Joseph D. Grant Park
Date: (Sun.) Apr. 30, 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Event Directors: 
- 408.878.5073, - 510.886.7360
Course Setters: Derek Maclean, Dean French
Type: B; Standard seven courses (White through Blue)
Course Setter's Notes
By Derek Maclean & Dean French
Welcome to Joe Grant for the return of the French/Maclean course-setting team, with the capable organizational help of Peter Graube and Jim Fish.
This is a beautiful time of year in the park. Everything is lush and green, and wildflowers cover every meadow. The ground is just right for running — neither muddy nor rock-hard. Latest forecast is for warm, sunny weather. The courses are challenging but fair. We hope that you enjoy running them as much as we have enjoyed setting them.
Summary of Courses
Course Length Climb Technical Physical
White 2.7 km 60 m Beginner Stroller-friendly Yellow 3.6 km 130 m Advanced Beginner A robust hike Orange 3.9 km 150 m Intermediate Tougher Brown 4.0 km 190 m Advanced Challenging Green 4.8 km 240 m Advanced Very challenging Red 5.8 km 290 m Advanced Even more challenging Blue 6.6 km 330 m Advanced Long and very tough
White and Yellow starts are adjacent to registration. Orange, Brown, Green, Red, and Blue starts are less than a 5-min. walk.
It is a 1.5-km walk back to the parking area from the Finish for Brown, Green, Red, and Blue.
The White course is suitable for beginners, and is reasonably stroller-friendly. It takes paved roads through the campsite then loops back to the Finish on dirt trails for a total of 2.6 km. All the control markers are readily visible from the trails.
The Yellow course ventures a bit further afield, following a dirt path circuit with substantially more hills than the White course. Several controls are a short distance off the trail, and some bush-whacking will be needed. Some off-trail shortcuts may also be possible. The White and Yellow courses visit different areas, so if White was not enough for you, and time allows, you may wish to also try the Yellow course.
The Orange course is mostly off-trail, mainly through open meadows, and never very far from a major trail, although the navigation is a significant step-up from Yellow.
Brown, Green, Red, and Blue are advanced courses offering increased physical and technical challenge. The Blue and Red courses, in particular, visit some very rugged areas, and should be undertaken only by experienced orienteers.
Finish times are expected to be about average for the Bay Area, slightly shorter than is typical for Joe Grant. The Brown course is only slightly more challenging than Orange, and this might be a good day for someone looking to step up to the advanced course.
Preliminary announcements for this meet had mentioned a Long Orange course. However, there will be no Long Orange course! The organizers recommend the Brown course as an alternative. It is slightly longer and more physical than Orange, but due to the nature of the park, the difference in technical difficulty between Orange and Brown is less than usual.
Hazards and Precautions
There is a large amount of poison oak in the park. It may be encountered on any course except White. This seems to be a bumper year for the PO crop in Joe Grant. Courses have been planned to avoid the worst areas, but this is prime growing season. Vetters have reported significant growth in some sections. Take appropriate precautions, including wearing long sleeves and pants, and avoiding the distinctive plants with shiny green or red-green leaves in sets of three. Wash off skin with soap and cool water as soon as possible after returning; bag and wash clothes before re-wearing. Use a specialized product such as Technu as a precaution or if you're known to be sensitive.
The Blue course is the only course that goes close to Mount Hamilton Road in one section. The road may appear as a possible route choice, although it is not optimal. The road is out of bounds! It is very unsafe to walk or run on the narrow, winding road.
Water has been placed at at least one control on each of the advanced courses. If the weather is warm, please take precaution and drink plenty of fluids before competing. Be courteous to fellow competitors — do not waste water at the water stops, and do not fill bottles or Camelbaks at water stops. The Yellow and White courses will go past several taps in the campsite area that can be used for drinking.
Animals
There are many cows in the park. These have proved to be totally tame in all encounters so far, but try to avoid getting between a cow and its calf.
The park has many feral pigs, which mostly snooze in the sagebrush in the daytime, and tend to avoid people, although they can startle you when they burst out of the brush in your vicinity. Keep an eye out for piglets, and don't get between them and their mothers.
Mountain lions are also present in the park. If you see one, make yourself look as large as possible. Stand up and wave a stick, but do not bend down to pick one up. Keep small children close at all times. Do not turn and run, or the cougar may think you are prey. Fight back if attacked.
There seems to be more ticks than usual this year. Check yourself carefully after your run.
Map Comments
The damp weather has caused the area to be slightly wetter than mapped. You may encounter unmapped small streams and marshy ground. Cleated shoes are strongly recommended, especially for the Green, Red, and Blue courses.
All advanced courses cross several fences. In general you can pass under these, especially where animal tracks pass through the fence. Please take care to avoid damaging the fences, and report any such damage to event officials. Some new fences have been put up by the park. We have endeavoured to update these on the map, but it is possible that you may encounter unmapped fences.
The distinction between white (runnable) forest and groups of lone trees is sometimes clearer on the map than on the ground. Some "lone trees" are now large, dead rootstocks.
Some rough open areas have many unmapped thickets of head-high brush. These do not significantly impede passage, but do reduce visibility in those areas.
Many unmapped animal tracks are present that may be as evident as some mapped indistinct trails.
We look forward to seeing you this Sunday!
Derek and Dean