Photo gallery image (click to enlarge)

Lake Herman Recreation Area

Date: (Sun.) Feb. 26, 2023
Location: Benicia, CA
Event Director: - 650.906.9672
Course Setter: Nick Corsano
Type: B; Standard 7-course event for beginners through advanced

Related Event Information

Event Announcement


Course Setter’s Notes

By

Welcome to Benicia and Lake Herman Recreation Area. Our assembly area is in Benicia Community Park, where we have reserved the Red Quadrant of the picnic area.

The usual seven courses are offered. 

    Course    Length    Climb  Controls  Navigation
    White     1.8 km     50 m     13     Beginner  
    Yellow    2.5 km     95 m     13     Advanced beginner
    Orange    4.4 km    180 m     20     Intermediate  
    Brown     3.8 km    175 m     13     Advanced  
    Green     5.0 km    250 m     15     Advanced
    Red       6.1 km    275 m     17     Advanced
    Blue      7.2 km    295 m     20     Advanced

Beginners should be aware that the lengths shown are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. The climb numbers represent the amount of ascending that would be done on the “optimum route” (i.e., in the Course Setter’s opinion), without regard for any descending. Because you won’t travel in straight lines, and might not follow the optimum routes, your actual distance and climb will be somewhat more than what is shown above, and will depend on your route choices (and any errors you make).
Important! 
Everybody must check in at the assembly area and download their E-stick after their course, whether or not they finish the course. That’s how we know you’re not lost in the hills.
Everybody must be back by 2:00 PM.
The orange construction fences around the baseball fields must not be crossed. (Those temporary fences are not shown on the map.)

Maps are printed at a 1:7500 scale. The contour interval is 2.5 meters. All the courses use the same Start and the same Finish, each a short walk from the assembly area. All the courses share a common first control, about 200 meters from the Start along a paved path. There will be one water stop on the Orange, Brown, Green, Red, and Blue courses, approximately at the midpoint of each course.

The map was originally made in 2013, following the standards of that time, and has not been updated to the newer standards for symbols.

The terrain is mostly quite open and the grass-covered hills are generally gentle by Bay Area standards. Note the word “generally”​—​all the courses have some pretty steep sections.

The ground is soft from the abundant rain. Trails can be a little muddy, and some off-trail low-lying spots can be swampy.

There are some wooded areas in the park, but for the most part, vegetation consists of shrubs and small trees.