Return to The Nipple

Some folks wanted to visit the peak in the areola of the mountains of Hau’ula otherwise known as Pu’u Waiahilaahila. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Met up with Aida, Analyn, Ani, Cisco, Dale, Janell, Jennifer, Katie, Kip, Margaret, Petra, Quan, Robin and Sally at Hau’ula Beach Park and walked down the lane of barking dogs.

We are not going to Papali.

Rock hopping our way across the bed, minus the water. Photo by Aida Gordon.

The calm before the storm.

Analyn picking up some trail snacks.

Passing a rock climber’s wet dream or worst nightmare. Photo by Ani Lagpacan.

Somebody was cussing up a storm. And it wasn’t Mother Nature. Photo by Sally Chow.

Back on the ribboned trail.

We were deciding to go down this trail as it seemed impassable in terms of overgrowth, when another storm warning was issued. Photo by Jennifer LaRochelle.

Cisco scouted ahead and reported that the trail looked passable, so down we went.

Going down the steep hill into the gulch.

Dale on top of the waterfall that somebody was talking about. Perhaps not this one. Photo by Sally Chow.

Climbing out of the gulch.

We ran across a farmer tending and protecting his solar powered patch of …

… non self-pollinating purple passion flowers. Or was it pakalolo? Photo by Sally Chow.

We retreated from the top where the impassable overgrowth prevented forward movement and found the contour trail below the ridge.

Climbing through the break in overgrowth to finally gain the ridge. Photo by Petra Raser.

Looking back at Analyn, Kip and the town of red trees. Not necessarily in that order. Photo by Ani Lagpacan.

The winds picked up on the ridge about the same time the storm warning expired. Photo by Sally Chow.

Somebody was elated to finally discover the difference between riding a dyke and hiking a dike.

Ani multi-tasking on the dike, climbing and posing. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Climbing and contouring on the geological sheet of rock.

Katie climbing up the ridge while Petra sit blocks her. Photo by Margaret Wilson.

What’s down there? The bottom. Photo by Margaret Wilson.

Dale climbing down. Photo by Margaret Wilson.

Aida making her way down. Photo by Ani Lagpacan.

Squeezing it to prevent premature excitement from spilling out. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Quan hugging the boulder tightly as she contours around the ridge. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Amusement and bemusement. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Some minor rock scrambling was still ahead of us.

Looking back as the ridge took on a wider approach. Photo by Jennifer LaRochelle.

Coming up to the last rock scramble left on the ridge.

Progress halted. Photoshoot in progress. Photo by Ani Lagpacan.

Crossing an eroded section to get to another eroded section.

Analyn getting lei’d by Dale. Ani and Quan stayed behind to babysit my empty can of Coke while the rest of us resumed our hike.

Dale pointing out the direction that we needed to go, if some of the group had continued on their direction, another storm would have erupted.

The location of Sacred Falls was marked by the constant buzzing of tour choppers plying their trade back and forth into the valley. Photo by Aida Gordon.

We made it to the 1,246′ summit. All 15 square feet of it. Or something close to that. Photo by Robin Farr.

Tweaking it and kissing Santa Claus. What happens on the nipple, stays on the nipple.

The Chantilly cake I had carried came out somewhat worse for wear, but it’s the thought that counts. Right? Happy Birthday Analyn! Photo by Petra Raser.

Bird’s eye view of the postage stamp sized summit. Anymore and we would have to start kicking people off to make room.

Dale making his way back to the eroded spot where Ani and Quan were waiting.

Not everybody was a team player in our group photo.

Two pink ribbons marked the spot to go down.

The top slope was steep and overgrown coming down. Photo by Petra Raser.

The bottom slope was slippery with assorted rocks and low hanging branches. Photo by Ani Lagpacan.

Connecting back to the loop trail.

Aida passing the hiker sign on her way down back to the streambed.

We survived our 4.86 mile hike through valleys, ridges and summits despite storm outbursts and windy dykes. Group photo by Ani Lagpacan, left to right: Ani, Dale, Cisco, Katie, Quan, Janell, Petra, Margaret, Analyn, Robin, myself, Sally, Aida, Jennifer and Kip. Post hike meal at Papa Ole’s where ordering first doesn’t mean you get your food first.

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: hauula, maakua ridge trail, pu'u waiahilaahila, punaiki ridge, the nipple