Aiea Trail to Moanalua Valley

Somebody told me to go to hell. I told them to go to hell. So we all went to hell today.

Thanks to Chico for dropping Akira, Roger, Val and myself off at the park that is home to a healing heiau (temple) that was possibly constructed in the 16th century and surrounded by eucalyptus and pine trees that were planted in the 1920s.

Leaving the loop trail as we connected to the ridge trail.

Catching the sunrise bursting over the Ko’olau Mountains.

Panoramic view from the 2,441′ flat peak.

Pushing to the summit that was less than a mile away, as the mynah bird flies.

This is not the summit, let’s push on.

Climbing and contouring our way around the HECO powerline tower.

Group photo at the 2,805′ top with expansive Windward views.

We pushed off the summit and stepped foot on the spine of the Ko’olau Mountains.

The winds were something fierce as they plucked my cap off my head and sent it soaring into the mountains. My donation.

Contouring around the fenced native plant enclosure. I have yet to catch a glimpse.

We could see heaven but not hell. Yet.

Climbing up the last hill before our final destination.

Approaching the windswept meadows that is home to what many people commonly call “Stairway to Hell.”

Going down the stairs that time has “forgotten.”

We decided to go down just a short stretch and not all the way to the bottom as originally planned.

Climbing our way down the stairs that are falling apart, literally. The stairs do not go completely down to the base of the cliff as the opposite stairs does, due to a steep cliff that prevented further construction and progress of the stairs.

Best seat in the mountains.

Akira climbing back up through the stairs that are slowly being reclaimed by Mother Nature.

Meanwhile, over yonder a couple saw us climbing up the dilapidated stairs from their vantage point.

Val climbing back up the near vertical section whose supports are being slowly exposed to the elements, further hastening the erosion of

Roger exchanging unstable and rotten footing for terra firma.

Seeking temporary refuge from the gusting winds that definitely brought our body temperature down a degree or two.

Following the decaying stairs that lead us out of the hike that is best served cold.

Roger crossing over one of the platforms that housed A-frames that supported one of six antennas suspended across the valley for military communication use in WW2.

Climbing our way out of hell.

Val coming up the last section of the rusted stairs that will soon disintegrate into oxidized dust.

Descending down the hill as we approached the junction to the Halawa Trail.

Running into Amber and Orion who was also told to go to hell. They went all the way to the bottom of hell.

Looking down at the most expensive interstate highway ever built, at a cost of roughly $80 million per mile.

Taking a break at the grassy area with the laminated flyer regarding Daylenn “Moke” Pua who went missing on February 26, 2015. Extensive searches that canvassed the area by foot and air were conducted with no luck. I believe it was his disappearance that was the catalyst for the formation of Oahu Search and Rescue (OSAR), an all volunteer group that assists with the search for missing hikers and educating the public at large about safe hiking practices.

Roger directly dealing with the troublesome tree that has tripped many a hiker.

Going down the “easy” side of the saddle. Easy being relative. Christian hymns optional.

Scrambling down one of many eroded spots on the ridge line.

Climbing down the constantly changing character of the mountains. Tree here today. Tree gone tomorrow.

The group sliding their way down the steep hill cushioned by ferns and packed with loose dirt.

Roger standing on the photo opportunity rock.

Why contour when you can climb? Exactly.

Almost there!

Our last group photo before we descended down into the valley. Talks of continuing to heaven were blown away by the strong winds.

Going down the short and steep spur ridge.

Val crossing the last of 28 stream crossings in the valley.

Going over the last of seven bridges that were connected to the cobblestone carriage road that once served as a path for the horse and carriages that the Damon family used at the turn of the century.

Mahalo to Aida, Aileen and Tessa who met us in the community park. It worked out in the end as they were originally supposed to have joined us on the hike. Instead, they came bearing gifts in the form of soda floats.

Our windy as hell hike covered 12.3 miles with good company. Post hike meal at Teishoku where the eye was bigger than the stomach for some and the Japanese pronunciation of the French expression resulted in uncontrollable laughter from some. Ice cream for dessert for some as others didn’t care.

Photos taken by Akira Suzuki, Roger Schiffman, Val Wang, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

Tagged as: aiea loop trail, aiea ridge trail, aiea summit, kulana'ahane summit, moanalua saddle, moanalua valley, north haiku stairs, red hill summit, stairway to hell