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Almaden Quicksilver County Park

Date: (Sun.) Oct. 20, 2013
Location: San Jose, CA
Event Director: - 408.599.9709
Course Setter: Misha Kreslavsky
Type: B; We're returning to this popular park, after missing it for several years, for a full 7-course event

Related Event Information

Course Setter's Notes 2008 Almaden Event Event Results

Please note that fees and time limits apply. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.


Almaden Quicksilver Park has in excess everything typical for Bay Area: immense beauty, magnificent vistas, and punishingly steep slopes. The courses will combine forested and open terrain, short and long legs, steep traverses, and fast trails.

The standard event schedule will be followed, and the standard fees will apply.

Please note that there is no running water at the parking lot. The event director will provide some 5-gallon jugs of water, but you should bring some for yourself.

Here are the course details: 

   Course     Length        Climb      Controls

   White      1.6 km      60 m  3.8%       8
   Yellow     2.5 km     150 m  6.0%       9
   Orange     4.5 km     310 m  6.9%      10
   Brown      3.1 km     230 m  7.4%       9
   Green      4.6 km     360 m  7.8%      12
   Red        6.1 km     510 m  8.4%      14
   Blue       8.2 km     690 m  8.4%      22

Note: The White and Yellow courses will include sections that are guided off-trail with streamers through an open field and a short section of woods. Navigation will be easy, but we recommend wearing long pants or other leg protection from possible burrs and foxtails.

More information is available in the Course Setter's Notes.

Request for Volunteers

We could use a little help at Almaden for:

The parking person probably won't have to do much, but I need someone on the off chance we have a deluge of participants and need to shuttle a few cars to another parking area.

Control pick-up won't be too hard, as we have a little fewer controls than usual and we can drive a car up the main trails.

Please let know if you can help.

Driving Directions

Note that the event will be located on the SW side of the park, not at the "traditional" location on the east side. You can put these coordinates into Google Maps to see what route is suggested from your starting point: 37.1754,-121.8620.

Coming from the Peninsula, taking Hwy 85 toward south San Jose, the following route is shortest and quickest, but the road might be quite twisty for the last 5 miles: Exit Hwy 85 at Camden Ave, and head south on Camden Ave. After 1.7 miles, turn right onto Hicks Rd. After 6.3 miles, there's a stop sign at the intersection with Mt Umunhum Rd on the right. Turn left onto the road to the parking lot.

The alternative route, which might be better for people coming from other directions, is to leave Hwy 85 at Almaden Expressway, and head south on Almaden Expy. After about 4.2 miles, turn right onto Almaden Rd. After 4.6 miles (during which the road changes name to Alamitos Rd), turn right onto Hicks Rd. The right turn into the park is at a stop sign, 1.7 miles up Hicks Rd.

Parking

Parking is free at this venue, but we are limited to 30 parking spaces. Therefore, please make every effort to carpool. Carpool meeting options include the Hacienda entrance on the SE side (also free), or the Park & Ride lot at the junction of Highway 85 and Camden Avenue. If you arrive at the Hicks/Wood Road registration area parking lot and cannot find a space, contact the event director, and he'll arrange an ad hoc shuttle for you from the Hacienda entrance.