Why you can call Bob Estep the “Stair Master of West Seattle”

Story and photos by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

You’ve seen the stairways that emerge from dense foliage on our steep West Seattle hillsides. Perhaps you’ve wondered where they lead or descend to; perhaps you’ve even climbed some of them. Our staircases can be at once daunting and convenient. It’s a steep slope from California Avenue to 44th Avenue SW near Hamilton Viewpoint, but those stairs, all 78 of them, provide you with easy pedestrian access from one road to the other and eliminate the need to wander blocks out of your way.

Bob Estep knows those steps, and many more. He is a walker — up to 6 miles per day. Inspired by a recent article in the Seattle Times (WSB citywide-news partner) about an architect who mapped the staircases on Queen Anne Hill, Bob thought, “Why don’t I do that for West Seattle?”

And so, he has.

Bob is finishing up a map and legend that shows the locations of West Seattle’s 27 public stairways (that’s a total of 1,983 steps) and the number of steps of each. Our longest staircase is on Thistle Street, westbound from Northrop (map), boasting 360 steps. Our shortest staircase runs between Avalon and Manning streets by Luna Park Café and features 12 steps — which seems somewhat more manageable.

Bob says that he’d give the physical condition of the staircases an overall grade of “C,” noting that there aren’t any he would describe as dangerous or recommend that people avoid. He adds, “They’re better than our sidewalks.” He points out that, like the stairways on Queen Anne Hill, a number of our railings are supported by risers made from the old trolley tracks that ran along California Avenue. In fact, the retaining wall along the south slope of Admiral Way is also supported by recycled trolley tracks.

Bob is a lifelong West Seattleite and walker. He notes that his family lived on Queen Anne Hill very briefly when he was a child and he and his siblings would walk from the area of the radio towers to Magnolia Bluff to swim. During World War II, Bob had a paper route in the North Admiral area. Because he’s been in West Seattle so long, and out and about so much, he pretty much knew where to find the staircases.

It follows that Bob would find something interesting to incorporate into his physical activity. He works out at the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) three times a week, plays volleyball, has done the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure several times, and each year he rides his bicycle one mile for each year he’s been alive. A few years ago when he turned 76, he figured he “might as well just ride 80 miles.” He rides from the Alki Lighthouse to Redmond and back.

Bob is finalizing his stairway map, and will make it available when it’s finished.

40 Replies to "Why you can call Bob Estep the "Stair Master of West Seattle""

  • JayDee February 28, 2010 (8:55 am)

    Where do the Thistle and Northrop stairs daylight? On google maps I think I see the top end, but it is unclear where the bottom landing is. Just wondering–maybe it is worth a long climb…

  • Andrea February 28, 2010 (8:59 am)

    I eagerly await the finished map. I am a Ballard native and avid walker. I have lived in W. Seattle for only a handful of years and do not know all the good routes here. Thanks Bob. I want to be you when I grow up.

  • D.A. February 28, 2010 (9:04 am)

    So looking forward to this map!! I’ve seen the QA version, and have wished we had one for WS. Thanks Bob!!

    WSB – Will you do another post letting us know when it’s ready and where we can get one? Thanks!!

  • d February 28, 2010 (9:11 am)

    West Seattle walks are great.
    Exercise is great.
    Bob, you are cool!

  • Alyson February 28, 2010 (9:34 am)

    Go Bob! You are an inspiration! Looking forward to seeing your map.

  • Michelle February 28, 2010 (10:25 am)

    Hey Bob! Good for you to stay so active!

  • J February 28, 2010 (10:51 am)

    I bought the QA map, and look forward to the WS one! Thanks, Bob!

  • WSB February 28, 2010 (11:58 am)

    JayDee – those are “our” stairs – we live within a block and have climbed them many times. It’s a two-part ‘staircase,’ a fairly steep set from Northrop to a dead-end street (I think 45th), then you cross the street between two homes and it’s a longer but more gradual series of stairs that goes between a whole lot of fenced side yards and comes out one very short block west of central Lincoln Park.
    .
    D.A. – Yes, absolutely we will do a followup when the map is out! Just seemed like too good a story not to tell at least in part, for starters.

