February Trail Run
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Saturday, February 4, 2006
When   Saturday, February 4, 2006. Note: we have moved the next couple of Monthly Trail Run to Saturday to see if participation improves. Meet at 8:15am for an 8:30am start. Carpool will leave at 7:45am from the Park & Ride Lot at Page Mill Road and Highway 280.
Where   Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA. There is no parking fee. More park info can be found here.
Monte Bello OSP is located on Page Mill Road, approximately 8 miles west of I-280. Look for the parking lot on the left/South side of Page Mill Road.
What   A long (about 11.1 miles) and a short run (about 6.7 miles). This is a remote trail run and each runner must carry at least one water bottle. To avoid having to search for lost runners we ask every runner to find other runners of approximately the same running ability to form a group. The runners in each group must be able to account for their partners to make sure nobody is lost. As usual, there will be a potluck after the run, so please bring food or drink to share.
Why   We will run up to the top of Black Mountain and enjoy the 360 degree vistas. We last ran Monte Bello in March '03, so it's been a while since we have enjoyed this remarkably senic and varied location. Quoting the preserve's web page, "... one of the District's richest in wildlife and ecosystem diversity. .... The ... corridor is considered to be one of the finest in the Santa Cruz Mountains." As another point of interest, we will be running over and on the San Andreas fault.
Trail Directions
An online map of the Monte Bello OSP can be found here. We will have a copy of the map available for the run. All distances are approximate.
Short Run: 6.7 miles
SEGMENTMILESTOTAL
South out of the parking lot beside the road on (or to?) the Canyon Trail0.30.3
Through the gate, continue on the Canyon Trail0.30.6
L on Bella Vista Trail0.81.4
R on Old Ranch Trail 0.51.9
R on Old Ranch Trail 0.22.1
L on Indian Creek Trail 0.22.3
R on Monte Bello Road (it's a trail really) to the Black Mountain summit0.32.6
Enjoy the view from 2,800 feet!*0.02.6
Backtrack on Monte Bello Road0.32.9
L on Indian Creek Trail1.24.1
R on Canyon Trail0.24.3
L on White Oak Trail2.46.7
 *long and short runs split here
Long Run: 11.1 miles
SEGMENTMILESTOTAL
South out of the parking lot beside the road on (or to?) the Canyon Trail0.30.3
Through the gate, continue on the Canyon Trail0.30.6
L on Bella Vista Trail0.81.4
R on Old Ranch Trail 0.51.9
R on Old Ranch Trail 0.22.1
L on Indian Creek Trail 0.22.3
R on Monte Bello Road (it's a trail really) to the Black Mountain summit0.32.6
Enjoy the view from 2,800 feet!*0.02.6
C (South) on Monte Bello Road (now a partially paved road)1.64.2
C thru the gate0.34.5
R, thru the gate onto Waterwheel Creek Trail1.56.0
L onto Monte Bello Road, back to the summit and beyond1.37.3
L on Indian Creek Trail1.28.5
R on Canyon Trail0.28.7
L on White Oak Trail2.411.1
 *long and short runs split here