A gargantuan spiderweb hangs across the steep dirt road. It shimmers, translucent in the sunlight, slack lines nearly imperceptible. As I duck the web and trudge further up the road's corkscrew turn, the thick brush, thistle, weeds and poison oak part, revealing an ancient looking stone bench on the shoulder above the road.
The rolling grasslands of La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve are like a sublime hallucination this time of year; their contours, a sensuous geometry. A breeze sweeps through the clearing and the lush green shivers with life. The velvety slopes make me want to strip off my clothes and perform wild, flailing somersaults down the hill.
Biology and age-old instinct make hounds the perfect tool to help researchers capture elusive mountain lions. But the practice has come under pressure since the 2012 ban on hunting with dogs.
Mysterious rock formations in the Santa Cruz Mountains inspired early tales of lost treasure and gold. UCSC geologist Hilde Schwartz investigated and found evidence of natural wonders at work.
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County has optioned 280 acres on the west side of Highway 17 as part of its plans for a wildlife crossing at Laurel Curve.
