Vanessa, one of my dear friends who inspired this blog, invited me to join her and some other gals to hike Mount Sutro. It was the perfect first hike of 2015 – one in the city and on a lovely, sunny Saturday.
Even though I have lived in San Francisco for over 7 years, I have never hiked Mount Sutro. Since I commute down to the peninsula every day for work, I loved the idea of not driving far to enjoy nature. We drove less than 10 minutes to 17th Street and Stanyan and found parking close to the “trailhead.” There we met 5 other fun ladies – Bhavina, Shanna, Payal, Lela, and Clara – for our hike.
I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first. A hike in the city? But after we ascended the steep wooden stairs, we slipped into a forest of 100+ foot eucalyptus trees. With the trees towering around us, filling our nostrils with their delicious scent, it felt like we were far, far away from SF.
But when the trees would open up, we would get amazing views of SF.
Even though it was a short hike, there were sharp ascents and descents, so we definitely worked up a sweat…oh wait, we’re ladies. We glow. 🙂
Since we wanted to hike a bit more and had time before our brunch, we went urban with our hike to the Mosaic Staircase at 16th Avenue and Moraga. At the top of the steps, there were breathtaking views of the city. And at the bottom, there was a magnificent view up of 163 steps lined with pieces of tile, mirror, and stained glass.
Afterwards, we headed to a new restaurant in the Inner Sunset – LaLe. I was so hungry that I didn’t take any photos of the restaurant or food. (I will remember to do so for future post-hike meals!) We had a great experience, the food was scrumptious and the service was good. They have all the regular brunch fare – eggs, sausage, bacon, scrambles, eggs benedict, french toast (ricotta-stuffed and almond-crusted), and pancakes. I loved my homemade English muffin and butter and homemade jam! And if you’re craving more lunch fare, they have great Mediterranean wraps, flatbreads, and salads. I would definitely go back. It’s nice to not fight the brunch crowds for yummy food!
Thank you, Bhavina, Shanna, and Payal for planning the hike and brunch. And Vanessa for inviting me to join the fun!
If you want to hike Mount Sutro too:
- Trail Map: http://www.peasepress.com/sutromap.pdf
- A couple of great hike overviews:
- Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed
- Suitable for older kids, but tough for little ones where trails are steep
- Great for foggy days for atmosphere (the summer months)
