Mount Sutro
Encyclopedia
Mount Sutro is a hill in San Francisco
, California
. Most of Mount Sutro remains private property owned by the University of California, San Francisco
(UCSF), but a 61 acres (24.7 ha) parcel, including the summit, has been set aside as the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve and is open to the public. It is one of San Francisco's 47 hills, and one of its original "Seven Hills". Sutro Tower
, a large television and radio broadcasting tower for the San Francisco Bay Area
, does not stand on Mount Sutro, but on a lower hill between it and Twin Peaks.
trees, planted in the late 19th century. The trees are now over 100 feet (30.5 m) tall. The mountain is within San Francisco's fog belt, receiving fog all through the summer. The tall trees precipitate the fog. This moisture is absorbed by the undergrowth and duff so the forest remains damp through the summer months. It receives some 30 to 40% of its moisture in this fashion. There is a dense understory of blackberry and other plants. The forest is habitat for a number of bird species including Great Horned Owls and various woodpeckers. Over thirty species were recorded in one morning of birding.
The UCSF-owned portion of the forest, 61 acres (24.7 ha), is contiguous with a 19 acres (7.7 ha) city-owned area of eucalyptus forest called the Interior Green Belt. The forest is bounded on the north by the UCSF Medical Center and the new stem-cell research building (under construction); on the south, by the Forest Knolls neighborhood, built in the late 1950s on land carved from the forest; and on the east by Cole Valley
and related neighborhoods.
At the summit is Rotary Meadow, a garden of native plants. It was funded by a $100,000 grant from the Rotary Club and its members in 2004. The garden is irrigated by UCSF, and maintained by dedicated volunteers. It is accessible by paved road from Clarendon Avenue through UCSF's Aldea San Miguel housing complex. (Cars are not generally permitted beyond the campus.) The garden, which is at its best in the spring, provides views of the forest, but has no view of the city as do nearby Twin Peaks and Tank Hill.
The forest is accessible by hiking trails,
many of which are suitable for mountain bikes. Another access to the summit is Warren Drive from 7th Avenue on the west side of the mountain, climbing the 355-step public stairway from Warren Drive to Crestmont Drive (known as Oakhurst Way on the map), turning left at the top and entering the forest where Crestmont makes a sharp right.
. The property was acquired by Adolph Sutro
shortly after he was bought out of his Comstock Lode stock by his "partners" (the so-called Silver Big 4) in 1879.
The newly gotten cash enabled Sutro to invest in San Francisco real estate on a grand scale, and at one time he owned almost 10% of San Francisco's acreage. Sutro used annual Arbor Day celebrations to plant trees (eventually thousands of them) on the relatively bare slopes, hollows or sand dunes of his properties.
Sutro named one of his planned developments "Mount Parnassus". This area was eventually renamed in honor of Sutro who was the 24th mayor
of San Francisco and whose property this once was. Sutro originally planned to develop residential neighborhoods on this hill and another to the east which he named Mount Olympus.
In July 1895, Sutro donated a 13 acres (5.3 ha) site on the "Parnassus bench" overlooking Golden Gate Park
, to serve as a campus site for the Affiliated Colleges of the University of California – now the University of California, San Francisco. Unfortunately, Adolph Sutro died land rich and cash poor in 1898 and, as a result, the settlement of his estate was long and arduous. Some plans of the Sutro Development Company – which operated a street railway to serve Sutro's development properties – were revised and others were stalled for years.
Though planned as a recreational forest, some parts of the forest were logged by Sutro's heirs. In 1934, after a fire, this effort was discontinued. The forest was logged once again during the rationing days of Second World War
for use as domestic fuel.
With the settlement of the estate, after almost twenty years of litigation, much of the real estate that was Sutro's forest legacy began to be cleared – beginning about 1930, and ending by 1970 – as the city expanded westward and the land was put to urban uses.
Most of the forest standing today was purchased by the University of California in the early 1950s. In 2009, UCSF applied for a grant from FEMA to fell a majority of the trees on 23% of its acreage, in the name of fire safety. However, some locals suspected that its main impetus was from a group of native plant supporters who wished to remove the non-native eucalyptus in favor of native plants.
There was opposition to plan by local residents. In February 2010, UCSF announced it was withdrawing its application to FEMA, and would instead conduct a full Environmental Impact Review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before proceeding with plans to convert the ecology of the forest.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Most of Mount Sutro remains private property owned by the University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
(UCSF), but a 61 acres (24.7 ha) parcel, including the summit, has been set aside as the Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve and is open to the public. It is one of San Francisco's 47 hills, and one of its original "Seven Hills". Sutro Tower
Sutro Tower
Sutro Tower is a three-pronged antenna tower near Clarendon Heights in San Francisco, California. Rising from a hill between Twin Peaks and Mount Sutro, it is a prominent part of the city skyline and a landmark for city residents and visitors...
