Map and Terrain
Pacheco State Park is a mixture of grassland and open forest, mostly oak, with a few pockets of dense chaparral. The Pacheco map is generally outstanding, with excellent contour, rock, and vegetation mapping.
That said, the rocks at Pacheco can be confusing. Many features are somewhere between "cliff" and "boulder", "boulder" and "boulder pile", or "boulder pile" and "rocky ground".
Also beware that some of the "large foot paths" marked on the map have almost disappeared in thriving grass, while cattle have added unmarked trails. The features mapped as "vehicle trail" (as opposed to foot path) are robust.
Lone trees are represented with open green circles, whereas overlapping canopies are mapped white. There are a few places where lone trees have grown to overlap, and a few places where part of a white area has shrunk due to a fallen tree. Brown "×" symbols mark some, but not nearly all, fallen trees. The green "×" symbol is not used.
Dark green corresponds to either thickets of thorny brush or impenetrable chaparral. A solid dark green dot is either a clump of thorny brush, sometimes massive, or a scrubby tree. When used as a control location, the "thicket" symbol is used for a clump of thorny brush, whereas the lone-tree symbol is used for a scrubby tree.
A lighter green has been used to map buckeye groves or similar low-hanging trees through which it is more difficult to run; as of early April, these groves were sufficiently distinct to be suitable for navigation, although their shape and size may have changed a bit from when the area was mapped. Parallel green lines represent technically passible scrub, often sagebrush but sometimes poison oak; these scrub patches are easy to avoid and not advantageous to cross.
As of early April, stream bottoms were mostly dry and made for fast running. This might change if there is substantial rain prior to the event. (You might want to read the Course Setters' Notes for previous Pacheco events for comments about the strategy of running in stream bottoms.)
Hazards
The park warns visitors about both ticks and rattlesnakes. Although the course setter encountered neither, the usual precautions should be taken: long pants, gaiters, and watchful eyes both during and after the event.
Cattle roam the park. While they generally run from humans, be mindful of their defense of calves, who are abundant this time of year. The course setter also observed wild pigs with piglets, and gave the sow plenty of space.
Most of the park is free of poison oak, but it does appear near some potential routes. Generally it is quite visible—large, leafy, and green.
Courses are long and often exposed—adequate sun protection is advised.
Water
There is no potable water in the park, so please come to the event with full bottles. Drinking water will be provided on the courses, at the remote Start/Finish, and at the assembly area.
Fences and Gates
The Goat, Kid, and Orange courses cross fences in various states of repair. Roll under intact fences—this is better for the fence and safer for the participant. Some sensible route choices encounter fence segments with wires so loose as to leave obvious gaps; these fences may be crossed by passing through. Please be gentle with these older fences, and do not step on suspended wires when crossing. There is also at least one potentially electrified fence near a possible route choice for the _Goat_—it looks obviously different and is trivial to step over. The course setter did not test if it was actually electrified.
The Pygmy course crosses one fence twice, with a highly-recommended route choice through a clearly-mapped gap. There is barbed wire on the ground, so please take care when passing.
Participants may choose routes that encounter gates. Please make sure these gate are secured in their original state after passing through.