Pu’u Ohulehule Southeast Ridge to Pu’u O Kila

Started at the crack of dawn with Chris, Lee, Mia and Yoly to hike a loop that I have been wanting to do for quite some time in Kahana Valley.

We all piled into Chris’s van to drive to the dead end road and kept a low profile to avoid disturbing the neighbors.

The trail was surprisingly obvious, a marked departure from my last visit.

Approaching a homeless shelter?

Bucket loads of hikers and tourists make the short hike up to this rock, to gaze upon … Photo by Chris Bautista.

… the stunning scenery of lush valleys, topped by rugged peaks and shimmering glassy waters.

Group photo left to right: Chris, Lee, myself, Mia and Yoly.

Proceeding past the tourist scenic spot. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Approaching our second dike of the day.

Hello there! Photo by Chris Bautista.

Climbing up the dike that keeps the encroaching overgrowth at bay.

Dangling legs above the treetops. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Lee coming down the dike. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Looking out towards the three peaks of Ohulehule, Manamana and Kanehoalani.

The exposed rock ridge served as a firebreak lane through the suffocating overgrowth.

Churning the moss covered landscape.

To climb or to contour the looming dike?

How do I climb up this thing? Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Hiker see, hiker do.

Mia, Lee and Yoly; three monkeys on the dike. Photo by Chris Bautista.

We contoured to the left of the dike as the pitch of the ridge became more pronounced.

Capturing the views now in case we lost them at the top.

Yoly following the rope through the thick overgrowth.

Climbing on the more exposed Windward side of the ridge.

We had to climb over, under and through the thicket of trees that populated the ridge.

At last, free of the overgrowth!

Spoke too soon.

Using trees, roots, vegetation and the occasional rope to climb up.

Barreling and brushing past through the overgrowth.

Pushing up the last major climb to the summit.

When you’re hungry, two twigs will double as chopsticks.

Group photo at the 2,228′ summit.

Sweeping views from the top.

Once the multiple photo shoots were done, we took our leave of the summit.

Looking ahead to the saddle that will connect us to our final summit destination.

Climbing down the steep descent.

Taking the trail less trampled as we detoured off the ridge.

The overgrowth on the Southeast was tame compared to this section. It was uluhell quicksand.

Exhausted and spent on the trail. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Treading carefully on the insane and unchecked overgrowth that masked the many false drops on the ridge.

This ridge was sorely in need of a trail clearing.

Threading our way through the brittle and decaying ohia trees.

Looking back at Pu’u Ohulehule from the 1,613′ summit. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Chris looking out to Pu’u O Kila. Photo by Lee Shreve.

The saddle has become demonstrably more eroded from our last visit. Dirt and rocks became dislodged with each step that we took on certain sections. It was like playing Jenga on the mountains.

Yoly making her way down the crumbling and shifting pile of dirt and rocks. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Looking out towards the peaks of Piei and Manamana overlooking Kahana Valley. Photo by Chris Bautista.

The sound of music was singing in the mountains. The earth was moving below us, and it wasn’t from that kind of satisfaction. Photo by Chris Bautista.

We scribbled today’s date and our names on the log in the jar and plopped down for a well deserved rest. Photo by Lee Shreve.

Group photo at the tree trimmed 1,520′ summit.

Dropping down from the studio sized summit.

Enjoying the views of Pu’u Manamana and True Manamana on our way down.

Following the river of uluhell downstream.

Double Rainbow.

The group walking out the valley.

This is not the trail exit. Photo by Mia Garrison.

That’s the dam exit.

One of many trails that crisscrosses the wettest valley on Earth. Photo by Lee Shreve.

Damming the water for our group photo. Playing in the shallow end.

Group photo at the end of our bone crushing, exhausting but soul lifting hike.

Our hardscrabble hike registered only six miles of punishing overgrowth and crumbly ridges. Is the GPS tracking working? Really, that’s all? Great hike with a fun crew. Texting instructions for Pizza Hut. Post hike meal at Zippy’s. This is becoming a habit. Local habit.

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.

Tagged as: kahana valley, nakoa trail, northwest ridge, puu koile, puu o kila, puu ohuleohule, saddle, southeast ridge, waikane