Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
Date: (Sun.) Dec. 2, 2007
Location: San Ramon, CA
Event Directors: 
- 510.524.1239, - 541.401.7595
Course Setters: Alan Houser, Ben Legg
Type: B; Regular 7-course BAOC event (BAOC COOL meet #3)
We will be offering the standard White (beginner), Yellow (advanced beginner), and Orange (intermediate) courses, and advanced "middle distance" courses. The third COOL competition will also be taking place.
Schedule
The standard event schedule will be followed:
- Registration: 9:00 A.M. to noon
- Starts: 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.
- Beginner's Clinics: 9:30 to 10:30 A.M.
- Courses Close: 2:00 P.M.
You can register and start any time during the periods shown above.
The beginner's clinics are short, repeating sessions that will explain orienteering well enough for everyone to complete a beginner course.
You must check in at the Finish by the course-closing time, even if you have not completed your course. Otherwise, we'll have to assume you are still in the park, and will initiate a search for you. (Some event volunteers will be permitted to finish later if they have made prior arrangement with the Event Directors.)
Courses
Course Statistics:
Course Length Climb
White 1.8 km 70 m Yellow 2.0 km 115 m Orange 2.7 km 175 m Brown 3.0 km 165 m Green 3.1 km 195 m Red 3.7 km 230 m Blue 4.2 km 255 m
The advanced courses (Brown–Blue) are shorter than usual, designed in the spirit of the international middle-distance format. We have strived to maximize fast terrain running and technical control locations, while minimizing climb. Accurate and fast map/terrain reading will be emphasized over route choice.
Beginner and intermediate courses (White–Orange) are standard format. Yellow and Orange may require fence crossings. Beginner courses will use Epunch.
We are utilizing the more mild, southern portion of the map. The open hillsides there include some very intricate and fairly well mapped topography. The mapping quality degrades significantly under tree cover, where deep gullys may be undermapped. The courses have been designed to avoid the worst of these areas.
Safety Concerns
Las Trampas is steep (although the beginner courses will not be overly affected). Maps are 1:10000, with 7.5-m contour lines. Slopes are slippery. Cleats are strongly recommended for the advanced courses.
The terrain is typified by deep gullies. Courses have been designed specifically to avoid the worst of these. However, the severity of these gullies may not be adequately indicated on the map. Use caution if you do encounter them, the ground is unstable and may be undercut.
Poison oak is not leafed this time of year—if you cannot recognize the bare stalks, the usual precautions should be followed. The White and Yellow courses will not encounter poison oak.
There may be cows grazing along the course. And I saw several ticks while course setting, check yourself afterwards!
Miscellaneous
As requested by park rangers, parking for the event will be in the Little Hills Picnic Ranch off Bollinger Canyon Road. There is a 1-km walk from the parking area to registration.
Toilets and drinking water will be available near the registration area.
Weather should be nice, but come prepared for anything. It is December! There are picnic areas available, and some wildflowers still out.
Driving Directions
From the north, east and south, take I-680 to the Crow Canyon Road West exit in San Ramon. Go west on Crow Canyon to Bollinger Canyon Road. Turn right (north) and continue about 4 miles to the end of Bollinger Canyon Road. Follow the O' signs to the parking area on your left.
From the west, take Highway 238 east from Highway 880, or Highway 580 southeast from Oakland. Shortly after the merge of Highways 238 and 580 (about 3 miles from 880 when taking 238), take the exit for Center Street and Crow Canyon Road. Turn left onto Center St, turn right onto Castro Valley Blvd, and turn left onto Crow Canyon Road. Follow Crow Canyon Road north several miles to Bollinger Canyon Road. Turn left (north) onto Bollinger Canyon Road and continue about 4 miles to the end. Follow the O' signs to the parking area on your left.