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Briones Regional Park

Date: (Sat.) Mar. 29, 2008
Location: Lafayette, CA
Event Director: - 510.658.4327
Course Setter: Penny DeMoss
Type: C; INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED COURSES ONLY--there will be no Beginner (White/Yellow) courses available due to park restrictions on parking


Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 29 at Briones Regional Park. Yes, a rare Saturday event ... so you can do chores on Sunday ... argh.

Briones is a lovely park with open grassy meadows, creeks, ponds, steep hillsides, rock features, valley oak/bay forests, and there should be quite a few wildflowers blooming by the end of March. There is poison oak also, so bring your Tecnu—although you'll be able to navigate these courses quite easily without getting into it. The hills are already greening up nicely, but the grass will still be short and fast.

Sorry, but due to parking restrictions at the Alhambra Creek Valley Staging area of Briones, we cannot offer beginners courses at this event. That is, there will not be White or Yellow courses. We apologize to those who will be excluded by this exception to our normal policy of having beginner courses at all events.

The map scale is 1:10,000 with a contour interval of 7.5 m.

We will be using E-punch. Registration will be open from 9:00 AM to noon for non-members or those who need to rent an E-punch stick. Others can use the self-registration envelopes.

Don't forget to visit the E-punch tent before you head out to the Start.

The Start for all courses will be 500 m from registration. Starts will be from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. All participants must check in at the Finish by 2:00 PM. The Finish will be 250 m from the download tent. Carry a whistle.

The courses on offer will be as follows:

  Course    Length    Climb   Controls   Navigation
  
  Orange    4.2 km    205 m      10      Intermediate
  Brown     4.4 km    225 m      11      Advanced
  Green     5.7 km    375 m      13      Advanced
  Red       6.8 km    450 m      15      Advanced
  Blue      7.9 km    540 m      19      Advanced

See the Course Setter's Notes for more information.

Briones is a popular equestrian area, with stables right outside the gate. Please use caution when encountering riders on the trails. Do not run up behind a horse, as this can startle them. If you see a horse coming towards you on a trail, stand aside or walk slowly until they have passed. There was a very serious accident (dog related in this case) there on New Year's day ... let's not let that happen because of us.

Looking forward to a fun day. See you all there.

Harold DeMoss, Event director
Penny DeMoss, Course setter


Driving Directions

NOTE: The parking and gathering will be at the Alhambra Valley entrance to Briones—the north side of the park, not the normal west-side entrance from Bear Creek Rd. (There's a map with a "pin" that indicates the location.)

Take the Pleasant Hill Rd exit off Highway 24 in Lafayette. Go north on Pleasant Hill Rd for 0.8 mile, and turn left onto Reliez Valley Rd. Stay on Reliez Valley Rd for 4.6 miles. Turn left at the large, brown sign that says "Alhambra Creek Valley Staging Area of Briones Regional Park". It is 0.8 mile to the parking kiosk. After paying ($4) and parking, follow signs 100 m to registration in the orchard.

There are picnic tables, so bring some snacks for afterwards.

Carpooling is encouraged as always.