Mokuleia Trail to Upper Makua Cave

by kenji SAITO on December 31, 2016

Hiking Mokuleia Trail to Upper Makua Cave

Bills were due and rules were made to be broken, and that’s how we ended up with today’s hike. Right muthafucka? :)

Trailhead

Trailhead

Thanks to Dale for dropping Frank, Shirley and myself off in the middle of nowhere. Winter is for the Waianaes. It’s also the time to bring headlamps. I guess some lists just aren’t meant to be read.

Access Road

Access Road

We did a short cardio puff up the road. Reminds me of the road to Ka’ala. Not my favorite.

Peacock Flats

Peacock Flats

Let’s not wake up the campers. Who you calling white?

Trailhead

Trailhead

Starting our farewell hike.

Mokuleia Trail

Mokuleia Trail

Mexi-Kaida and Fili-Kaida. Unmasked.

Mokuleia Trail

Mokuleia Trail

Somebody was not fast enough to catch the nene.

WST

WST

We turn left, right? Or right, left?

WST

WST

Makua Valley. You’ll have to take my word for it.

WST

WST

Rat country ahead. Rain country too.

WST

WST

Jumping the fence.

WST

WST

Going down the fence line.

WST

WST

Picking our way amongst the scattered rocks and trees.

WST

WST

Pulling ourselves up. One fence at a time.

WST

WST

Three Corners is out there. You’ll have to take my word for it.

Mokuleia

Mokuleia

There’s a view. Where?

WST

WST

Frank making his way up, while sandwiched between a rock and a fence.

Lubricant optional

Lubricant optional

Shirley high fiving the self-pleasuring glove. Please wash your hands.

WST

WST

We are here …

Three Corners

Three Corners

… to witness more stunning views of Makua, Makaha and Mokuleia. You’ll have to take my word for it.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Going down the rabbit hole.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Hiking in the clouds. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

I didn’t know I would be hiking with The Flying Wallendas. Or at least one of them.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

The clouds and rain showers started to clear as we made our way on the ridge.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

We could see the ridge for the fences or was that the fences for the ridge?

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Please keep your hands and feet on the fenced ridge at all times. Someone wasn’t paying attention. A theme that was to be repeated at the cabin.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

A rollercoaster of a ridge. Multiple short ups and downs.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Hanging into Makaha Valley. Photo by Shirley Hamamura.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

One hand for the fence and one for the shaka. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Somebody was kung-fu hiking.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Frank and I scrambling up the ridge. Photo by Shirley Hamamura.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

The “Buttercup” look. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Frank getting out of the way, before a darky fell on him.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Shirley looking back as the clouds seemed to be chasing us down from the mountains. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

How do you sit on this? Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Rainbow in Makua Valley. I heard it leads to pots of UMX ( unexploded ordnance ).

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Open for camping.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Climbing up from the boulder.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Now you see the clouds …

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

The fence took up valuable real estate on the ridge while affording us handholds and keeping out the unwanted ungulates. Give and take.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

… and now you don’t see the clouds.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

This grasshopper had the right idea on how to hike this ridge.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Climbing up from the notch.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Shirley climbing around and up the interrupted fence line.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Fences for days.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Fill in the blank and use your vivid imagination. Shirley wishes she had a ____ right now.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

The Great Fence of Ohikilolo.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Hiking into the wind. Photo by Shirley Hamamura.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

How to train your rock dragon. No caption credit given this time.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Almost there. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Always amazed to find these hardy plants living in such a parched and seemingly inhospitable terrain.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Mars slip and slide recreational area.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Pausing and posing. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Time to climb up to the triangular peak of Ohikilolo, but first … Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

… let’s have another IG photo shoot.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Overlooking Makua Valley. You don’t have to take my word for it. Photo by Shirley Hamamura.

Ohikilolo Backside

Ohikilolo Backside

Let’s take the easy way up.

Ohikilolo Summit

Ohikilolo Summit

Random group photos at the 3,052′ peak.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Looking out towards Pu’u Keaau on our way to the cabin.

Ohikilolo Outhouse

Ohikilolo Outhouse

Throne with a view. BYOTP.

Cabin life

Cabin life

What’s for lunch? Cold burritos with rice and potatoes, courtesy of Frank. Homemade? Mexican.

Let's pretend

Let’s pretend

And … ?

Ohikilolo Cabin

Ohikilolo Cabin

Saying goodbye to the cabin and the mountains.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

All downhill. Rocky. Fenced.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

The sun started to turn the ridge and valley into a sauna. Time to shed the sweater. Dry cleaned and pressed please.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Hanging ten on the fence hammocks.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

What’s going on? Another IG photo shoot. I guess every dog has to have his day as well.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Looking out towards Kaena Point.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Shirley and I traversing the skinnier section of the fenced ridge. Photo by Frank Martinez.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

I was pleasantly surprised that we did not run across any goats that thought the grass was greener on the other side.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Looking back at the ridge as the afternoon shade slowly creeped across the valley floor.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

Frank and Shirley stepping over the fence to get to the other side.

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

How many IG photo shoots does this one make?

Ohikilolo Ridge

Ohikilolo Ridge

It was just a short, steep scramble down the rocky trail and out to the highway. Please leave the little ones at home.

All pau

All pau

My fingers are tired. Thanks to Frank’s buddy, Kyle, who picked us up and shuttled us back to our cars. Photo by Frank Martinez.

GPS Tracks

GPS Tracks

Our last hike of the year started off with clouds and rain showers, that soon turned into a cloudy and sunny beast of a ridge hike with fences and views for miles. 10.43 miles to be exact. Fun times with great company. Good memories. Happy New Year’s to all.

Note: I have been made aware the 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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