Mary Burk and Adah Bakalinsky

Mary Burk and Adah Bakalinsky are the authors of Stairway Walks in San Francisco: The Joy of Urban Exploring (Wilderness Press).

This walking book highlights the beauty and utility of stairways in San Francisco, and the neighborhoods they connect. Free things to do in each walk, along with historical notes on homes and our colorful past along the way. 35 walks are featured in the new 9th edition, and detailed maps are also included.

Mary Burk has been walking around San Francisco since the 1980s, and met Adah at a book event held at the San Francisco Public Library. Since then, Mary has happily extolled the wonders of this little city’s gems, which Adah’s walks unearth, and she’s also enjoyed taking many new walks with Adah in the process.

Adah Bakalinsky is the queen of San Francisco’s majestic, quirky, and quotidian stairways. Walker nonpareil and veteran guide, she explores the hidden corridors and cul-de-sacs of San Francisco, charting neighborhood changes by gathering stories from residents, gardeners, and shopkeepers. She has lived in San Francisco and walked its paths and stairways for many years, and has been a full-time resident since 1973. She estimates she has walked 15,000 miles in the City since that time. She has been the author of Stairway Walks in San Francisco since the first edition was published in 1984. She lives in San Francisco.