The new staging area has breathtaking views


This is the sign greeting visitors to the new staging area.


Bicyclists can ride up Sierra Road and park here. Bikes are allowed on the trails.


A corral area off Sierra Road was used as a temporary parking lot for the event. Cattle are allowed to graze in the preserve.


This is a view of downtown San Jose from the staging area. Cattle corrals are on the right. The hill in the center with the trail around it is Boccardo Hill. It has a viewpoint with panoramic views of the Bay Area.


  Greeting visitors from the OSA are Citizens Advisory Committee Representative for Parks Garnetta Annable (left), Communications Specialist Patty Eaton, and District 1 Board Director Alex Kennett.


The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council had a booth with information on the Ridge Trail, which runs through Sierra Vista. OSA Citizens Advisory Committee Representative for Trails Kitty Monahan (right) talks to Joel Gartland of the Ridge Trail Council.


The staging area parking lot was reserved for VIP parking. Visitors parked at Piedmont High School and were delivered to the site by shuttle buses.


OSA docent and  WERC volunteer Craige Edgerton (left) talks with OSA Educational Programs Coordinator Teri Rogoway.


Spotting scopes and binoculars were setup by astronomers with the San Jose Astronomical Association to view landmarks.




There is a new mapboard at the end of the staging area. A new 0.25 mile connector trail, the Kestrel Trail, leads downhill to the existing Sierra Vista Trail.


This is the Kestrel Trail cattle gate. The preserve stretches along the ridge and wraps around to climb up the ridge between the Upper Penitencia and Arroyo Aquague creek canyons. It occupies the top of the hill on the left.


This is the Open Space Authority's booth. In the booth are docents Paul Billig (left) and Terry Barron (right). They had nature exhibits, pictures and maps of the presevers, snacks and water, and games for kids.


The OSA booth had a beanbag toss game.


Christine Slocomb invites visitors to spin the wheel of fortune at the OSA's booth and win prizes.


WERC, the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center of Morgan Hill brought birds that they have rescued, but are too disabled to be released. They serve as ambassadors to teach kids about wildlife. This is a barn owl named Barnadette, who has part of its wing missing, tended to by volunteer Craige Edgerton.


This is a great horned owl named Luna, perched on Ric Smith.


This is a turkey vulture named Zorro, with WERC volunteer Frank Fantozzi.


This is a western screech owl, named Owlivia, held by volunteer Teresa Stephenson.


  Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez arrives.


 Mike Flaugher waves hello. He was recently appointed as the Open Space Authority's District 2 Director.


California State Senator Jim Beall arrives.


Down below on a clearing is where the dedication ceremonies will be held.


Guests head down the new Kestrel Trail to the dedication ceremony site.


Across the steep canyon are the South Rim trails of Alum Rock Park.


The ceremony site overlooks most of San Jose, including dowtown.


Looking east from the dedication site, the Kestrel Trail on the left joins the Sierra Vista Trail below it.


Below the dedication ceremony site is the Sierra Vista Trail immediately below it. The Boccardo Loop Trail climbs up to the top of Boccardo Hill in the distance.


Patty Eaton, Communications Specialist with the OSA, greets the guests as they arrive at the dedication ceremony site.


From the left, State Senator Jim Beall, Supervisor Cindy Chavez, Terry Christensen of the Friends of Open Space Authority, OSA Board of Directors Chair Mike Potter, California Assembly Speaker Nora Campos and her son.


San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed talks to a visitor. Sitting down below him (left to right) are OSA Board Directors Dorsey Moore, Virginia Holtz, and Sequoia Hall.


OSA Board Chair Mike Potter


OSA General Manager Andrea Mackenzie


State Senator Jim Beall


Mike Potter and OSA Director Sequoia Hall receive a certificate from Jim Beall


The certificate is a resolution by the California State Senate congratulating the OSA on the opening of the staging area and trailhead.


Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves


California Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Nora Campos


Nora Campos presents a certificate to OSA officials.


This is the resolution of congratulations from Nora Campos.


Andrea Mackenzie hands the resolution to OSA Director Virginia Holtz.


Matthew Mahood, President and CEO of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce


San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed


Santa Clara County District 2 Supervisor Cindy Chavez


Supervisor Chavez hands a certificate from the Board of Supervisors to her husband, Mike Potter.


San Jose District2 Councilmember Ash Kalra. He is also Chairperson of the Valley Transportation Authority Board and past chairperson of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board.


Janet McBride, Executive Director of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council.


Joel Gartland (left) and Bern Smith (right) of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council hold up the banner for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Kestrel Trail.


Getting ready to cut the ribbon.


The ribbon has been cut.


Ash Kalra shows a piece of the ribbon.


Watching the ribbon-cutting is Sam Drake (left), president of the Umunhum Conservancy, which is working to preserve the radar tower on top of Mt. Umunhum. Sam hiked the Sierra Vista and Calaveras Trails all the way to the end when they first opened.


The first bike heads up the Kestrel Trail after the ribbon-cutting.


Kitty Monahan is with supporters of Measure Q, a ballot measure to increase funding for the Open Space Authority.


Looking back down the Kestrel Trail. After this, there were tours of the Aquila Trail. See the Aquila Trail page for pictures.

Telephoto Views

These are views from the Sierra Vista Staging Area, taken with telephoto lenses, showing some of the landmarks that can be seen from there. Rising heated air from the ground causes ripples in the pictures. The pictures are from south to north.



The Evergreen Hills are in the center. Behind them are the Santa Teresa Hills, with Santa Teresa County Park on the left. Behind them are the hills of Calero County Park and the OSA's Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve. In the background is the Sierra Azul section of the Santa Cruz Mountains.


The Santa Teresa Hills are in the center. Behind them on the right is the Los Capitancillos Ridge, which includes Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Towering above is Mt. Loma Prieta, the highest point in the Santa Cruz Mountains.




Front to back: Mt. Pleasant High School, Lake Cunningham, Capitol Expressway, Eastridge Mall, and US 101.


The big open area is Reid-Hillview Airport, with its storage buildings.


The Boccardo Loop Trail is in the foreground. Downtown San Jose in behind it. City Hall is just left of lower center. One of the Pruneyard towers in Campbell is at the upper left.


To the right of the skyline of downtown San Jose is SAP Arena, where the San Jose Sharks play. The group of large buildings above it and to the right is valley Medical Center. In the background are the Santa Cruz Mountains around Saratoga.


Mineta San Jose International Airport.


Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.


North San Jose industrial buildings are in front. Hwy 237 starts on the lower right. New industrial buildings in Alviso are right of center. Moffett Field's hangars are on the left. The Sunnyvale Baylands and its water treatment and salt ponds are in the center. Mountain View's Shoreline Amphitheatre are near the upper right. Stanford University's Hoover Tower is top center.


This shows Alviso and the salt ponds and water treatment ponds along the South San Francisco Bay. The hills on the upper right are Byxbee Park in Palo Alto.


The view to the north is partially blocked by the hill on the right. The view is less obstructed from Boccardo Hill. From here, you can see the salt ponds in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newark and Fremont, San Francisco Bay, and the Peninsula.