Los Trancos/Monte Bello Site Guide © ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEERS PENINSULA OFFICE SOUTH BAY OFFICE 2560 EMBARCADERO RD 1210 HOMESTEAD ROAD PALO ALTO, CA 94303 SANTA CLARA, CA 95050 650-493-8000 408-244-2449 WWW.EVOLS.ORG [email protected] With appreciation to The Garden Club of Palo Alto who supported the production of this guide. This field trip is offered in partnership with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. First Edition (2018): Writer Nancy Rankin Editor Brittany Sabol TABLE OF CONTENTS ! EVs Philosophy and Mission ..................................................................................2 Earthquake Program and Site Guide Overview .....................................................2 Driving Directions ...................................................................................................4 Trail Overview .........................................................................................................6 Preparing For Your Trip ..........................................................................................6 Before Starting Your Hike ......................................................................................7 Activity Guide .........................................................................................................8 Managing Traffic Jams 8 Introduction 9 Plate Movement 9 Conglomerate Rock 11 Pressure Ridges 12 Sag ponds 14 Bench and posts marking the San Andreas Fault 17 Offset Fence 18 Second Sag Pond and Oak Trees 19 Linear Valley to the north 20 Conglomerate Rock (Alternate Location) 21 End of the field trip 22 Trail Strategies .....................................................................................................22 Following Interest/Opportunity 22 Choose Your Nuggets 22 “Dangers” 23 Background Information ......................................................................................25 Standards ............................................................................................................27 Photo Credits .......................................................................................................28 Materials List ........................................................................................................30 EVS PHILOSOPHY AND MISSION ! PHILOSOPHY The Environmental Volunteers believes all children deserve to learn about the natural world through personal exploration, so they can become responsible stewards of the Earth. At the Environmental Volunteers we believe that what children appreciate and love, they will protect. MISSION & GOALS Our Mission: To promote understanding of and responsibility for the environment through hands-on science education. Our Vision: That all children will learn about and be inspired by the natural world so that they become responsible stewards of the Earth. We achieve this by: • Providing hands-on science education • Encouraging awareness of the interrelationships between people and nature • Fostering an attitude of stewardship for the environment • Providing knowledge and skills to children so they can make informed decisions about the environment EARTHQUAKE PROGRAM AND SITE GUIDE OVERVIEW ! The Earthquake Geology Program is offered to 4th grade classrooms. Classes will go on the field trip to Los Trancos/Monte Bello first. During the field trip students will make observations, gather evidence, and ask questions about why the landscape is shaped as it is and how the movement of the Earth may contribute to it. As they visit stations along the Los Trancos and Monte Bello Ridge trails, students will observe geologic features that show us where the San Andreas Fault is located. They will complete drawings, see simple demonstrations, and examine maps and photos to better understand the geologic features. During the classroom program (typically, but not always 1 week later), the students will explore 3 stations where they can build understanding and refine their explanations for what they saw on the field trip. The three stations are: • Mapping the San Andreas: Students will plot earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault on a large shaded relief map of California to learn that earthquake epicenters help us determine where faults are. A world map showing many earthquake epicenters will help students understand that Earth’s crust is broken into tectonic Page %2 plates. A map of volcanoes shows the Ring of Fire which helps determine plate boundaries. • Shaping the Land: Students will learn about how earthquakes impact topography. They will use their hands to