Willow’s Birthday Hike 2013

Just like giving a gift to humans we like on their birthday we like to celebrate Willow’s (presumed) special day by doing something she loves to do. Sometimes it is exploring a new place with fresh, exciting smells. Other times it is a return to a tried and true favorite. On January 27th 2013 we found ourselves at a family cabin in the mountains near Santa Cruz, California and went on one of our favorite hikes, up to “Slide Rock.”

Tired dog resting on sandstone
Resting after the climb

The huge hunk of sandstone my family has been calling Slide Rock since the 1920’s has been used as a junction point for the various hiking trails above the family cabin. It is called Slide Rock because a family right of passage is to slide down it on your shoe, your butt or a piece of cardboard without losing skin. There are butt-sized grooves in the rock from decades of people performing that feat.

Willow and a doggie friend at the top of a large sandstone rock
You can see the grooves below Willow and her friend Mary J at the top of Slide Rock

We’ve all also carved our names in it and can still see the names of friends and family going back almost 100 years in the rock’s face.

The hike from the cabin to Slide Rock is not long, probably one mile round trip. The elevation gain though is 1000′ so it is not necessarily an easy stroll. Of course one mile for me means probably three for Willow as she slams to and fro among the gullies and under Huckleberry and Madrone bushes sniffing out whatever smells there are to discover. An extra-added bonus is that her claws are always nicely sanded down after all the sandstone scrambling.

She loves this hike
She loves this hike

Happy Birthday my girl.

Leave a Reply