Hills of San Francisco

When we left off, I was ascending Buena Vista Heights from Haight-Ashbury. For the rest of the day, it would be nothing but hills. In other words, the “Hills” portion of my day of Haight & Hills.

This wasn’t my 1st time climbing San Francisco’s hills. By Day 2 of the 2016 season, I had already climbed the 3 hills of downtown San Francisco–Nob Hill (376 ft), Russian Hill (294 ft), and Telegraph Hill (284 ft). On Day 2 of the 2017 season, I went a little higher.

Buena Vista Heights

Buena Vista Heights’ wooded peak (569 ft) rises above Haight-Ashbury.

Colorful old homes on the western slope of Buena Vista Heights. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Colorful old homes on the western slope of Buena Vista Heights.

View of Corona Heights from Buena Vista Heights. San Francisco, United States, North America. — View of Corona Heights from Buena Vista Heights.

Buena Vista Heights has unexpectedly lovely landscaping. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Buena Vista Heights has unexpectedly lovely landscaping.

The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Buena Vista Heights. It's not a real San Francisco view without the Golden Gate Bridge in it! San Francisco, United States, North America. — The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Buena Vista Heights. It’s not a real San Francisco view without the Golden Gate Bridge in it!

More lovely landscaping on Buena Vista Heights. San Francisco, United States, North America. — More lovely landscaping on Buena Vista Heights.

Still more lovely landscaping on Buena Vista Heights. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Still more lovely landscaping on Buena Vista Heights.

And yet more lovely landscaping on Buena Vista Heights. San Francisco, United States, North America. — And yet more lovely landscaping on Buena Vista Heights.

Corona Heights

It’s just a short walk from Buena Vista Heights to Corona Heights (510 ft), in the northern part of the Castro.

Unlike woodsy Buena Vista Heights, Corona Heights is bare and rocky. Shortly after I moved to San Francisco in 2014, I noticed people hiking on a barren hill I’d never noticed before on my previous visits there. 3 years later, I finally made the climb myself.

Ready to climb my 2nd peak of the day. (And check out that blue sky!) San Francisco, United States, North America. — Ready to climb my 2nd peak of the day. (And check out that blue sky!)

Corona Heights isn't landscaped like Buena Vista Heights. That makes these flowers stand out even more. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Corona Heights isn’t landscaped like Buena Vista Heights. That makes these flowers stand out even more.

On a clear day, the views from Corona Heights are spectacular. San Francisco, United States, North America. — On a clear day, the views from Corona Heights are spectacular.

The views from Corona Heights were so stunning, I had a hard time imagining that the views from Twin Peaks (coming up in a while) would be even better. As you’ll see, they were!

Across the city to the bay. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Across the city to the bay.

Looking up and to the near future to Twin Peaks and Sutro Tower. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Looking up and to the near future to Twin Peaks and Sutro Tower.

Looking north to the recent past, woodsy Buena Vista Park. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Looking north to the recent past, woodsy Buena Vista Park.

I couldn't believe this fantastic view of the Alfred E. Clarke Mansion, seen during the 2016 season. San Francisco, United States, North America. — I couldn’t believe this stunning view of the Alfred E. Clarke Mansion, seen during the 2016 season.

Great view of the Castro Theater and the giant rainbow flag in the Castro. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Great view of the Castro Theater and the giant rainbow flag in the Castro.

Vulcan Street Steps

It's only logical that sometimes a staircase is a street in San Francisco. United States, North America. — It’s only logical that sometimes a staircase is a street in San Francisco.

As we’ve seen in other places like Macondray Lane on Russian Hill and Filbert Street on Telegraph Hill, sometimes a staircase can count as a street in San Francisco. The same is true of Vulcan Street on the eastern slope of yet another hill, Mount Olympus, southwest of Buena Vista Heights and Corona Heights.

Is it a street or a staircase? In San Francisco, it's both! San Francisco, United States, North America. — Is it a street or a staircase? In San Francisco, it’s both!

Residents who live along the Vulcan Steps maintain beautiful gardens. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Residents who live along the Vulcan Steps maintain beautiful gardens.

The gardens of the Vulcan Steps. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The gardens of the Vulcan Steps.

The beautiful gardens of the Vulcan Steps. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The beautiful gardens of the Vulcan Steps.

More beautiful gardens of Vulcan Steps. San Francisco, United States, North America. — More beautiful gardens of Vulcan Steps.

