Met up with Art, Chris and Tessa to finish off my last section of the KST in the dry town of 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
Hiking up the section that only a dirt biker can love.
Laie Trail
Passing through the pine tree section.
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
Tessa making her way to the summit.
Laie Summit
Group photo at the top with Lobelia Hill behind us.
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
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
Chris planted his spare glove to mark the junction that has seen the green sign and other gloves come and go.
KST
Enjoying the fresh air and scenery while we can before plunging into head high overgrowth.
Kahuku Junction
Wallowing in the trails that the feral pigs have expanded and muddied.
KST
Making ourselves at home in the patch of uluhe ferns while we took our lunch break.
KST
Eye see the face for the trees.
KST
Tessa enjoying a break in the head high overgrowth …
KST
… before plunging back into the forest on steroids which at times forced us to crawl like our primate ancestors.
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
Tessa waving the machete that didn’t meet a single branch or fern, not at her hands at least.
KST
Going down another endless corridor of strawberry guava trees.
Black Junction
Celebrating my 15th finish of the KST with two of my oldest hiking friends. Salamat for the company!
Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road
Walking on the road that is being rebuilt and resurfaced. Return of the Stryker Brigade?
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.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Too bad Art had to turn around… nonetheless, fun hike but so overgrownnn lol
Never again on this trail.. haha
Aloha Tessa,
Yup, fun in the overgrowth. Not.
Mahalo