Met up with Gen, Glenn, Jose, Khym and Marvin to tackle one of Troy’s unfinished project hikes. We all piled into Glenn’s truck and drove to Alewa Heights.
Na Pu’eo Park
Troy promised loads of bushwhacking and a miserable time. How could anybody pass up such a hike? Not us. Photo by Khym Ansagay.
Mack’s chair
The best seat on the trail. It was taken.
Na Pu’eo Bypass Trail
The trail took us down and around the homes perched at the top of Alewa Drive.
Kapalama trail
We soon found ourselves on the Kapalama Loop Trail.
Kapalama Camp
Do the sit lie laws apply here?
Aromatherapy
Walking up through the haze of eucalyptus trees hanging in the morning air.
Down
It seemed for every hill that we climbed, there was an opposite reaction.
Tree hugger
If she’s not doing yoga, she’s hugging trees. Photo by Khym Ansagay.
Tick tock
We took a short break at the gnarled and twisted koa tree where time stands still and marks the beginning of the Lanihuli trail.
Connector ridge
Troy approaching the connector ridge that would take us to Kamanaiki ridge and fall short of the summit of Lanihuli.
Kamanaiki Ridge
Looking at the ridge that would take us down into Kalihi Valley.
Turn around
Group photo left to right: Khym, Marvin, Troy, Gen, myself, Glenn and Jose. No summit for us today. After our picture taking time was over, we backed down the trail to beat the bushes to find the connector ridge.
Rabbit hole
Plunging into the overgrowth. Miserable times ahead.
Hiking on the edge
Tangled and thick overgrowth forced us to keep to the right of the ridge.
Hurry
I don’t know how much longer Khym can hold this dead branch back. Ninja powers rapidly fading.
Looking back
Troy looking back at the 2,700′ crowned summit of Lanihuli.
Jackson chameleon
Invasive critter. Live another day. Photo by Marvin Chandra.
Catch me
The uluhe ferns were so deep and dense in some parts that we got swallowed up, from head to toe. Backstroking didn’t help.
Strawberry hills forever
We burrowed through more ferns and climbed down a roped section before going down the strawberry guava tree lined ridge.
More overgrowth
Uluhe ferns – The gift that just keeps on giving.
Tree junction
Pausing at the ohia tree that marks the end of the regular trail from the bottom. HTMC had just cleared the trail today. Lucky us.
Tree monkeys
Trying to shake one off the fallen koa tree. Photo by Marvin Chandra.
HTMC trail clearing
Freshly cut ferns littered the trail down.
Shroom
Magic or indigestion times. Pick and choose wisely.
Scenic point
Kalihi Valley and Saddle behind us. We didn’t find or see any wallabies today.
Civilization
The ridge started to level out and began dropping us down into the valley.
Trail clearers
Mahalo to the unsung heroes of HTMC that keep our hiking trails alive.
Mountain yoga
There she goes again. Lift that leg higher.
Water tank
The three wise monkeys, err, men of hiking.
Kalihi stairs
The lava steps took us down to the streets of Kalihi. Photo by Khym Ansagay.
Urban hiking
1.3 miles as the mynah bird flies. Photo by Khym Ansagay.
GPS Tracks
The bushwhacking and miserably fun hike lasted 5.77 miles. Post hike meal at Kenny’s. Hawaiian food for lunch. No chili pepper water? No can.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sorry no wallabies. And what happen to the write about the nostalgic Kennys Restaurant? They closing down soon. But as always excellent write up of the adventure.
Aloha Troy,
Haha, maybe you can put together a Kalihi Cliffs Wallaby Exploratory Hike? Maybe I’ll put in a post script when it happens on July 5th. Thanks again for putting together this fun hike!
Mahalo