Monte Bello and Skyline Ridge 2005

Oct 30, 2005 (Sun)

BAOC

Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Palo Alto, CA

Director: Terry Farrah (206.913.3790)
Course Setter: Mikkel Conradi

Type B: Regular local. Generally provides the standard seven courses (White, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Green, Red, Blue)

White, Yellow, Orange, and advanced courses

From course-setter Mikkel Conradi:

When I signed up to be the course-setter for Monte Bello/Skyline Ridge, I may not have realized exactly what I was in for. Both maps have large sections of relatively steep terrain and dense vegetation. Because of this, and because this is my first ever attempt at course setting, I have tried to error slightly on the low side as far as gnarliness goes. As a result, the courses are fairly short, although with a moderate amount of climb.

Course    Length    Climb

White     1.7 km    110 m
Yellow    2.3 km    170 m
Orange    2.8 km    240 m
Brown     2.7 km    255 m
Green     3.6 km    290 m
Red       4.6 km    370 m
Blue      5.7 km    435 m

The runners should pay attention to the following notes.

Monte Bello ↑

  • You will cross Skyline Blvd. to get to the start, and again to return from the finish. Cars and motorcycles drive very fast on this road. Please use extreme caution when crossing! Most of the time, a crossing guard will be stationed there. Do not cross until the crossing guard has determined it is safe.

  • Unfortunately, I did not have time to make map corrections for changes in vegetation. Some of the open areas have unmapped vegetation that may impede running speed, albeit not visibility. Other parts of the open land have tall grass, making running harder than one would normally assume.

  • There are large areas of private land on this map. Some of the legs will give runners the opportunity to get very close to these areas. Many of them are not fenced, so pay attention to your map. We will put up yellow streamers to help remind you to stay out of private land.

  • There is a wide strip of tilled land along the edge of the large field in the north-western part of the map. This has been mapped as "open land" (yellow), and I chose to not change this to "road", which it really isn't. Red and Blue course runners will encounter this feature.

  • Staffed control: In this same northwest corner of the Red and Blue courses will be a staffed control, for safety purposes. A person will be stationed there with a radio. Emergencies should be reported to the Finish or to this person. You do not need to do anything special at this control.

  • Safety bearings: South to Skyline Boulevard or northwest to Page Mill Road.

Skyline Ridge ↑

  • The southern part of the map is very steep, and none of the courses enter this area. If you get lost, use the safety bearing to get back to the start/finish.

  • Safety bearing: North to Skyline Boulevard.

All Participants ↑

  • Skyline Ridge and Monte Bello are preserves. We are privileged to be able to use them for orienteering. The rangers have asked that we try to avoid reinforcing unofficial trails, especially if the ground is muddy. You cannot tell from the map which trails are unofficial, but you can often tell from the ground.

Hazards ↑

In these preserves we have the usual Bay Area hazards: poison oak, ticks, rattlesnakes, and mountain lions. The only one you are likely to encounter is poison oak. Check out our FAQ/What_are_the_hazards? page for photos of poison oak and information on how to prevent a rash and how to treat one if you get one. The same page also has a link to information on ticks.

It is unusual to see a rattlesnake and extremely rare to see a mountain lion. If you encounter either, back away slowly. More details about how to respond are posted on the Preserve trailhead signs.

Emergencies ↑

Be aware that this area is remote. It will take 30 minutes to an hour for services to arrive in case of emergency. There is no cell phone service in the preserves, so we will need to drive a mile away just to call 911.

Report emergencies to (a) the Event Director in the parking lot, (b) the Finish in Monte Bello, or (c) the staffed control on Red and Blue courses (see above). All three of these people have radios.

Club member and nurse practitioner Joan Roos has the following advice in the case of a life-threatening emergency out on a course:

  • Suspected heart attack: Sit down and relax -- do not try to evacuate yourself. Have someone call for help and be sure they report a suspected heart attack.
  • Heavy bleeding: Again, stay still and control the bleeding with pressure. If you encounter an injured runner with heavy bleeding, stay with them to apply pressure while you blow your whistle.

Between 10:00 and 2:00 a First Aid staff person with CPR skills will be stationed at the White/Yellow/Orange finish, near the parking lot.

Updated: Mar 9, 2026, 9:49 PM PDT • Edit