Ma’akua Gulch

by kenji SAITO on May 12, 2019

Hiking Ma'akua Gulch

Cisco, Ferlino and myself decided to explore a relatively dry canyon today.

Check in

Check in

We signed the log in case we got swept away by a freak flash flood or stampeded by a herd of unruly and wild pigs. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Pow wow

Pow wow

Salute not shaka. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Concertina wire

Concertina wire

I guess the BOWS really doesn’t want people climbing into their pumping station.

Pow wow 2

Pow wow 2

More graffiti. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Trail

Trail

Leaving the paved road and heading into the rocky gulch.

Trail

Trail

Hopping over the horizontal trees.

Trail

Trail

If a boulder lands in a forest, does anybody hear the impact? Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Trail

Trail

The trail meandered and alternated between the stream bed and the banks.

Trail

Trail

Passing through a clump of lauhala trees and its crunchy carpet of fallen leaves.

Streambed

Streambed

Not a drop of water to be seen or splashed.

Landslide

Landslide

Passing through an unstable section of the hillside that had collapsed earlier. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Time of the month

Time of the month

The mountain apple flowers were shedding their magenta stems and carpeting the trail. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Streambed

Streambed

We finally came across isolated pockets of water in the stream bed.

Waterfall chute

Waterfall chute

Making it pour since Mother Nature was absent today. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Canyon trail

Canyon trail

Heading into the canyon as the walls narrowed and rose steeply above us.

Waterfall #2

Waterfall #1

Taking the plunge into the deep and icy cold pool at the base of the first waterfall. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Waterfall #2

Waterfall #1

Waiting for my turn to climb up. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Waterfall #2

Waterfall #1

We’ll be back as Cisco decided to stay at the bottom. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Waterfall #3

Waterfall #2

The second waterfall had a shallow pool and a steeper climb.

Waterfall #3

Waterfall #2

In rope we trust? Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Canyon trail

Canyon trail

Ferlino heading back.

Waterfall #2

Waterfall #1

Going back down through the tunnel. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Waterfall #2

Waterfall #1

The creation of the selfie hiker. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Waterfall #2

Waterfall #1

Ferlino exiting the pool. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Canyon trail

Canyon trail

Heading back out. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Canyon trail

Canyon trail

Making our way out of the narrow canyon. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Make a wish

Make a wish

Who’s going to get the larger part of the tree bone?

Sky heart

Sky heart

Looking up towards an optical illusion made possible by GoPro.

Stone heart

Stone heart

Stone cold heart. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Trail

Trail

Cisco heading down the dry stream bed.

Tree hugger

Tree hugger

Ferlino about to re-enact another high school graduation photo.

Punji sticks

Punji sticks

Running into this would ruin ones day. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Fungi

Fungi

The recyclers of the forest detritus.

Trail

Trail

The best seat in the forest. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Trail

Trail

Eye see you.

All pau

All pau

We arrived back to the trail head safe and sound after our 5.6 mile hike into the gulch. Post hike meal at North Shore Tacos. This is not your Taco Bell. Thanks to Jasmin for dropping and picking us up.

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.

Leave a Comment

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Ferlino June 29, 2019 at 5:09 am

Nice hike. Thank you for awesome adventures! Beautiful sights

Reply

kenji SAITO June 29, 2019 at 4:57 pm

Aloha Ferlino,
Thanks as always for the good company! Until the next one.
Mahalo

Reply

Brandi Brash May 12, 2020 at 10:54 am

How long did it take you guys? And there’s no parking? Someone had to drop you off?

Reply

kenji SAITO May 14, 2020 at 5:22 am

It took us about 5-6 hours. Parking can be found by the beach park or wherever you can find it.

Reply

Masa I. May 22, 2021 at 12:46 pm

Love your blogs!
Hiked the trail yesterday, May 21, 2021. Sadly the pond in front of the waterfall with a boulder you climb though was filled with tree debris and I didn’t go up. Hope the next flush flood clear the debris down.

Reply

kenji SAITO May 24, 2021 at 3:15 pm

Aloha Masa,
Thanks for the update! Hope it clears up soon!
Mahalo

Reply

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