Cerro Alto a Dog Friendly trail

Hiking with dogs on Cerro Alto

 

11-5-16 , Saturday was a fun hike on Cerro Alto , I met a lot of fun hikers , I especially enjoyed seeing a group of four hikers with their dogs .   This group did not make it up to the summit but they promised to try again .

 

Cerro Alto and my hiking friend Sierra

Sierra is sporting a new day pack by Ruff Wear . this is a sleek hydration pack 

I think Sierra likes the freedom of the design of this pack as you can see below in the comparison photos . The orange color pack is the Approach pack that she wore daily for years and the new grey slender pack is the Single Track hydration pack that holds 32 oz of water , enough for short 6 mile day hikes in warm weather . Sierra weighs 85 lbs. and hikes daily . Sierra now has three sizes of packs . 

below the Approach pack that Sierra wore daily for four years ,  this pack worked great and allowed for carrying several bottles of water , enough for long hot day hikes up to 20 miles long 

.She could run and play with this pack , but in the brush it presented more  work .

We are happy with new slender pack as she moves with more freedom in more technical terrain  . See photos of Sierra running into deep snd steep ravine .

New sleek day pack below .

Sierra running with her new sleek day pack into a deep ravine .

Emigrant Wilderness

Emigrant Wilderness 

I celebrated my 77th birthday backpacking with Mark and my dog Sierra in the Emigrant wilderness August 2016 . the weather was great and the vistas beautiful . We met a lot of beautiful folks and Sierra made many friends .  We accessed from Modesto Ca. via hwy 108  , obtained permits at Pine Crest ranger station . Water is plentiful along rout to Emigrant Lake . One letter of water at any time .

The elevation gain is moderate at best .

Myself and Sierra 

Mark 

Myself and Sierra below

Small tree splitting a rock below 

on aday hike I forgot Sierra's dish and I had to feed her in my hand . Bad deal 

Below Sierra befriending a ranger

Met this young man , Michael below who knew my grandson Michael .

Small world .

Sierra making friends with hikers below 

Cerro Alto and interesting people I meet daily

Yesterday I met this lovely young lady on Cerro Alto , her name is Erin , and has a brother Andrew 

 My son Luis photographed her soccer photos when she was in school and he coached her brother in cross country running team .  Small world . She is from Santa Maria and the last name I believe is Hocks .?

Cerro Alto entertainment

Beautiful hiking on Cerro Alto , great weather , and great music .

What a treat to be entertained by a beautiful hiker from Santa Maria , 

Jill hiked up and down Cerro Alto mountain while entertaining other hikers . Very special .

My dog Sierra fell in love with her .

7-16-16

Cerro Alto and Hking with dogs

Hot weather on Cerro Alto 

For the last three days ( 18, 19 20 th ) it has been hotter than hell on Ceeo Alto  , yesterday at 6 PM it was 92 degrees at the trail.head . I spent more time letting Sierra play in the water than I did hiking . She loves the water , the heat not so much . We started up the canyon trail at 6 pm and took our time reaching the four way intersection  ( 1.7 miles ) one hour passed and the temp dropped 10 degrees making the balance of the hike bearable for Sierra . Remember that dogs can't take the heat like humans can . At this  hour the shadows are long and Sierra was in the shade most of the time . Remember that Sierra and I hike seven days a week so she is in good shape .  If you are new at hiking with a dog , please read the suggestions I have posted on the subject listed on the right column under " Labels " , ( hiking with dogs ) there you will find advice on water needs for warmer temperatures , over heating symptoms for dogs and proper care .

Cerro Alto is dog friendly

Warm weather is happening and hiking with dogs 

requires some extra planning .

Bellow is Sierra , my daily hiking companion .  This is her fourth summer hiking season . We have met many dogs in our daily hiking adventures and have witnessed many injuries and heat  strokes to dogs . In the last week I have given water to several dogs that were suffering from insufficient hydration on Cerro Alto . It breaks my heart to see dogs hiking with lack of water which usually happens because their hiking owners don't understand the the hydration needs of their dogs . My experience is when temperatures at the trail head warm up past 75 to 80 degrees on Cerrro Alto dogs suffer . They need plenty of water , pound for pound , they need more water than humans . Remember they are wearing a fur coat . Often dogs are not nearly as strong as their human companions and thus suffer more . The temperature is 15 to 20 degrees hotter on the exposed part of Cerro Alto than at the trail head which is shaded .

Tips :

• My dog weighs 81 lbs. and she drinks 25 to 36  ounces of water in hot weather when climbing Cerero Alto .
• My dog carries two 18 oz . bottles of water and a plastic bowl .
•  If your dog over heats , ( insists on laying down , seeking shade or vomiting ) cool it off with water on their pads and body . Allow the dog to cool off in the shade as much as possible until breathing , panting , normalizes .
• Many dogs have soft pads as they are not regular mountain hikers . Check their foot pads often can suffer cuts and damage easily . 
• We carry a first aid kit which includes boots for the dog . ( two weeks ago my dog cut her foot while backpacking in the Ventana Wilderness  . I cleaned her wound , applied antibiotic cream and we continued to hike out 7 miles to the Jeep . )

snakes are active now , if your dog is not snake trained , keep it on a leash and keep your eyes open looking for snakes . Hikers often hike in groups and loose focus due to conversation .

Cerro Alto

1-30-16

Cerro Alto Hiking 

What a beautiful week of hiking on Cerro Alto

I met some beautiful folks enjoying their hiking with their dogs .

My dog Sierra enjoyed the rain puddles again .

Thew sunsets were beautiful .

The clouds at the summit ,just beautiful .

pretty sage this year

below , the land slide on Tower road is cleared up

sweet water mine below