  • g.L. February 28, 2010 (12:31 pm)

    My mom has walked all her life…never drove and she is in great shape today. I never appreciated how much she walked (and not just for fun, but because she had to)until later in my life. I say to Bob: Good job and more power to you! West Seattle is full of interesting stairways to discover and it’s great for your health! keep it up Bob!!

  • Rick C February 28, 2010 (12:42 pm)

    Go Bob! And thanks!

  • Ignatz February 28, 2010 (1:01 pm)

    Thank you Bob!

  • Reeve February 28, 2010 (1:17 pm)

    Bob, be sure to check out “our” stairs from Roxbury and 45th Ave SW, up to Roxbury Place via a small bridge that was renovated a year or so back. Great view of the Sound

  • rose February 28, 2010 (1:26 pm)

    cool Bob! – rose

  • rw February 28, 2010 (1:37 pm)

    Bob is a good neighbor and, despite his modesty, a true inspiration to those of us who are younger. One of his self-imposed annual challenges is to birthday bicycle that is as many miles as his age. I’m 20 or so years younger, and I couldn’t do that right now. Go Bob, go.

  • Claire j February 28, 2010 (2:38 pm)

    Thank you for making this map. I cant wait to see it.

  • Bill February 28, 2010 (4:22 pm)

    Years ago (15 or so) the City of Seattle had an intern do an inventory of all the hillside rights-of-way around town. The study was done because at that time the city didn’t rightly know how many of these grand staircases there were or where many of these were located. Many had become overgrown by vegetation. Lord knows if this study might still on file in the archives somewhere. In any case the Seattle-PI or the Seattle Times ran an article of same back then. I’d guess if the survey is still around it would be with the Department of Transportation people.

  • Glenda February 28, 2010 (4:39 pm)

    My boyfriend and I were JUST talking about needing a good map of the stairs in WS. So excited to here this and we’ll be happy to buy one when it comes out.

  • Alison February 28, 2010 (7:19 pm)

    He’s our hero for so many things; a great dad, father in law, and grandpa. You can’t find a better role model, one who serves others, and is filled with gratitude. We love you!

  • L.E February 28, 2010 (7:30 pm)

    go grandpa! love you!

  • nulu February 28, 2010 (8:35 pm)

    I believe that the shortest staircase in West Seattle is the WPA project between upper and lower (north and south) in the 4000 block of 21st Ave SW on Pigeon Point.

  • Steve February 28, 2010 (8:37 pm)

    Thanks for your great article. Seeing that picture of Bob on those stairs brought back many great memories. Bob was my next door neighbor for 14 years and I learned many things on my walks with him. I’m not in bad shape and I’m 30+ years younger than Bob, but it wasn’t easy to keep up with his pace. I’m glad that a great guy and a super neighbor gets recognized after all these years.

  • stuck on a bus on 21st.... February 28, 2010 (8:43 pm)

    looking forward to the map.

    but just 27 really ? I can think of about 6 / 7 in Puget Ridge / Pigeon Point alone.

    the Feet First produced pedestrian map shows the stair locations, but looking forward to the map that shows the grade of the stairs and number of steps.
    I wonder if Bob will name the staircases like the awesome and fun Queen Anne map.

  • ad February 28, 2010 (9:59 pm)

    Now I’m ready to climb some stairs and loose weight!!

  • Jake and Cathy Jaramillo February 28, 2010 (10:08 pm)

    When we lived in L.A. we were inspired by a book called “Stairways of Los Angeles” to explore parts of the city, via its stairways, that we would never have seen otherwise. We wanted to do something like that book when we moved to West Seattle. But that was before blogs! Check out our brand-new, infant Seattle Stairways blog at: http://seattlestairways.blogspot.com/

    It’s new, so it gives directions and pictures for just three Stairway Walks (two in W. Seattle, one in Madrona) right now. It also has links to other web sites having to do with Seattle stairways. We hope to showcase some of the best stairway walks in all the major Seattle neighborhoods in the next few months. Please let us know what you think of our blog – it’s a work in progress!

    With Bob in West Seattle, Tom Horton in Queen Anne and others doing stairway mapping and blogging, hopefully we can get people together doing urban stairway hikes in all the cool neighborhoods of Seattle!

