# Mount Umunum Road - what’s the deal?



## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

So this morning I realised it was going to be an excellent day for a nice fast solo ride, which it did turn out to be. I decided instead of just flatlanding it at balls-out speed (which is my normal pace) that I’d hoof it up Almaden Expressway to Almaden Road, to Alamitos Road, and then hang a right on Hicks Road and trudge up the hill… which I did, actually making it up to the intersection of Hicks Road and Mount Umunum Road (1,200 foot elevation) in pretty good time (somewhere around 30 minutes—pretty good for a flatlander).

With the old military tower (big concrete rectangle structure) atop Mount Umunum in view, I looked at the park/information/trails map stationed at the parking lot, and realised that Mount Umunum peak was 3,486 feet– surely I could make it up to the top, although the first section would see more than 800 feet in less than one mile of distance. “No problem”, I thought.

No problem, at all, actually. I made it to the keylocked gate which is around 2,300 feet up, and proceeded through the pedestrian/equestrian/bicycle gate, and rode further up the hill…

…another 500 feet or so of altitude gain and a couple miles later, it appears as though the county park ends, and private property complete with “No trespassing” signs is the order of business. So, there is this number on the sign, 408 377-2900, which is apparently a number to call to be able to have the right to pass through on the road. Well, amazingly I got great cellphone reception up there so I decided to call. It rang and rang and rang and rang. So I hung up.

Turned around.

Made my way back down the hill.

All I wanted to do was ride to the top where the big concrete block tower thingy is.

Does anyone know what the deal with the whole “private property” deal is? Is a cyclist on a skinny-tire roadbike really a threat? Should I have proceeded ahead anyhow? Does the county maintain the road beyond the county park boundary line? If so, I would think that I would have a legal right to ride my bike on it.

Thoughts?


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

There was an article in the Mercury News recently about this:



> After more than 22 years of bureaucratic inaction, efforts to clean up a former Air Force radar station on a scenic mountaintop above Silicon Valley and open its summit to hikers, bicyclists and picnickers may be finally gathering momentum, locally and in Washington, D.C.
> 
> "It feels like all the pieces are coming together and that it's going to happen this time," said Rep. Mike Honda, D-Campbell. "Why should only rich people have a view? It should be available to everybody."
> 
> ...


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

Hi Leopold:

Which way did you come down from Hicks? Did you come back down to New Almaden or down to the reservoir? Also, how was the road up Mt. Umunum. There are some nasty grades up there, which can make the ascent difficult but the road quality can make the descents right down dangerous.

Thanks,
CHL


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

CHL said:


> Hi Leopold:
> 
> Which way did you come down from Hicks? Did you come back down to New Almaden or down to the reservoir? Also, how was the road up Mt. Umunum. There are some nasty grades up there, which can make the ascent difficult but the road quality can make the descents right down dangerous.
> 
> ...


I came back down Hicks such that I ended up at Camden. Mount Umunum is very spotty, with lots of potholes. The grades weren’t too tough, surprisingly (I heard it was really hard, but somehow I managed just fine), but going back down I had to swerve and bunnyhop lots and lots of potholes (and two cattle grates). Yes, descending can be dangerous.

Well, I can only guess that in time people will be allowed to take the road all the way up to the top, according to that Mercury News article (thanks for posting that). For now I can say that I’ve been almost all the way up.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

It's been a while since I rode up that way, but some nutjob used to paint all over the road "No trespassing, private property, keep out!"

Nice little hill, the Los Gatos side of Hicks.


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## IbisFox23 (Mar 8, 2009)

Those cattle grates SUCK! I remember my first time out there and I almost ate crap!


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## nowatt (Jan 14, 2008)

About a year ago I went passed the no tresspassing signs and up until
there is a serious gate, that would be hard to pass. (But not impossible).
However, there are a couple of cameras pointing at it which put me off.
It was still a way horizontally from the top, but not that much verticle.
I have a photo somewhere, i'll post if i can find it.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

Today I called that “access control” telephone number (408-377-2900) and explained the situation and my concern. I was told by the person on the other end that the reasoning was because eventually I would come to an impassable locked gate anyhow, so why bother going up to where it is. So, I asked, “Does the county maintain that road? As in, paving and slide repair? If so, I would think that I would have a legal right to ride it right up to where the impassable gate is.”, to which his reply was along the lines of, “Uh, well, ummm, well you know, well uh…”. Yeah, thought so. Not so “private” afterall, eh? **** it. This Saturday I am riding it all the way up to the impassable gate. Anyone want to ride up to that point with me? I plan on getting it done before noon.

Oh yeah, but he was able to confirm that the large concrete structure on the top of Mount Umunum is unreachable since it’s been closed down since being deemed unsafe many years ago. Bummer, as I hear the view from the top of it is outstandingly unimaginable!


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## pliebenberg (Jun 24, 2011)

*Will bump for post count*



Leopold Porkstacker said:


> Today I called that “access control” telephone number (408-377-2900) and explained the situation and my concern. I was told by the person on the other end that the reasoning was because eventually I would come to an impassable locked gate anyhow, so why bother going up to where it is. So, I asked, “Does the county maintain that road? As in, paving and slide repair? If so, I would think that I would have a legal right to ride it right up to where the impassable gate is.”, to which his reply was along the lines of, “Uh, well, ummm, well you know, well uh…”. Yeah, thought so. Not so “private” afterall, eh? **** it. This Saturday I am riding it all the way up to the impassable gate. Anyone want to ride up to that point with me? I plan on getting it done before noon.
> 
> Oh yeah, but he was able to confirm that the large concrete structure on the top of Mount Umunum is unreachable since it’s been closed down since being deemed unsafe many years ago. Bummer, as I hear the view from the top of it is outstandingly unimaginable!


When I get to 10 I'll post a link for a petition to keep the cube...


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## pliebenberg (Jun 24, 2011)

*The good old days...*



Leopold Porkstacker said:


> So this morning I realised it was going to be an excellent day for a nice fast solo ride, which it did turn out to be. I decided instead of just flatlanding it at balls-out speed (which is my normal pace) that I’d hoof it up Almaden Expressway to Almaden Road, to Alamitos Road, and then hang a right on Hicks Road and trudge up the hill… which I did, actually making it up to the intersection of Hicks Road and Mount Umunum Road (1,200 foot elevation) in pretty good time (somewhere around 30 minutes—pretty good for a flatlander).
> 
> With the old military tower (big concrete rectangle structure) atop Mount Umunum in view, I looked at the park/information/trails map stationed at the parking lot, and realised that Mount Umunum peak was 3,486 feet– surely I could make it up to the top, although the first section would see more than 800 feet in less than one mile of distance. “No problem”, I thought.
> 
> ...


In the late '60s (1960's) me and my high school chums ranged (mostly on motos) all over those hills; only the AAFS itself and upper Soda Springs were off-limits. This all changed in the early seventies as landowners along the ridges started occupying their properties and took exception to what should have been public right-of-ways.

The county didn't want the responsibility of maintaining the roads so let them become private.

Access to the trails above Los Gatos which nobody seemed to care about became too easy when the PG&E power lines went in so this access was gated and posted. Finally re-opened when MidPen took over. "Overgrown" is the only trail from the old days that still gets use although there are bits and pieces of trail in St. Joes.

Ramble on....


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