Word on the Web: Remembering '1000 Stairs'

Patch freelancer took us on a 2.5 mile walk from Monterey Road to Indiana Avenue in her  Some of you have already taken the challenge citing difficulty and satisfaction. 

But Monday's column also sparked conversation via our Facebook page about a flight of haunted stairs that start at Alta Vista and lead to Monterey Road. This is how the conversation unfolded:

• Karen Sullivan Byers I know Indiana Avenue very well! I grew up on Indiana in the late 1950's - mid 1970's near the section that widens. Back in the day it was a dead-end. I've walked up and down that hill thousands of times in my lifetime, having to catch the school bus at the top of the hill.
• Karen Sullivan Byers I am very curious if the wooden stairs from Alta Vista down to Monterey Road. are still there? It has always intrigued me. It was my "short cut" to Lincoln School. We were convinced a witch lived on that path! LOL  
• South Pasadena Patch Hi Karen, thanks for sharing. Hmmm, we've written about these stairs: http://patch.com/A-dlKJ. But I'm not sure about the Alta Vista haunted stairs you speak of. We will have to check this out! When was the last time you used them?
• Karen Sullivan Byers Oh my, it's been too many years to remember. I don't even know if they are still there. If I recall correctly, you accessed the top of the stairs at Alta Vista near St. Albans. The staircase was located between two houses. These wooden stairs dropped down to exit on Monterey Road. You know how kids are. . . we had wild imaginations and we would scare each other with a story about a witch living in one of the houses. We called the staircase "1000 Stairs". Some one in S.P. must remember them. It would be awesome if they are still there. . . oh the memories!
• Margaret Pumpelly Finnegan Karen, what a wonderful story. I don't know if the stairs are still there, but I'll check it out and get back to you. Give me a few days.
• Jill Dombrowski Cordell I remember 1000 stairs. Boy you had to watch out for the poison oak. Yes, and the witch house! I have no idea if they are still there. They were located between what is now Foremost Liquor and the apartment building that Kay Molyneaux (SPHS class of '74) owned. Gosh, what memories! 
• Karen Sullivan Byers Jill, I got poison oak so many times as a kid! You are so right about that! It would be cool if the stairs are still there. Oh that witch scared very time :-)
• Jill Dombrowski Cordell Karen...me too. And splinters from the stairs! Yes, the witch was scary, even though I never actually saw her. But someone lived in that weird house right where the stairs curved. Ah! Good memories
• Alan Reynolds for South Pasadena City Council Used to run there in High School for cross country, nice memories (though tiring ones)
• Karen Sullivan Byers Alan, are the stairs still there? Holy Moly, I could barely walk up those stairs as a kid, let alone run them! BTW, did you ever see that witch??!

Patch asks: Are "1000 Stairs" still there? What are your memories of these haunted stairs growing up in South Pas?