Throughout the last few hundred years, they’ve had many names. Eureka, Noe, Los Pechos de la Chola. The Grand Tatons. Today, those across the Bay Area know the two mountain crests jutting from the center of San Francisco as Twin Peaks. And for skateboarders, the Peaks have long been a destination. Some go for a quick nature break, or to relax at the end of the day with a sunset view. Some seek the thrilling, circuitous hill bomb down Twin Peaks Blvd to Portola Drive, leading to more hills in the surrounding neighborhoods. Others, in more recent years, have sought refuge on the smooth asphalt of the eastern roadway at the top of the hill. This section has been closed to traffic since 2016 and has quietly become a DIY skate spot with great flatground and stunning views of one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. On October 19, Red Bull will transform the stretch of road into a street course for the Red Bull Sky Line skateboarding competition, judged by local pros with cash prizes.
One of the judges is Karl Watson, the legendary professional skateboarder born in Oakland and raised in San Francisco. For Karl, Twin Peaks has always been special.
“I always saw Twin Peaks as an inspiration point,” Karl says. “And there was a different kind of appreciation for the view from Twin Peaks, because we grew up looking at them and desiring to go up there on our own, without a school tour or something. Eventually getting to that point where our friends were old enough to have cars, and then we would head up there and do what excited us most—check out the view and watch all the tourists come and go, knowing all along that we lived in that city.”
For many, Karl Watson is synonymous with San Francisco skateboarding. For decades he was a staple presence at both EMB and Pier 7 during an era when The City was the global mecca of skateboarding. Karl famously welcomed visitors with open arms, and if you were lucky enough to befriend him, the lookout at Twin Peaks was one of the first places he took you.
“Whenever someone came from other parts of the country or the world, I would always bring them up there before or after dinner so they could take a gander at our beautiful city and see how vast it is and how many unique views there are. That was definitely our main destination.”
The evolution of Twin Peaks becoming a skate spot is something Karl credits to the new generation. “The hill was untouchable. Nobody really wanted to go down a continuous winding road that was very steep and ends in traffic. I believe the GX1000 folks really turned it into a DIY hangout spot. And they’re the ones who have the courage to skate down such a crazy winding hill without putting their foot down.”
On Saturday, October 19, Karl will be judging at Red Bull Sky Line with his good friend Chico Brenes, a fellow professional skateboarding legend and S.F. local. Keen Ramps and Kanfoush Construction, two skater-owned companies, will come together for the completion of the course. Features will include a mix of street and transition obstacles like quarter pipes, rainbow rails, and bumps to barriers, along with ramps to salvaged bike racks and dumpsters. The contest will be invite only, starting at 12:00pm, with a best line contest, followed by a best trick contest to close out the day.
Red Bull Sky Line will be a grand sendoff for the closed roadway of Twin Peaks, which will be removed and replaced with the Twin Peaks Promenade, a linear park, complete with new vegetation, sitting areas, and multi-use trails for walking, bicycles, and skateboards. Improvements for the trails and walkways around the park have already begun, and construction for the Promenade Project will begin in 2025. So if you’re in the Bay Area, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to watch some of the best skateboarders ripping in front of one of the most scenic lookouts in the world.
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Red Bull Sky Line
A skate contest on Twin Peaks in San Francisco, where top talents showcase their creativity, speed and skills.
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