Laie Trail to Black Junction (Pupukea)

by kenji SAITO on November 20, 2022

Hiking Laie Trail to Black Junction (Pupukea)

Met up with Art, Chris and Tessa to finish off my last section of the KST in the dry town of Laie.

Laie

Laie

Art and Chris were running fashionably late due to traffic and plumbing problems, so Tessa and I pushed off on the trail to wait for them. We saw the signs that Uncle Pele will be missed, so will the coconut signs that only a lawyer could love.

Laie Trail

Laie Trail

Hiking up the section that only a dirt biker can love.

Laie Trail

Laie Trail

Passing through the pine tree section.

Laie Trail

Laie Trail

Heading up through the corridor of strawberry guava trees. Art wasn’t feeling himself, so he turned around to grab a snicker bar at the bottom and went back home.

Laie Trail

Laie Trail

Tessa making her way to the summit.

Laie Summit

Laie Summit

Group photo at the top with Lobelia Hill behind us.

Ko'olau Summit Trail (KST)

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Hi Ho Hi Ho, it’s off to bushwhacking we go! We push, pull, chop and get poked and whacked. Its what we do on a hike.

KST

KST

The first stretch wasn’t actually that bad. It was mostly exposed ridge hiking with waist high shrubbery and false holes liberally sprinkled on the trail.

Malaekahana Junction

Malaekahana Junction

Chris planted his spare glove to mark the junction that has seen the green sign and other gloves come and go.

KST

KST

Enjoying the fresh air and scenery while we can before plunging into head high overgrowth.

Kahuku Junction

Kahuku Junction

Wallowing in the trails that the feral pigs have expanded and muddied.

KST

KST

Making ourselves at home in the patch of uluhe ferns while we took our lunch break.

KST

KST

Eye see the face for the trees.

KST

KST

Tessa enjoying a break in the head high overgrowth …

KST

KST

… before plunging back into the forest on steroids which at times forced us to crawl like our primate ancestors.

KST

KST

Standing around the overgrown gully that we thought we had missed. The trail has gone back to Mother Nature and all her children.

Pu'u Hina

Pu’u Hina

Tessa waving the machete that didn’t meet a single branch or fern, not at her hands at least.

KST

KST

Going down another endless corridor of strawberry guava trees.

Black Junction

Black Junction

Celebrating my 15th finish of the KST with two of my oldest hiking friends. Salamat for the company!

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Walking on the road that is being rebuilt and resurfaced. Return of the Stryker Brigade?

All pau

All pau

Mahalo to Lilyn and Quan for meeting us at the end of our 13.12 mile traverse across the muddy and overgrown KST and taking us back to our cars. Post hike meal at Ted’s Bakery. Lots of mustard packets were there for the taking to be used for future hikes.

Photos taken by Chris Bautista, Tessa Bugay 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.

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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Wahinee01 December 21, 2022 at 6:25 pm

Too bad Art had to turn around… nonetheless, fun hike but so overgrownnn lol
Never again on this trail.. haha

Reply

kenji SAITO December 22, 2022 at 2:19 pm

Aloha Tessa,
Yup, fun in the overgrowth. Not.
Mahalo

Reply

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