  • Feet First map March 1, 2010 (8:43 am)

    Here is a map to tide you over, (until Bob’s map comes out) and/ or if your West Seattle stair doesn’t make his list.

    http://feetfirst.info/mapping/West%20Seattle%20Trails%20Map%20081014.pdf

  • Karen Clark March 1, 2010 (2:57 pm)

    Bob is an inspiration to all, young and young at heart!!!

  • d March 1, 2010 (5:17 pm)

    Since it was brought up, Feet First’s map…

    Is a new print edition coming out anytime soon? My copy is seriously dogeared at this point.

  • Tom Rasmussen March 1, 2010 (6:02 pm)

    Thanks Bob for your work on this. By the comments you have received you can see that it is very much appreciated. I wish we had more stairways connecting neighborhoods. They are quite expensive to construct

    Tom Rasmussen
    Seattle City Council

  • Feet First map March 1, 2010 (7:54 pm)

    d-
    it doesn’t look like it. if you go to:

    http://www.westseattlewalks.org

    – you can click on a link on the left side for a
    “New Full Color Map.”
    looks to be a good map, but it is not in print. if you scroll down, it looks like there is no money for printing more copies of the west Seattle walking trails map. but, I don’t know if that message is current.

    • WSB March 1, 2010 (8:09 pm)

      I have sent a note to Chas Redmond, who worked extensively/intensively on that project, to check on the status of new copies etc. – TR

  • MC March 2, 2010 (8:00 am)

    I hope Bob includes a mention of the forlorn and forgotten stairs that connect the 4600 block of 50th to Atlas Place. The Nisqually earthquake left them in a dangerous state, so they were fenced off. They are still there, overgrown and sadly inaccessible.

  • flynlo March 2, 2010 (10:15 am)

    +1 on MC’s comment above! However, I think that they were closed before the Nisqually quake.
    Question for Tom R. What’s the budget for maintaining existing stairs?

  • Pam C March 2, 2010 (2:06 pm)

    Thanks, Bob, for sharing this with us all. I’m looking forward to seeing the map. I love walking in West Seattle even without stairs.

    Pam

  • Tom Rasmussen March 2, 2010 (2:26 pm)

    I will get information on the budget for stairs and get back to you.

  • batgurrl March 2, 2010 (8:55 pm)

    Thank you so much – When I was 5 I lived on 37th & Kenyon. I have a memory of my mom & I walking down this long staircase to Lincoln Park. I thought it was around Kenyon but never could find it.

    Got to go check it out now. Childhood memory for sure.

    Go BOB!!!

  • Tom Rasmussen March 2, 2010 (9:34 pm)

    The Seattle Dept. of Transportation is responsible for over 480 stairways, totaling over six miles. The SDOT Roadway Structures Division has a periodic inspection program to develop a list of stairways for repairs. Repairs range from replacing the handrail to removing and replacing landings, treads, or concrete slabs. The list is prioritized and the work is scheduled accordingly.

    The 2006 budget for stairway maintenance was approximately $177,000. This funded the repair or retrofit of nearly 50 stairways.

    The City also budgeted $375,000 for major stairway rehab work in 2007.

    The Briding the Gap transportation levy is to: “Rehab 40-50 stairways.” during the 9 year levy period. SDOT’s “accomplishments document” states that they are repairing about 5 per year. But in 2008 they did 8!

    Let me know if you have more questions or have suggestions of stairs that need repair.

  • Feet First map March 3, 2010 (11:08 am)

    thanks for the follow up Tom !

    I remember a few months back that Pete S (from Pigeon Point) mentioned that the stairs near the Croft Place townhomes (6701 21st Ave SW) were in bad shape and could use Bridging the gap funds.
    but I think that nomination process is in the hands of the Delridge neighborhoods District council.

  • LouAnn March 6, 2010 (7:49 am)

    Who would have thought that my dad’s stair mapping would create such wonderful reactions and comments from the community. I know it means a lot to him that there is so much interest out there, and will certainly be encouraging to him.

  • Colin March 7, 2010 (2:37 pm)

    Go Grandpa! And like everyone else has said, you are very much an inspiration to us all! We love you!

  • Will March 25, 2010 (10:57 am)

    Any update on when this new stair map will be available?

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