simulate a transform fault, as one plate slides past the other. Students will do an activity with sand that models a linear valley and then use play-doh and cardboard to build a model of a transform fault that demonstrates the formation of pressure ridges and sag ponds. • Engineering Safe Structures: In a modeling activity, students will design and build a structure that can withstand an earthquake. They will test their structure on a shake table and then redesign it to make it stronger. Students will look at a photograph of a potentially earthquake hazardous bedroom and list ideas for making the bedroom safer in the event of an earthquake. (This is run as a double station in large classes requiring 4 stations.) The contents of this guide describes the field trip portion of this program. It is focused on what is specific to the Los Trancos/Monte Bello site and the learning activities that are necessary to build student knowledge for the following classroom program. Experiences in nature are always unique and so opportunities to engage student passion for what they are seeing may arise that are not covered in this guide. Perhaps you spot a coyote on the hill, or there is a dead crow sitting on the edge of the trail (both are events that really happened). In these moments, EVs are welcome, and even encouraged to use the moment to teach about environmental topics that are not directly related to earthquake geology. EVs may bring their own knowledge and experiences to these moments. In addition, background information and teaching strategies specific for these opportunities can be found in the site guides for Windy Hill, Stevens Creek, or Huddart Park. By understanding more about earthquakes and where they happen, we can become better prepared for when they occur. Page %3 DRIVING DIRECTIONS Page %4 . r F O O T H I L L S T To I-280 Los Trancos s PA L O A LT O o P A R K c L 800 Open Space Preserve o n s City of Palo Alto a P T r a r T g k a e e n s (Open to Palo Alto residents only, re c o 00 o Mi 10 y L ll C s except for hiking use of on T Ro 1 P r a e 0 T ack 1 d b For More Information 0 r the Bay to Ridge Trail) s . 8 o 0 a e d 0 d i Fir R Visit www.openspace.org l 0 A 1200 rk or call (650) 691-1200 L i l o o ra F s T t Tr a c o s s n e 1 400 2 16 0.5 1 H I D D E N 0 00 W Map Legend 0 V I L L A 1 4 Midpen Preserve 0 0 (No Bicycles Allowed) Lo Closed Area - No Public Access s T ra 0.2 n Other Public Land - Restricted Access co 1600 s l C i Private or Leased Land - No Public Access re a e r k T 3.3 No Public Entry in Midpen Water Areas l l i 1 M 4 1 0 Important Road e 6 0 1 g 00 8 P a 0 0 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 1 Hiking Only 8 0 0 Private ! ! ! ! Hiking, Equestrian 1800 D Property E Hiking, Bicycling, Equestrian S O 1 L Easy Access Trail 600 . 1 0 C Bay to Ridge Trail 2000 !P Trail Junction Los Trancos/Monte Bello Trail Map 1 Gate (#) Private 800 P C I T Y O F Property 20 Parking Lot a 00 g P A L O A L T O e (LT01) M P Roadside Parking L O S T R A N C O S a (Managed by Midpen) i l g l 1800 Equestrian Parking e 2 O P E N S P A C E . Trail 0 M P R E S E R V E L Restroom o i l 1800 s l t Tr ail Easy Access Trail C r A i l e e d o be Creek Tr a 0 k L o 0.2 Bench .6 o p 1.4 0.5 2 0 ciscan Loo 0 an p Tr a i l 0 Fr 00 0 2 0 . 2 2 5 0 0 .2 0 0 0 0.1 M .5 . 4 o 2 n S . t a e n 0 F (MB01) A b Fa n Fence L r ult dr o a e T e o n llo r l a a p c R i o 0 il s i 0 T s a a 2 c 2 Linear r r d Fra a a Valley nc T is i n c l 0.3 0 a l Private Property Bench n il . 0.1 Loop 4 d (L Tr M e Mill Roa T03) a e ag il 0 g P . a 1 P 0 C O A L C R E E K . (M Loma Prieta 1 B0 l Conglomerate 3) (LT02) ai 0 O P E N S P A C E Tr . (MB02) hite Oak Stevens Creek 1 P R E S E R V E W Nature Trail C 0 Dogs and Bicycles not permitted in this Preserve 0.6 a .1 M O N T E B E L L O n 2 0.2 0 S 4 0 Pressure y 0 t o 0 0 e O P E N S P A C E 2 Permit Ridges Sag Pond 0 0 0 n 2 v Sag Pond 2 .3 Only e T 2 P R E S E R V E 0.2 n r 2 . s a 0 Al 0.2 i 0 In case of emergency, call 911 pine d l R C re (Close 0 W ek 0 or 24-hour Ranger Dispatch d to 0 h . Vehic i N 2 les) 2 te a 2 O tu ta at (650) 968-4411. r s Tr a e i a k V il (MB04) T T Be a For your safety, r r l l 1 1.4 a a 2 0.3 . 0 and the protection of the preserves: i 1 i 0 Page %5 (M l l C 220 0 a 0 B0 n 0.8 The preserve is open from dawn until one-half hour after sunset; 5 y To Hwy ) o n Tra il 35 (No Outlet) Please leave natural features, plants, and animals undisturbed; © MROSD 2/14/2018 0 1 Pack it in, pack it out- please do not litter; Mile Auto burglaries are increasing; I Kilometer 0 1 Take valuables with you and lock your vehicle.