Shell Ridge Open Space
Date: (Sun.) Apr. 30, 2017
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Event Director: 
Course Setter: Vicki Woolworth
Type: B; Normal set of beginner through advanced courses
Course Setter's Notes
By Vicki Wollworth
Fortunately the trails have dried out quite a bit from a month ago—can't say I miss the mud. The ground (off trail) was still soft last weekend, hopefully the texture will be to everyone's liking.
The grass is high this year, hiding rocks and holes, and some of the narrower trails. Be careful.
Map
The scale is 1:7500 for White and Yellow; 1:10000 for the other courses.
The contour interval is 4.9 meters.
There are more dead trees than mapped (circle of life). Standing dead trees are mapped as green ×; rootstocks as brown ×.
There are ponds in various mapped depressions (quite the rainy year)—they might be gone by Sunday.
Trail junctions: On Yellow especially, keep your eyes out for trail junctions, they might not be obvious, in part due to the grass. There are some fence sections at the lower end of some of the smaller/narrower trails, presumably to keep cyclists from flying into the main road.
Hazards
Poison oak is mostly limited to (mapped) dense shrubs and climbers on some trees.
Bugs: Despite hours in the grass, I had no ticks. Just a lot of leafhoppers, and a few mosquitoes in the wetter areas.
Snakes: I saw a picture of one on a sign. Always a possibility.
Steep slopes: Wear shoes that grip.
High grass: Hides rocks and uneven ground.
Courtesies
Horses: You must give them the right of way, you might need to speak to them reassuringly—riders will generally let you know. Try not to burst onto a trail suddenly if there are horses nearby.
Gates: No cattle grazing yet, but please close all gates after yourself (even if you found them open).
Courses
Here are the final course stats:
Course Distance Climb Controls
White 1.7 km 113 m 8
Yellow 2.3 km 132 m 12
Orange 3.1 km 260 m 12
Brown 2.7 km 210 m 11
Green 4.1 km 340 m 16
Red 5.9 km 387 m 16
Blue 6.8 km 416 m 20