11 August 2016

San Francisco's Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Cow Hollow and Pacific Heights: 11 August 2016

An enjoyable walk through a few high foot-traffic tourist destinations. I did the walk using less well-known routes. I ascended Telegraph Hill from the east side, rather than the more commonly used west side of the hill. Instead of climbing Lombard Street, which is known as "the crookedest street in the world," I ascended Greenwich Street, which is one block east of Lombard Street. The photographs are displayed in the sequential order of the walk.

A 19th-century three-unit apartment building on Sutter Street in Lower Pacific HeightsClick the image to see the full-size photograph.

The distance traveled was approximately 6.6 miles (10.6 kilometers). The cumulative elevation gain was about 840 feet (256 meters). Mile markers are displayed on the GPS generated trackClick the image to see the full-size map.

 "Portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe" by Marisol Escobar, 1982. It is located in Sydney Walton Square in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco.
O'Keefe sits on an old tree stump loosely dangling her walking stick and flanked by two wooly dogs. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

 Joan Brown's "Pine Tree Obeliskis also located in Sydney Walton Square. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

The corporate headquarters of Levi Strauss and Company is located at 1155 Battery Street, in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco. Click the image to see the full-size photo.


A view of Telegraph Hill from the east. The bottom of the Greenwich Street Stairs is visible. Coit Tower is at the summit of Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photograph

This location is approximately halfway up the ascent of Telegraph Hill via the Greenwich Street Stairs. The photo was taken from a small parking area for Julius Castle (San Francisco Landmark #121), which has been closed for some years. Its future is unclear. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view looking southeast towards Yerba Buena Island and the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The picture was taken from Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This lovely work of art is located on Telegraph Hill, adjacent to the upper portion of the Greenwich Street Stairs. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Coit Tower is sited at the summit of Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

We are descending the west side of Telegraph Hill and are purposely using some of the many small and narrow old streets that are located on Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Descending Telegraph Hill. Lombard Street, aka "The crookedest street in the world" is visible In the distanceThe view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

Joe DiMaggio Playground is to the immediate left of this image and is unseen. Joe DiMaggio was a great baseball player who was born in Martinez, California. His family moved to San Francisco when he was one year old. He married his first wife at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church which is sited two blocks from this location. His second wife was Marilyn Monroe. The view is from Lombard Street looking West. Straight ahead at the upper part of Lombard Street is another sight of "the crookedest street in the world." Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of Lombard Street as seen from near the intersection of Mason Street. The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This is the Michelangelo Playground and Community Garden. It is located on Greenwich Street, between Leavenworth Street and Jones Street.  The view is looking southeast. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

An apartment building located at the northwest corner of Greenwich Street and Jones Street. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This is the lower section of the Greenwich Street pathway. It is located at the intersection of Leavenworth Street and Greenwich Street. The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of Greenwich Terrace, which was the first co-operative residential development in San Francisco. It was developed in 1912 and is located on Russian Hill between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street. Coit Tower is visible in the distance. The view is looking East. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

A view from George Sterling Park which sits atop Russian Hill. The Presidio of San Francisco is visible in the distance. George Sterling (1 Dec 1869 - 17 Nov 1926) was a poet based in California who was well regarded on the Pacific Coast during the early part of the 20th Century. His most memorable line was delivered to the city of San Francisco: "The cool, gray city of love." The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

La Boulangerie de San Francisco has a location on Union Street in the Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

A portion of the Union Street shopping area. Click the image to see the full-size photo.
Leaving Union Street and heading up Fillmore Street. The view is looking NorthwestClick the image to see the full-size photograph.

Having cranked up Fillmore Street going south, we are now in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. This view is looking north, down Fillmore Street. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

This is 2500 Steiner Street. The building is a twelve unit co-op located at the top of Pacific Heights. It was constructed in 1927; Conrad Meussdorffer was the architect. In 2014 one of the full-floor units was listed for sale at 9.95 million dollars. The view is looking North. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This is a view from Alta Plaza Park in Pacific Heights. Buena Vista Park, Twin Peaks, and Mount Sutro are visible in the distance. Buena Vista Park is the oldest official park in San Francisco. It was established in 1867 as Hill Park and later renamed Buena Vista Park. The view is looking South. Click the image to see the full-size photo.
This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the hike. Click the image to see the full-size chart.


"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt


My first San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains photo galleries that I posted between 2002 and 2011.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com