Most of the time in Northern California we enjoy fairly mild weather and sunshine, but it's not always sunny in the Golden State. The San Francisco bay area is known for its fog. In fact the City of San Francisco has gone so far as to give it a name, Karl. However the fog doesn't just hang around San Francisco, many days it stretches all the way down the coast to Santa Cruz. At 3,486-feet, Mount Umunhum is one of the highest peaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Installing on its summit provided some unique installation conditions for our crew to contend with.
During the first day of pouring the pervious concrete helicopter pad at the summit of Mount Umunhum the BAPC crew experienced temperatures in the low 40's, winds between 20-30 mph, and a dew point high enough to soak everything. We later learned that this could be considered a mild day on the mountain. Over the unusually wet winter the project had experienced over 100 inches of rain, winds up to 130 mph, and even snow. However, that didn't stop them, or us, from getting the job done!
Visibility was low while the dense, wet fog blanketed the Mount Umunhum's summit. Thankfully the fog eventually dissipated, leaving nothing but sunshine behind. Providing relief and a more enjoyable atmosphere for our BAPC crew to finish the installation.
Mount Umunhum has been closed to the public for generations. Very few people have had the opportunity to appreciate its wonders. Back in 2009, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space purchased the old Air Force station located on the top of Mount Umunhum to restore the area's natural ecology and open it for recreational use. The new helicopter pad and parking lot will grant visitors some of the best views from any parking lot across the bay area. From the parking lot visitors will be able to walk further up the mountain to dramatic view points located at the very top of the summit.
David giving you a hint of the spectacular views you can expect to see from Mount Umunhum.
Want to see Mount Umunhum's impressive views yourself? Attend the grand opening ceremony on September 17th, 2017. They are expecting a large turn out for the grand opening so they are requiring reservations, click here for more event details.
If you can't make it to the opening ceremony, don't worry stay tuned to our blog for more images and videos once the project is completed.