We hiked to one of the few waterfalls that was never Westernized in the sense of being renamed to better roll off Western tongues.
Laie
Hiking into the farmlands where only one person had the right idea of transportation.
Malaekahana Trail
The gate filtered us onto the trail.
Malaekahana Trail
Passing what looked like recently constructed wooden guard rails. Expecting motorized traffic?
Malaekahana Trail
Going up, up and away. The only consolation was that on our return trip, it would be mostly all downhill.
Malaekahana Trail
A wooden structure soon appeared in the distance. What could it be?
Malaekahana Trail
We’re almost there!
Malaekahana Trail
Looking out at the largely unspoiled view that we enjoyed from this well made observation platform. What could make it even better?
Malaekahana Trail
A ghetto zipline! Thanks to whomever put it there for the rest of us folks to pass the time.
Malaekahana Trail
Let the bubbly flow! Somebody forgot the cornstarch. No fireball. Happy Birthday Kenny!
Malaekahana Trail
There was a lot of combined hot air to unroll the birthday blowers. Just missing the noise.
Malaekahana Trail
Sandra descending down the stone stairs that would connect us back to the trail.
Malaekahana Trail
Plunging into the trail that seemed initially well maintained. Keep the bar low on expectations.
Malaekahana Trail
The faces of determination as we hiked our way up the seemingly unrelenting hill.
Malaekahana Trail
Can you see the hikers for the uluhe ferns?
Malaekahana Trail
View of Sandra through the tree crack.
Malaekahana Trail
Descending down the gorge as our numbers dwindled to six, as two of our friends decided to stay topside as the views were much better and they could enjoy a resting heart rate.
Malaekahana Trail
Rock hopping our way across Malaekahana Stream.
Malaekahana Trail
Contouring and climbing our way down the first tier of the waterfall.
Malaekahana Trail
Making our way down to the top of the second waterfall.
Malaekahana Trail
Kenny climbing his way down to the base.
Malaekahana Trail
Aileen was the last to join us at the pool as the two blondes decided to stay topside.
Malaekahana Trail
I guess photoaging is a thing for some people.
Malaekahana Trail
Dale getting drenched in the waterfall. Upon further reflection, we did not even arrive at the main lower or upper falls. We had stumbled onto one of the minor falls that follows the stream. There were talks of further exploration to find the main attraction.
Malaekahana Trail
However, some in the group had places to go and people to see, so we decided to head back.
Malaekahana Trail
Climbing back up the waterfall.
Malaekahana Trail
The group crossing the stream to begin the brutal climb back up the hill.
Malaekahana Trail
Taking a well deserved break after scrambling up the steady incline, to find out that our two friends had hightailed it back to their cars. Kenny enjoying his champagne brunch on the trail.
Malaekahana Trail
Making our way back to the platform that later turned out to be a planned zip line with nine towers that are being built by CLIMB Works Laie and customers will check in at a kiosk at the nearby Polynesian Cultural Center. They anticipate upwards of up to 1,000 paying customers that will be staggered throughout the day. No public hearings were held to discuss this matter nor were permits obtained before the construction began, as money talks. It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission was probably in the minds of the builders and landowners. They may have to pay financial penalties and wring their hands and shed crocodile tears in public, but in the end, they will have their zip line and they will be laughing their way to the bank.
Malaekahana Trail
Allison taking the bypass trail around the platform, concerns have been raised that hikers and hunters will no longer be allowed in the area, a claim that the project owners deny. We can put that to the test. Who pays into the coffers? Hikers/Hunters or Tourists. Exactly. Coexistence will only be tolerated until it gets in the way of financial gain.
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The group sitting on the fence, as I’m sure most are in the neighboring community as well. They must be weighing the environmental impacts and disruption of thousands of people visiting the area, whereas before that has probably only seen dozens versus the economic impact of jobs. In the end, money talks and they have no real say when it comes to charting the economic future of the area. Politicians and landowners have the final say, as regular folks are just window dressing.
Malaekahana Trail
Unexpected diversion from the trail.
Malaekahana Trail
More fun than a bouncy house.
Malaekahana Trail
All downhill from here.
Malaekahana Trail
Somebody didn’t have her end point.
Malaekahana Trail
Crawling our way underneath a blowdown as we thought it would be a shortcut to Laie Trail. Nope.
All pau
Balancing and hiking out the trail and back to our cars.
GPS Tracks
Our birthday hike covered 7.35 miles where the waterfalls was not the main attraction, good fun all around with friends. Post hike meal at North Shore Tacos, where they don’t serve birthday tacos. Happy Birthday Kenny!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ltl9eoJhOKY
Video by Edgar Gamiao of our birthday hike.
Photos/Crew taken by Aileen Agustin, Allison Banks, Dale Yoshizu, Edgar Gamiao, Kenny Lui, Sandra Walter, Scott Dea, 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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