Huddart Park
Date: (Sat.) Oct. 24, 2015
Location: Woodside, CA
Event Director: 
- 650.941.4184
Course Setter: Mark Prior
Type: B; Come see what fun/challenge we have for you at this beautiful redwoods park
Course Setter's Notes
By Mark Prior
Greetings and welcome to the 2015 Huddart orienteering extravaganza, located on the eastern slope of infamous and beautiful King's Mountain. This area contains many diverse biosystems, including extensive second-growth redwood forest. In fact, early European settlers to this area very quickly built up extensive infrastructure, including "haul" roads and small villages, to harvest these large trees, most of which were shipped north to build the newly established city of San Francisco.
Life is calmer now, and you can enjoy a majestic day of navigational running in one of the most central and "open" (lack of dense, low, ground cover) maps in the Bay Area.
Despite all these advantages, the quality of the map is very poor, reflecting a mapping standard from several decades ago, which has yet to be updated. While generally accurate, much of the detail usually expected is not present on the map. However, given the dense trail network and distinctively steep topography, there is sufficient information for a rewarding experience. In fact, advanced orienteers will likely be able to flex their navigational muscles more than usual on local terrain in order to combine the skeleton of topographic, feature, and vegetative information available.
Details
The map is rather inconsistent in its selection of which distinct features to include. Specifically, you will encounter multiple large rootstocks (aka stumps) that are not mapped, potentially in close proximity to those that are shown and used for control placement.
The contours are generally reliable, but not overly granular. Large reentrants, difficult to cross, can look very small on the map.
Clearings are somewhat arbitrary, but useful at times.
Controls descriptions marked as black crosses are mad-made objects, such as a post or picnic table. Green circles are rootstocks. Brown ×'s are downed trees.
Redwoods often grow in circles, but only the most distinct of which are mapped. Several advanced controls are placed on such features and described as vegetation boundaries. Don't fall into the trap of standing next to a redwood circle and assuming you are at the one shown on the map.
The contour interval is 5 meters, and all the advanced courses include some steep sections. Cleats are highly recommended. Long pants are nice, but not necessary if you are into such things. Some mechanism to keep rocks out of your shoes is very useful for steep downhills.
All the courses may encounter a mapped trail that has been marked closed due to a substandard footbridge. Beginners should not be tempted to enter this this trail due to course design, but advanced runners may cross or even utilize this trail for short stretches.
The redwood forest is a gentle, welcoming place, but it does host some steep slopes, bee hives, and wildlife. To the best of my knowledge, there is no poison oak!
Courses
This event offers the full seven course options, as follows:
Course Length Climb Controls
White 2.2 km 30 m 10
Yellow 2.6 km 50 m 11
Orange 4.8 km 280 m 13
Brown 2.8 km 120 m 12
Green 4.0 km 140 m 16
Red 6.2 km 350 m 21
Blue 7.0 km 400 m 24
Despite the short distances, this is not an ideal event to run a longer category than usual. Prospective Orange participants should take particular note that the course travels much the same area, distance, and climb as the advanced courses (with the same remote Start), so is not ideal for new upgraders.
Starts and Finish
The White and Yellow courses start right next to registration.
All the other courses (Orange through Blue) start a pleasant 1500 m walk from registration. Allow 15 minutes to walk to that Start.
The Finish for all courses is near registration.
Enjoy!