A final shot of the beautiful gardens of the Vulcan Steps. San Francisco, United States, North America. — A final shot of the beautiful gardens of the Vulcan Steps.

Twin Peaks

For the 1st time on Day 2 since I’d arrived in Haight-Ashbury several hours earlier, I gave my feet a rest and took the bus as far up Twin Peaks as I could. Then it was back on my feet to scurry up the hill(s) to the top(s).

The south peak of Twin Peaks (910 ft) is also known as Noe Peak, corresponding to Noe Valley below. The north peak of Twin Peaks (904 ft) is also known as Eureka Peak, corresponding to Eureka Valley below. The Castro was previously known as Eureka Valley.

How about that view from Twin Peaks! San Francisco, United States, North America. — How about that view from Twin Peaks!

Zooming in a little. Market Street runs a stripe up the middle, from the giant rainbow flag in the Castro all the way to the Ferry Building. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Zooming in a little. Broad Market Street runs a stripe up the middle, from the giant rainbow flag in the Castro all the way to the Ferry Building.

All the way over to ships in the bay. San Francisco, United States, North America. — All the way over to ships in the bay.

I was really surprised to learn the Twin Peaks isn’t the highest point in San Francisco. That honor belongs to Mount Davidson, just to the south of Twin Peaks.

The omnipresent Sutro Tower. Sutro Tower is a 977ft tv and radio tower. That makes it taller than the tallest hill in San Francisco! United States, North America. — The omnipresent Sutro Tower. Sutro Tower is a 977ft tv and radio tower. That makes it taller than the tallest hill in San Francisco!

Once again, it's not a real San Francisco view without the Golden Gate Bridge in it! At first, I thought there was smoke from a fire. Then I realized it was the afternoon fog being sucked into the bay through the Golden Gate. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Once again, it’s not a real San Francisco view without the Golden Gate Bridge in it! At first, I thought there was smoke from a fire. Then I realized it was the afternoon fog being sucked into the bay through the Golden Gate.

A slightly hazy view of Alcatraz in the bay. San Francisco, United States, North America. — A slightly hazy view of Alcatraz in the bay.

Looking west out to the Pacific Ocean. San Francisco is so focused on the bay, it's easy to forget there's an ocean out there too! San Francisco, United States, North America. — Looking west out to the Pacific Ocean. San Francisco is so focused on the bay, it’s easy to forget there’s an ocean out there too!

Another view of Market Street and the Castro. Near the upper left corner, you can see the San Francisco Mint. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Another view of Market Street and the Castro. Near the upper left corner, you can see the San Francisco Mint.

This was the view that I found jaw-dropping. You can clearly see 3,849 Mount Diablo, about 40 miles away. San Francisco, United States, North America. — This was the view that I found jaw-dropping. You can clearly see 3,849 Mount Diablo, about 40 miles away.

Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve

Sutro Tower is not actually on Mount Sutro, but rather on a sub-peak of Twin Peaks. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Sutro Tower is not actually on Mount Sutro, but rather on a sub-peak of Twin Peaks.

It was finally time to head downhill. And I did it through the woods. I took a downhill hike through the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve. Of all the green spaces in San Francisco, even Golden Gate Park, it was the one place that made me feel like I was far from a major city, let alone in the geographic center of one.

A path through the hillside woods, seemingly far from the city. San Francisco, United States, North America. — A path through the hillside woods, seemingly far from the city.

Ivy-covered trees (which may not be good for the trees). San Francisco, United States, North America. — Ivy-covered trees (which may not be good for the trees).

Berries overhead. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Berries overhead.

One final spectacular view for the day. San Francisco, United States, North America. — One final spectacular view for the day.

UCSF Health Center

I exited the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve at its lower, norther border, where it meets the Parnassus Heights campus of University of California, San Francisco, and UCSF Health Center. (Mount Sutro was previously known as Mount Parnassus.)

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine.

Hygeia, the goddess of health, cleanliness, and sanitation. We pay tribute to her every time we wash our hands. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Hygeia, the goddess of health, cleanliness, and sanitation. We pay tribute to her every time we wash our hands.

All this, plus Haight-Ashbury, not to mention a return to Golden Gate Park. I covered a lot of ground on Day 2!

[Factual information is primarily gathered from Wikipedia, so you know it must be true.]