Poamoho Trail to Pupukea Trail

We decided to celebrate Independence Day in the mountains and help a friend connect the dots. Met up with Agnes, Aida, Analyn, Anne, Bill, Cisco, Ferlino, Lilyn, Matt, Quan and Shirley at the Poamoho gate where Edgar, James and Richard shuttled us up the jeep road. Much mahalos to Jasmin and Lee for dropping some of us as well to the gate. Agnes also gave us three containers of home cooked oxtail soup goodness that Cisco, Matt and myself stuffed into our packs. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

The caravan rolling towards our destination, somewhere up in the mountains.

No cattle blocked our way up today. Photo by Shirley Gloriani.

Group photo left to right: Agnes, Lilyn, Shirley, Bill, Analyn, Anne, Cisco, myself, Matt, Nikki, Aida, James, Quan and Ferlino. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Our rather large group of 14 people soon pushed off on one of the easiest trails to access the KST.

Taking another group photo at the halfway mark. Everybody here? Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Resuming our hike with intermittent photo shoots. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Let the orgy of picture taking commence, despite the socked in summit.

Group photo at the socked in summit where the whipping winds failed to move the clouds away, leaving us with just views of ourselves. For some, that was more than enough. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Contactless tobacco inhalation. We took our leave of James and Nikki at the summit as our group dwindled to 12 and set foot on the KST.

Passing the snail habitat as we entered the gated community of the Ko’olaus. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Contouring below the fence line. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Ukininam! Some people never get over their fears and others never grow up. Photo by Shirley Gloriani.

Back on the fence line.

The weather patterns up in the North are usually cloudy, rainy and windy. Today was no different. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Everybody wanted a piece of the glove. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Excuse me? More hiking, less talking, it’s raining.

Matt putting Aida’s shoes back together with the help of spikes and duct tape.

Group photo with the slowly disintegrating boot before we hopped over the fence and crossed the meadows. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Crossing down into the fenced ravine. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Some were excited to see the endemic lobelia which can only be found on Oahu. Photo by Shirley Gloriani.

Others were more interested to see the inside of their eyelids. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Bill experiencing the stench and sucking of the mud pits. He was having the time of his life and can’t wait to repeat this section.

Following the fence for daze. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Waiting for everybody to catch up before plunging into the rabbit hole. Photo by Shirley Gloriani.

Press this and the glove moves up and down, speed adjustable. Best for hikers of the male persuasion. Photo by Shirley Gloriani.

Out of the muddy trail and into the mud pit. The hike just keeps getting better.

Following the fence line. Common theme of the day.

The princess getting another adjustment. Must be nice to be royalty. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Lunch break. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Heading back out into the country.

Take a picture. It’ll last longer!

Watching out for the numerous false holes that dotted the trail.

The Waianae Mountain Range in the distance.

Getting closer to our destination.

Every now and then, you have to stop and smell the slime trail. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Passing the scenic rock. No scenic views. Let’s move on.

Switch backing our way through the cloudy mountains. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Rounding the corner. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Need a hand? Photo by Aida Gordon.

Back on the fence line. Are we there yet?

The end to a muddy and wet day was drawing near. Photo by Shirley Gloriani.

We got to the cabin right before another group of five hikers showed up as well. You guys got tents?

Time to sample the fruits of our burden. Thanks to Agnes for making the delicious oxtail soup that was our hot dinner for the day.

12 + 5 hikers = a full cabin and then some.

Leaving our cozy cabin.

Climbing over the fence to get back on the muddy trail.

Cue the song, Chariots of Fire. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Playing on the trails, gonna be a big girl someday. You got mud on your face, you big disgrace. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Matt sloshing his way through the mud. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Passing through the uluhe carpeted trail.

Agnes practicing safe smoking.

Quan and Aida emerging from the uluhe tunnel. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Take our picture!

Group photo at the end of the fence line. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Princess getting her early morning snacks hand fed to her.

Descending down into the bowl shaped depression. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Looking back at the rest of the group on their way to the summit. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Chris and the KST Bushwhackers met up with us at the foxhole. Everybody wanted to be like Pringle Lips.

I guess we had a breakdown in communication as we left the KST Bushwhackers at the summit and started ahead of them on the trail.

Matt going through a corridor of highly invasive strawberry guava trees.

Somebody was swinging away at the air or the overgrowth. Hard to tell.

Taking a short break as we waited for the rest of the group to catch up. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

The tattered glove has seen better days.

Meandering our way through the mountains. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Trying to fit everybody in the group photo at the halfway mark. We were not entirely successful. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Pushing our way through the remaining overgrowth. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Matt coming through another corridor of trees. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Quan and Ferlino emerging from the worst of the overgrown sections. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Mister Flag himself on the summit. Redundancy. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Taking another break with Janell who had hiked up to meet with us.

Pouring champagne on Matt as he celebrates his KST completion. After waiting for over 38 years.

Group photo by Agnes Bryant at the finish line.

One last adjustment before we hit the road. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Synchronized running. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Walking down the road, at least it was paved with good intentions. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

When you got to go, you got to go.

Reflections. In more ways than one. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Exiting the trail. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Only one item in this picture is not edible. Shout out to Janell for the fruits and cold drinks and Somphet for the fried chicken and pizzas. Much appreciated after a two day hike. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Final group photo with the KST Bushwhackers, Janell and the Uber Eats driver. Thanks to Jasmin, Matt and Richard for the rides home. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Our two day hike through the muddiest and most overgrown section of the KST covered 18.5 miles with good company and friends. Congratulations again to Matt for finishing his last section of the KST.

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: black junction, boot junction, cline memorial, koloa cabin, koolau summit trail, kst, laie summit, papali junction, poamoho summit, poamoho trail, pupukea summit, puu hina