Every week we try to get out for a hike, and Kona was eager to get out this morning. He woke up raring to go….

This week’s destination was Stough Canyon, a beautiful canyon nestled in the Verdugo Mountains. There is no shade on the trail, so we got an early start. Luckily, there was a nice breeze and the temperature was only 69 (F) [20.5C]. This trail is not very good for dogs in the heat of summer, because of the exposure, so we try to get a few hikes in before the high temperatures hit. The boys at the trail head…Kona is already tracking some action.

Even with the mild temps, rattlesnakes are present and active in SoCal now, so we were very diligent in keeping an eye out for them. Only a short time on the trail, we found this guy, partially hidden in the vegetation on the side of the trail. (I didn’t want to get too close, so it’s a little difficult to make it out with the shadows).

The boys check out gecko action, of which there was plenty.

With all the rain and cooler temperatures this year, the hills are beautiful and still fairly lush. In a month or so they will have dried out considerably.

With the heat rising, we didn’t make it all the way to the summit of Verdugo Peak at 3126′ this time and decided to turn around at just over 2600′. There were a few clouds and a nice view toward downtown Los Angeles (the tiny buildings near the right hand side of the horizon). The boys paused to watch some mountain bikers pass.

Later in the day, Kona played host to his friend Rocko, the Golden Retriever, at the studio, and then had a good nap to dream about the day’s adventures.