Monte Bello

Palo Alto
Sunday, Oct. 8, 2000

Contact: Jeff Lanam, 408-259-2756

We return to Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, a large area of open grasslands and deep forested canyons straddling the San Andreas Fault. Since this is the weekend after the Golden Goat, course-setter Syd Reader and I plan to make this a Short-O. Don't think that makes it easy, though! A Short-O course is defined to be 80% of a standard course, which makes for shorter legs, with quicker navigational choices. Given the limited trail network, White and Yellow courses will be of standard length. Electronic punching will be used for advanced courses.

Course statistics: 

         controls   length    climb
        
White       9       1.8 km    130 m
Yellow     10       1.9 km    130 m
Orange     13       3.1 km    250 m
Brown      10       2.4 km    210 m
Green      13       3.0 km    240 m
Red        14       4.0 km    290 m
Blue       16       5.0 km    380 m
White and Yellow will have a short off-trail streamered leg, so be prepared by wearing long pants.

Poison oak is present in many areas, as are yellow jackets. Please clean your shoes before and after the meet to avoid spreading Sudden Oak Death Syndrome.

Directions

Parking is at the adjacent Skyline Ridge OSP. Take Page Mill Road to Skyline Road (about 10 miles), and turn left at the stop sign. Go about one mile down the road and turn right into the parking lot for Skyline OSP. Park in the lot to the left (the equestrian lot). Carpooling is encouraged, as the lot is not very large. There is a Park and Ride lot at Page Mill, at the exit from I-280.

Alternate route choices include Highway 9 from Saratoga or Highway 92 to Skyline Road.

Dogs are not allowed in either Monte Bello or Skyline OSP.