I spent Easter Sunday on the “forbidden mountain” with Andy, Enrique and Lilyn today.
KoleKole Pass
Walking down the shuttered road passing signs that warned of high winds and falling rocks. The signs did not lie at all.
KoleKole Pass
Leaving the twisting hairpins behind us as we traded the asphalt for basalt.
Ka’ilio
We were not going up the side ridge as somebody had relished in anticipation, but rather straight up.
Ka’ilio
The winds were so strong that it literally took our breath away, not to mention flapping hats in somebody’s face.
Ka’ilio
Pulling ourselves up one crumbly rock at a time.
Ka’ilio
Going through a small patch of stunted trees that provided temporary cover from the raging gusts.
Ka’ilio
Enrique going straight up the rock face.
Ka’ilio
Lilyn trying to give Alex Honnold a run for his money.
Ka’ilio
Andy taking the safer and saner route.
Ka’ilio
Pushing against the wind. Pushing against the crumbly rocks. Pushing to the summit.
Ka’ilio
Somebody was glad to be at the top.
Ka’ilio
Group photo at the 1,865′ summit with the largest coastal valley on the island in the background.
Ka’ilio
Catching a rainbow after rain showers drizzled the area. Luckily, they didn’t stick around long.
Ka’ilio
Happy Easter from the Dog Hill.
Ka’ilio
You take that way and I’ll take this way. Let’s see who gets down faster.
Ka’ilio
Controlling our descent as we climbed down, lest we roll and tumble like the rocks we dislodged.
Ka’ilio
Andy approaching the relatively flat spot on the mountain.
Ka’ilio
Why didn’t we take this way going up? Life needs challenges.
Ka’ilio
Dropping in elevation as the twisted road got closer.
Ka’ilio
The high winds and falling rocks continued unabated.
Ka’ilio
Somebody was really happy to be going back down.
Ka’ilio
Andy in the notch.
Ka’ilio
Scrambling back down to the road that was built back in 1937 by the Army Corps of Engineers.
KoleKole Pass
We all survived largely intact, minus my red cap which I involuntarily donated to the mountains.
All pau
100% ID Check in progress.
Our wind blasted introductory hike covered a scant 2.07 miles, with new and old faces. Post hike meal at Taps and Apps, a pub in Mililani that serves tasty food and alcohol of many kinds. The food and drinks were so good that it was passed around and luckily nobody got COVID.
Photos taken by Andy Pender, Enrique Chavez, Lilyn Avendano 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.
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