood Trail: 31 thru 43.


The Farnsworth Lane steps (149) will take you to the north dead-end for vehicles of redbrick Edgewood Avenue. Farnsworth, up from Willard: 44 thru 48. 


Another way into the forest is from the top of Farnsworth (at the swing, miraculously still there) a few yards west to a trail behind Edgewood homes -- to come out at the parking lot very near the top of the above described Medical Center Way stairway. 

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1. Foot of the Medical Center Way stairs
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2. Starting up behind the medical buildings
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3. Wood railings warmed by the sun
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4. About 136 steps
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5. Beautiful, underappreciated stairway
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6. Well-designed
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7. Short offshoot wood stairway leads to a trail behind Edgewood Ave. homes
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8. Upper wood walkway between steps
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9. Evenly spaced steps
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10. That treehouse feeling
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11. Nearing the top
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12. Top of the stairs at the parking lot
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13. Trailhead (center marker) for Historic Trail up from Medical Center Way
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14. Looking down at the road, north
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15. Offtrail rock, a good lunch spot
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16. Historic Trail curves around
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17. Lush and magical
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18. Historic Trail solitude
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19. Golden Gate Park center
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20. West Ridge Trail below
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21. West Ridge Trail goes up and down, This time staying on the Historic.
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22. Winding around
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23. Love being alone up here
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24. Close to the turnoff for the summit
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25. Summit benches
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26. East Ridge Trail
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27. East Ridge Trail
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28. Medical Center Way below
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29. Trailhead for the East Ridge
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30. East Ridge trailhead up from Johnstone Dr.
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31. Fairy Gates Trail down from the guardrail
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32. Down to the Edgewood Trail
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33. The Edgewood is switchbacky
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34. Looking back (south)
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35. Another good switchback
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36. I like this guy
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37. Below Medical Center Way
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38. Edgewood Trail
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39. Out to the south dead-end of Edgewood Ave.
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40. Lower Historic Trail below
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41. Out at Edgewood Ave.
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42. Edgewood Ave. trailhead
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43. Into the f0rest from redbricked Edgewood Ave.
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44. Swing at top of Farnsworth Lane & Edgewood
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45. 149 steps
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46. Near the top
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47. Farnsworth between Edgewood and Willard
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48. Foot of Farnsworth Lane at Willard, just above Parnassus
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    I like meandering around on San Francisco's park trails and public stairways, sometimes taking photos, and enjoying nature and the outdoors.

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