, a large television and radio broadcasting tower for the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, does not stand on Mount Sutro, but on a lower hill between it and Twin Peaks.
Sutro Forest
Mount Sutro is covered by a dense forest, about 80% eucalyptusEucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees, planted in the late 19th century. The trees are now over 100 feet (30.5 m) tall. The mountain is within San Francisco's fog belt, receiving fog all through the summer. The tall trees precipitate the fog. This moisture is absorbed by the undergrowth and duff so the forest remains damp through the summer months. It receives some 30 to 40% of its moisture in this fashion. There is a dense understory of blackberry and other plants. The forest is habitat for a number of bird species including Great Horned Owls and various woodpeckers. Over thirty species were recorded in one morning of birding.
The UCSF-owned portion of the forest, 61 acres (24.7 ha), is contiguous with a 19 acres (7.7 ha) city-owned area of eucalyptus forest called the Interior Green Belt. The forest is bounded on the north by the UCSF Medical Center and the new stem-cell research building (under construction); on the south, by the Forest Knolls neighborhood, built in the late 1950s on land carved from the forest; and on the east by Cole Valley
Cole Valley, San Francisco, California
Cole Valley is a small neighborhood in San Francisco.-Location:Its boundaries are usually considered to be Hillway Street to the west, Carmel Street to the south, Clayton Street to the east, and Waller Street to the north...
and related neighborhoods.
At the summit is Rotary Meadow, a garden of native plants. It was funded by a $100,000 grant from the Rotary Club and its members in 2004. The garden is irrigated by UCSF, and maintained by dedicated volunteers. It is accessible by paved road from Clarendon Avenue through UCSF's Aldea San Miguel housing complex. (Cars are not generally permitted beyond the campus.) The garden, which is at its best in the spring, provides views of the forest, but has no view of the city as do nearby Twin Peaks and Tank Hill.
The forest is accessible by hiking trails,
many of which are suitable for mountain bikes. Another access to the summit is Warren Drive from 7th Avenue on the west side of the mountain, climbing the 355-step public stairway from Warren Drive to Crestmont Drive (known as Oakhurst Way on the map), turning left at the top and entering the forest where Crestmont makes a sharp right.
History
Much of today's Mount Sutro was part of a large tract of ranch land, a Mexican Land Grant - given originally to Jose de Jesus Noe in 1846 - officially called Rancho San MiguelRancho San Miguel (Noe)
Rancho San Miguel was a Mexican land grant in present day San Francisco County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to José de Jesús Noé. The grant included what is now known as Eureka Valley and extended past Mount Davidson almost to present day Daly City...
. The property was acquired by Adolph Sutro
Adolph Sutro
Adolph Heinrich Joseph Sutro was the 24th mayor of San Francisco, and second Jewish mayor, serving in that office from 1894 until 1896...
shortly after he was bought out of his Comstock Lode stock by his "partners" (the so-called Silver Big 4) in 1879.
The newly gotten cash enabled Sutro to invest in San Francisco real estate on a grand scale, and at one time he owned almost 10% of San Francisco's acreage. Sutro used annual Arbor Day celebrations to plant trees (eventually thousands of them) on the relatively bare slopes, hollows or sand dunes of his properties.
Sutro named one of his planned developments "Mount Parnassus". This area was eventually renamed in honor of Sutro who was the 24th mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of San Francisco and whose property this once was. Sutro originally planned to develop residential neighborhoods on this hill and another to the east which he named Mount Olympus.
In July 1895, Sutro donated a 13 acres (5.3 ha) site on the "Parnassus bench" overlooking Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
, to serve as a campus site for the Affiliated Colleges of the University of California – now the University of California, San Francisco. Unfortunately, Adolph Sutro died land rich and cash poor in 1898 and, as a result, the settlement of his estate was long and arduous. Some plans of the Sutro Development Company – which operated a street railway to serve Sutro's development properties – were revised and others were stalled for years.
Though planned as a recreational forest, some parts of the forest were logged by Sutro's heirs. In 1934, after a fire, this effort was discontinued. The forest was logged once again during the rationing days of Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for use as domestic fuel.
With the settlement of the estate, after almost twenty years of litigation, much of the real estate that was Sutro's forest legacy began to be cleared – beginning about 1930, and ending by 1970 – as the city expanded westward and the land was put to urban uses.
Most of the forest standing today was purchased by the University of California in the early 1950s. In 2009, UCSF applied for a grant from FEMA to fell a majority of the trees on 23% of its acreage, in the name of fire safety. However, some locals suspected that its main impetus was from a group of native plant supporters who wished to remove the non-native eucalyptus in favor of native plants.
There was opposition to plan by local residents. In February 2010, UCSF announced it was withdrawing its application to FEMA, and would instead conduct a full Environmental Impact Review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before proceeding with plans to convert the ecology of the forest.