Nu’uanu Pali Lookout to Kalihi Saddle (Powerlines)

It was time to help another friend finish her last section of the KST today. Thanks to Sally for dropping Aida, Cisco, Somphet and myself off in Chinatown to start our hike. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Scrambling up the steep and rooted climb under the cover of darkness.

Somphet making his way on the narrow trail bordered with thick growth on one side and steep cliffs on the other.

Aida approaching the towering rock edifice. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Outside looking in.

Climbing and contouring our way up through the scattered blowdowns.

Cisco pulling himself up to the ridge. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Looking back at the sunbeams streaming through the clouds as they scattered across the valley floor.

Making my way down the first hill on the saddle. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Looking back at Olomana framed between the ridge line and the Pali Notches.

The distinctive summit of Lanihuli in the background, our halfway point. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Somphet leaning in the same direction as the tree. Being one with nature.

Climbing up the tooth shaped rock. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Contouring around the narrow edged rock.

Making my way up to the Leeward side of the ridge, where the winds were absent and the trees in abundance. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Aida cresting at the top of the ridge with verdant views of the Windward side in the distance.

Approaching what I now call “little Olomana.” Photo by Aida Gordon.

The crew contouring and climbing down the backside, mindful of the drop.

Climbing up and over the middle “tooth.” Photo by Aida Gordon.

The rest of the group coming down from the skinniest and tallest of the three “teeth.”

Dropping down from what some people think was once a puka or hole in the ridge. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Aida’s turn at descending the steep and concave wall.

Contouring our way up the thimble berry infested trail that took us back to the ridge.

Climbing up the steep and eroded section that was once easily passable. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Somphet pulling himself up the ridge line. Photo by Aida Gordon.

You can’t pay me $20k to do this again. Can I quote you on that? Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

The group traversing over a couple false peaks to get to swirling heavens.

We lucked out with clear views from the 2,700′ top. Group photo left to right: Cisco, myself, Somphet and Aida.

Leaving the summit as we climbed up our last false peak before dropping down into the saddle. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Dropping in elevation as we slid down the grassy ridge line. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Following the curvature of the ridge line.

Parts of the ridge were smothered in woody climbers which provided a help and hindrance at often the worst possible times.

The other parts were bald of vegetation and often were cracked, crumbly and eroded.

A solitary lehua flower clinging to a well weathered ohia tree. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Making our way down to a part of the ridge that was particularly skinny, eroded and crumbly more than any other section. And we were going to sit on it. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Angles.

Traversing on another patch of exposed ridge line. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Scooting was the main mode of movement on the ridge coming down.

Dropping off the ridge line as we contoured the suicidal descent down the Can Opener. Photo by Aida Gordon.

The group controlling their descent coming down.

Looking for those footholds.

Waiting for those footholds. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Cisco coming down from the multi-tiered climb down the wall. Photo by Somphet Chanhpheng.

Aida contouring her way back to the ridge.

Group photo at the scenic spot that stretched all the way to the summit of Kahua’uli and Heaven.

Slowly making our way down the crumbly and shifting rocks, lest we tumble and fall off.

Climbing down to our next set of obstacles. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

The blowing winds threw dirt in our face and made sure we kept our center of gravity low to the eroded ridge coming down.

Playing human anchor again. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Somphet and Cisco scrambling their way to the next obstacle. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Spotter at the top. Hiker in the middle. Spotter at the bottom. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Aida pulling herself up to the top.

Coming down from the doorstop and making our way towards the bunny ears. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Aida coming down the crumbly bunny ear. Nothing soft and fuzzy here.

Perched on the arch. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Aida between the last bunny ear and the mushroom rock.

Somphet and Aida hiking over the loose rocks and scattered tree roots on the ridge. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Some enjoyed the spectacular views, while others seemingly concentrated on the trail views. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Traversing the skinny ridge to the dorsal shaped rock face. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Aida downclimbing the last obstacle on the saddle.

Descending towards the middle of the saddle which also marked the terminus for our hike today. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Payment for services rendered. A shiny nickel. And I wonder why I’m still not financially independent. Photo by Somphet Changhpheng.

Traditional dousing of top shelf champagne on the willing victim. No expenses spared. Congratulations to Aida for completing the KST in its entirety. Photo by Somphet Changhpheng.

Mahalo to Sally and Ed for picking us up on the side of the highway, reeking of alcohol. We retired to Lilyn’s driveway where Aida got lei’d and snacked on baked goods. No venue was spared for Aida’s celebration.

Our saddle traversal covered roughly 3.28 miles that marked the end and completion for Aida’s KST journey. Congratulations again!

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.

Tagged as: anvil, bunny ears, can opener, dirt dragon, donkey kong, doorstop, incisor rock, kalihi saddle, kalihi valley, koolau summit ridge trail, ksrt, lanihuli, lanihuli wall, nuuanu saddle, pali lookout, pali puka, pimple, powerlines, puu suicido, shark fin, true pali notches, w