Mt Unhumnum

Alan_Hepburn

Alan_Hepburn

Well-known member
Has anyone been up Mt Umhumnum since they opened it up? It used to be that we were told that tweakers/albinos/zombies/whatever would hassle/mangle/kidnap riders who dared to venture up "their" mountain - is this still the case or has the apocalypse moved to another mountain?
 
Lex Talionis

Lex Talionis

Inciteful
Alan_Hepburn said:
Has anyone been up Mt Umhumnum since they opened it up? It used to be that we were told that tweakers/albinos/zombies/whatever would hassle/mangle/kidnap riders who dared to venture up "their" mountain - is this still the case or has the apocalypse moved to another mountain?
Click to expand...
You have been misinformed. I've been riding up there for thirty years, have never experienced any excitement. Now, more than previously, it is a family destination. Newly paved road, one or two picnic benches, ample parking, nice toilets.

Also: learn the correct spelling for further research.

Lex
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
I'd like to go up there sometime. How (other than going in person) can I figure out what roads are public vs private? Google maps often shows things that aren't really roads.
 
Gary856

Gary856

Are we having fun yet?
It's spelled Mt "Umunhum". It's opened to the public since 10/30/17. Hicks Rd (from either Almaden side or Camden side) then Mt Umunhum Rd takes you all the way to the top, to the "cube" ex-radar station building. The road's newly paved. There are parking lots half-way up and all the way on top. Lots of visitors on weekends.

https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/157793/

I find the rumors and stories about tweakers/albinos/zombies thru out the Santa Cruz mountains entertaining. Read some of that toward the bottom of this link. When areas/lands are off limits to the public they take on an air of mystery. Reminds me of the rumors of a haunted house near where I lived when I was growing up in Taipei. I was always a little scared when I walked past that house. Turned out that fear of the unknown is universal, even for grown ups.

http://www.summitpost.org/mount-umunhum/153994
 
bproven

bproven

Member
Here ya go

Its easy to get to - from memory, so check google maps for accuracy:

From Los Gatos area:
-take US 9 over hwy 17 to los gatos blvd;
-left on los gatos blvd
- right on Kennedy
- right on Shannon road
- right on hicks road (this is a great road in its own right)
-keep going on hicks road until you get to a 4 way stop at the top of a hill - turn right and go up the new road (it has gates) to the "cube"

I haven't been up since the road was repaired after last year's rain, but I have been all around that area on Hicks road - which as I mentioned is a fun ride that can be extended onto a bunch of back country roads in that area.
 
Alan_Hepburn

Alan_Hepburn

Well-known member
Thanks all - our kids took the grandkids up shortly after it opened - I've wanted to ride up during the week sometime for the view.
 
HadesOmega

HadesOmega

Well-known member
Oh for real you can go to the radar tower now!? I was bummed the last time I rode it was closed, guess I will have to have a look see soon :)
 
Killroy1999

Killroy1999

Well-known member
I don't want to give away a nice riding spot, but Mt Umunhum is really nice. No commuters or beach traffic. The curves are nice and they re- did all of the pavement. Its one of the highest peaks in the bay so good views.

You could walk around the radar tower, but recently they found some lead contamination, so they taped it off the area around the tower. Check FB for updates.
 
moto-rama

moto-rama

Well-known member
Gary856 said:
It's spelled Mt "Umunhum". It's opened to the public since 10/30/17. Hicks Rd (from either Almaden side or Camden side) then Mt Umunhum Rd takes you all the way to the top, to the "cube" ex-radar station building. The road's newly paved. There are parking lots half-way up and all the way on top. Lots of visitors on weekends.

https://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/157793/

I find the rumors and stories about tweakers/albinos/zombies thru out the Santa Cruz mountains entertaining. Read some of that toward the bottom of this link. When areas/lands are off limits to the public they take on an air of mystery. Reminds me of the rumors of a haunted house near where I lived when I was growing up in Taipei. I was always a little scared when I walked past that house. Turned out that fear of the unknown is universal, even for grown ups.

http://www.summitpost.org/mount-umunhum/153994
Click to expand...

You mean, we aren't tweakers?
 
Clem Kevin

Clem Kevin

Nude With Boots
Can you get there from the Santa Cruz side? Tried to check google maps but nothing connects south of Los Gatos.
 
bmwbob51

bmwbob51

BMWBOB
Back in the 80s the locals would harass anyone who visited their mountain. No so anymore with the new park on top.
 
Erbuck

Erbuck

Power Lurker
There hasn't been significantly more weekend traffic through New Almaden since it opened. There's always a string of 2 and 4 wheel pleasure cruisers on Saturdays and Sundays doing the Hicks-Almaden loop.

Now that the construction is done, the end of the very large trucks coming through at very early in the morning is a relief.

If you go up there on a nice day, be prepared for bicycles at every blind corner. Creeping uphill or bombing all over the road downhill.

I've heard the Albino stories...but "White Albinos"? What other kind are there? Is there another kind of Albino trying to distance itself from those cannibal white albinos?
 
Gary856

Gary856

Are we having fun yet?
The only "public" vehicle access to Mt Umunhum Rd (dead end at the top) is from Hicks Rd. The other roads connecting to Lexington Reservoir and Loma Prieta you see on the map are all behind gates.

BTW Mt Umunhum Rd itself has a couple of automatic swing-arm gates (one at Hicks Rd, another halfway up) that are closed at sundown (or a bit earlier) to prevent vehicles from going up at night. Sensors would open the gates for cars coming down, but a motorcycle wouldn't trigger the sensors. A couple of times I got stuck behind those gates after dark, and had to wait for cars to come down to get the gates open.

Erbuck said:
...but "White Albinos"? What other kind are there? Is there another kind of Albino trying to distance itself from those cannibal white albinos?
Click to expand...

You mean there ain't no non-White Albinos? :laughing
 
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Hooli

Hooli

Big Ugly
Calling Chuck ("veefereefer") to the white courtesy phone please.

IIRC he lives pretty close. :ride
 
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