Fremont: Rebuilt Stairways and Fall Views

This weekend Cathy tagged along with a Meetup group that specializes in following the routes detailed in Seattle Stairway Walks. On a blustery Sunday morning about 15 people gathered near the Theo Chocolate factory/HQ, then set out for the scenic byways of Fremont (see Chapter 2).

Two of the stairways along the route have been completely rebuilt, at N 45th Street near Fremont Peak Park and at N 43rd Street, heading up to Greenwood Avenue N. Here are interesting before-and-after views:

Here are some additional colorful views from the route. Most pictures were taken on the day of the walk but a few were taken a couple of days later, after the weather had cleared.

Stairway Access to the Aurora Bridge

Seattle stairs lead to all kinds of interesting places. In Fremont, the famous Bridge Troll sits under the Aurora Bridge, munching on a Volkswagen. Steps head up either side of the distracted troll, and brave walkers can take them up to the northbound or southbound sides of the bridge. From there a narrow sidewalk, just a couple of feet away from whizzing traffic, takes you high over the Ship Canal to Queen Anne. On that end, opposing stairs allow you to get back to Fremont, with views from the opposite side of the bridge if you desire.

We'd never walked the Aurora Bridge, and on this crisp, sunny November Sunday we finally decided it was way past time. We parked in Fremont next to the Ship Canal and headed back toward the Farmer's Market to start our urban hike.

This is the quintessential Seattle stairs adventure: steps allowing unique access to an incredible scenic byway, in this case one that carries you high over the Ship Canal. We got gorgeous late afternoon views of Fisherman's Terminal on the west, Lake Union and Gasworks Park on the east, and the surrounding mountains - including, on this day, Mt. Rainier in all its hulking glory.

In the Fremont chapter, the book details a side trip with a visit to the Bridge Troll and other attractions in the commercial part of the neighborhood. To add spice and create your own urban adventure, just sneak around the Troll and take the bridge over to Queen Anne and back!