Poamoho Trail to Pupukea (Black Junction)

It was that time to pay another visit to the least trafficked area of the KST.

Playing paniolo on a mechanized beast of burden while corralling cows back into their pastures.

Thanks to Edgar and Lilia for dropping us off at the start of the trail as it started to drizzle.

Group photo, left to right: Ryan, Chico, Tessa, Aileen and myself.

Dead roof rat on the trail. Rodent traps on the trails attempt to curb the scourge that attack native animal and insect populations.

Hiking on the graded path, which the US Army once considered making this a jeep road all the way to the summit. The start of WW2 scuttled those plans.

Halfway point. Checking for cannibals. Not cannabis.

Crossing over the largest of the landslides that shut down the trail back in March 2021.

Heading into the side gulch above a small tributary of Helemano Stream

Crossing the stream, which marked less than 10 minutes to the summit.

Windy group photo at one of the best summit spots on the island with sweeping views of Punalu’u, Kahana and Ka’a’awa Valleys.

Seeking shelter below the stone memorial before resuming our hike.

Contouring our way below the ridge line.

Going through the fenced rolling hills in the cloud soaked mountains.

Taking our group photo at the iconic boot that has stood witness in these mountains for many years.

Why did the hikers cross the fence? To get to the other fence.

Following the fence line for daze.

What am I doing here? Or maybe he’s just rubbing his eyes.

Ready for more mud?

Some embraced the suck, while most avoided it like the plague.

I remember when there was no fence line or gates, just a thin trail through the overgrowth.

Somebody with the longest arm took our group photo.

Pushing our way through the bog like landscape.

Is this the trail?

Taking a break from slogging through the mud soaked and overgrown trail.

Winding our way through the verdant mountains.

Traversing on the exposed ridge line.

Climbing out of the notch and towards the cabin.

Sloshing through the mud as we regained the fence line.

Approaching our home for the night. Would Tessa’s gamble pay off?

Wash time.

Enjoying our brief and somewhat dry spell in the cabin as we plugged holes so no rats would come around, filtered water, cooked ourselves dinner and most of the group medicated themselves to sleep for the night.

Day 2
Chris started early on the hike that is a study in contrasts according to Stuart Ball, to join us at the summit.

We cleaned up the place and took a parting group shot.

Leaving the most spacious cabin on the KST.

Tessa getting her feet back in the mud.

Going down the steep fenced hill.

Ryan against the background of the Waianae Mountain Range.

Following the fence line for the last time on this trail.

Dropping down into the bowl shaped depression.

Meandering our way through the mountains with sweeping views of the coastline.

Meeting up with Chris at the 2,240′ foxhole of a summit.

Leaving the summit behind us as we resumed our hike on the trail.

Man on the ridge line.

Following the trail carved into the sides of the mountains as it meandered through the Ko’olau Mountain Range.

We can thank the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the US Army for carving the KST out of the mountains back in the 1930s.

The KST was not made for hikers but rather for the military and pig hunters to access the previously inaccessible mountains.

Tree hugger.

Halfway there! Let’s have lunch.

Back on the trail that was in serious need of trimming and then some.

Face in the tree.

Taking a break from the cloying and constant overgrowth.

Let’s go that way. Never argue with a man with a machete.

Going through the forest that was seemingly covered with moist moss.

Rainbow in the mountains.

Somebody looked slightly annoyed as we followed the trail that no longer looked like a trail.

Climbing our way back up to the ridge line.

The group emerging from the forest of constant poking and pulling.

Approaching our last summit of the weekend. We were not out of the woods yet.

Crawling through tunnels of overgrowth.

I fought the uluhe and the uluhe won.

Somebody disentangled the leaves, sticks and ferns in her hair while somebody else self-medicated their private parts. Turn away. Not safe for children.

Group photo at Pupukea Summit, no need to stand up. This is also considered the junction for the abandoned Kahuku Trail built in the 1920s that has since been reclaimed by Mother Nature.

Leaving the summit behind us.

The “official” end or start of the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

We were still not out of the woods yet and caught the setting sun as we made our way down to the road.

The one and done crew exiting the trail.

Height check.

Less walking, more running. You got a wife to meet at the bottom of the road.

Things that go BOO in the night. Got me good.

Big shout out to Lilia for waiting several hours over the projected exit time and picking us up at the end of the dark and deserted road. Post hike meal was not at the much anticipated, mouth watering Haleiwa Joe’s thick cut of prime rib. Due to the late hour, we ended up eating at the nearby McDonald’s. In the parking lot.

Our grueling and taxing camping weekend with a good group that weathered the hike with a couple scratches to spare and ferns stuck in odd places covered over 18 miles where the country is still country.

Photos taken by Aileen Agustin, Chico Cantu, Chris Bautista, Ryan Meyer, Tessa Bugay 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.

Tagged as: black junction, boot junction, cline memorial, kahuku junction, koloa cabin, koolau summit trail, kst, laie summit, malaekahana junction, papali junction, poamoho summit, poamoho trail, pupukea trail, puu hina, rabbit hole