Revisiting the Walks

Claremont Hotel Heights, reprise

Sunday, 29 September 2013

We did Walk #2, Claremont Hotel Heights in reverse direction today.

The last time we did the walk, at the foot of the Short Cut was a couple holding a map. We stopped and talked and they were going on a walk put together by the Hotel. Turns out they live in Los Angeles and were quite familiar with Charles Fleming’s book on staircases in LA.

Today we came face to face with two women walking a dog on Slater Lane, with the Secret Stairs book in the hand of one of the walkers. It was their first staircase walk. Yes, they were surprised to find they were in Oakland.

Next, we came to the nice looking red house at 4 Alvarado Place. When you get there, the landscaping is quite nicely done, and the redwood tree is a giant. It fits in, somehow.

Because we did the walk in reverse direction, just before the home with security provided by “Attack Rooster Security Company”, we turned and went down Eucalyptus Path, and then left on to the Sunset Trail. After reaching the top of Willow Walk, we turned left and walked along Alvarado Road.

Just to the south of the house at 645, there is a cable railway that can take four people down the slope to the Sunset Trail. 

We’ve walked on this street perhaps a half dozen times and were surprised today to find out that the garage at 648 (you can’t miss the roof, which is covered in plants) has no house associated with it. This section of Alvarado Road is right where the fire was stopped in 1991.

The rest of the walk was pleasant, and our knees got a good workout going down Eucalyptus Path and back to Tunnel Road. 

Here is the map of the walk.

Here is a link to the first entry in the blog about Walk #2.

Back to the Claremont Hotel and the long Eucalyptus Path.

Next—Walk #3, Elmwood Park.