I had forgotten what a trek the Sand Ladder at Backer Beach is. The going down is not bad at all, but the return trip… well, let’s just say, I hope you’re in shape. First off, walking in the sand is arduous at best, but walking in sand as you’re ascending a long, steep hill is grueling. Don’t get me wrong, I love this hike. It’s just that carrying a bunch of camera gear while I’m doing it is less than appealing.

In both directions, you have to be hyper-aware of where you’re stepping because not only are there logs between steps (some covered with sand, some not), but there are also cables that hold the logs in place to form the steps so you need to be careful not to trip.

The vistas on the way down are phenomenal. You can actually see the curvature of the earth on the horizon. That in itself blew my mind. In all my years, I’ve never experienced that. The sunsets are some of the most gorgeous and pollution-free that I’ve ever witnessed.

Once you’re down to the beach, you are gifted with more stunning vistas, not to mention the Golden Gate Bridge at the far north of the beach. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the fog rolling through the Golden Gate.

Dress warm because as Mark Twain said, “the coldest winter I ever spent, was a summer in San Francisco”. Especially at the beach!