By Steve Beuerman
Here are the details of the courses:
Navigational Physical
Course Distance Climb Controls Difficulty Difficulty
White 1.7 km 20 m 14 Easy Easy
Yellow 2.1 km 30 m 11 Easy Easy
Prologue 2.6 km 40 m 10 Moderate Moderate
Chase 3.8 km 50 m 14 Moderate Moderate
Map is 1:4000, with 2 m contours
Beginners should be aware that the distances shown above are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. The actual distance traveled on a course will be somewhat more, depending on route choices and any errors made.
There is no water on the courses. There is a restroom and water near the start.
The map has seen better days. Our mapper extraordinaire, Bob Cooley, fixed up the most egregious parts of the map, so you shouldn't have any trouble navigating, but don't be surprised if things look different than you might think. In particular, roads, trails, paths, unmapped animal tracks, and even clearings may look alike in the terrain. For the most part though, if you are near the control, you will see the control. Be sure to check the codes to make sure you punch the correct control. Blue **×**s indicate gas wells, which come in a few different shapes and sizes, but should not be difficult to distinguish from other features.
I saw some rabbits and birds while setting the courses, but most of the "wildlife" in this park are dogs and dog owners.
There are also potential tripping hazards, especially between the two roads that circle the park near the bay. Broken cement blocks and rebar abound in those places. It's most prevalent on a couple of Chase legs, so take care. They are shown as boulder fields on the map.
Another hazard this time of year is the low angle of the sun; a visor or brimmed hat, or sunglasses, are recommended.