{ Sliding Rock }

As a Saturday outing last week, me, Cam, my best friend Trish, and her husband Russell all made our way (after a couple hiccups with driving directions) to sliding rock, a natural rock waterslide in Alpine. I guess over time a stream has worn a rock up there smooth, so you can slide down it pain free. Kind of a fun natural phenomenon, huh? And despite the FREEZING water you slide into (no joke - I think Trish said it was glacier water), it was an excursion totally worthy of at least a couple hours of fun. Along with sliding the rock, the trip included taking a mini, 8-foot rock jump into a pool of water, doing some minimal hiking and bouldering above the sliding rock, and eating a lunch of turkey sandwiches, sun chips, sweedish fish and grapes (sadly, the string cheese we brought got gross in the sun - ick).

While the rock would only score a 2.5 on the "totally awesome" scale, I would rate it at least a 6 on the "something fun to do that requires minimal travel and minimal money" scale, and an 8 on the "unexpectedly rad, small things that nature has given us to enjoy" scale.

If you wanna go, here are directions coming from Provo:
I 15 N. Exit the Highland/Alpine exit and head East. Go for like 5 miles and make a left at the Chevron (I'm pretty sure the street is 100 East in Alpine). Go straight through the roundabout and follow that road till in bends to the right, but DON'T FOLLOW THE CURVE (this was one of our hiccups). Instead, curve/turn left with the road and follow it until right before it curves to a dead end. Park along side the big dirt field and go through the fence with the rock next to it that has the words "no rock" (random) spray painted on the side. Follow the path/paved road, keep right on the path, until you come to the dead end. Then take the single track trail (not the jeep trail) on your left about 15 feet up to the falls. Can't miss 'em.


Me and Cam at the top of the rock


View looking down from the top of the slide


Cam taking the first slide.


And Cam quickly retreating out of the freezing water at the bottom


Russ flexin' his stuff


Me, Russ and Trish at the top

And...as a side note...can I express to you my love for my Chacos (them being on my mind because I wore them on the above described excursion)? Now...I know some may say that they aren't the most attractive sandals, and they do leave you with some pretty funky tan lines, but honestly, they are the most functional pair of shoes I own. Rugged, water-friendly, and rock-sticky. Can't beat it. I've only had them for 3 months, but I don't know how I lived without them before. So so great.