Golden Icon
| Golden Gate Bridge |
| Landmark Bridge |
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Golden Icon |
If there's one icon clearly identified with San Francisco, it is the Golden Gate Bridge, that bright red span connecting San Francisco with Marin County to the north. Seen here from an old military installation turned vista point on the Marin County part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. |
| Mark Twain once commented "The coldest winter I spent was a summer in San Francisco," and he was not kidding. Unlike much of the rest of California, the relatively low mountains of San Francisco (and the opening of the bay) are the perfect break for the moist Pacific air to come inland, a phenomenon the locals call "the City's Air Conditioning." The view here is from the Marin County vista point. |
 Veiled in Fog |
 Fog Tumbles By |
Sometimes a dense, impenetrable mass, the fog more usually starts to break up as it hits the warmer water and air in the bay and inland. A few seconds after the previous photo was taken, the bridge is once again visible... sort of... |
| In this photo we're at the Marin County vista point on a clear autumn night. You might ask "if it's the Golden Gate Bridge, why is it red, not gold?" Well, urban legend has it that was the plan: the bridge was supposed to be painted gold and the red was just a primer coat. But since they didn't get around to painting it gold right away, people got used to the primer and then resisted the efforts to apply the gold coat when the opportunity finally arose. Actually, though, the bridge is intentionally red, though the reasons vary depending on who you ask: it's either a safety issue (being visible in the fog) or the architect's asthetic choice. Either way, the term "Golden Gate" refers to the strait between Marin and San Francisco -- the gateway to gold country for many a traveller -- and the bridge just crosses it. |
 Glowing Towers |
 Winter Vista |
Unlike the foggy views fairly typical of Summer, this photo taken late in December shows clear sky. The air is still brisk, but not nearly so bone-chilling as the fog would be. |
| The slender towers, rising over 700 feet above the surface of the bay, are lined up here from a view from another retired battery within the Presidio. Tall and slender, it doesn't look like six lanes, does it? |
 Threading the Needle |
 Framed by Cypress |
The ubiquitous cypress trees of the San Francisco peninsula frame this view of the Golden Gate bridge. Travel into Golden Gate Park and you'll be surrounded by them. |
Here's a view of the Bridge as seen from the western San Francisco side, including a panoramic view of the Marin Headlands.
 The Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands |