Back to the West side to tie up some loose ends. We even got to see a Achatinella mustelina, an air-breathing land snail that is endemic to the Waianae Range.

Waianae Valley

Mahalo to Daryl for coming out of hiking hibernation and dropping Aida, Aileen, Chris, CJ, Thomas and myself off in the remote valley.

Waianae Valley

Chasing the rainbow on our walk up the oft-maligned concrete and asphalt road. Somebody had a bag of skittles in their pack.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Shaking off the hunting dogs before we traded the road for the trail.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Cardio climb up the leaf covered hill.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Cardio collapse.

Three Poles

Taking a quick breather.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Soaking in the West side views.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Going up the first set of boulders.

Waianae Kaala Trail

The views were not half bad coming up.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Bolted steps made quick work of the second boulder set.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Scrambling up the steep rock studded section.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Gaining roughly 3,500′ in elevation as we approached the highest peak on the island.

Ka’ala Bog

360 degree view of the boardwalk that straddles the native cloud forest.

Ka’ala Bog

Lucky that we didn’t bring any dogs with us today.

Ka’ala Bog

Finding our way through the wet forest.

Ka’ala Bog

Made it to the fence line.

Waianae Summit Trail (WST)

Going down the ridge line.

WST

Standing underneath the hanging moss grotto.

WST

First one down the slippery boulders.

WST

Last one down.

WST

Sometimes the leap of faith requires a helping hand.

WST

Aida looking where to land her foot.

WST

Some of us bypassed the contour and took the direct way up.

WST

All that gym time finally paid off.

WST

Carrying the weight of the world consumes a lot of calories. Time to replenish them.

WST

Following the fence line down as we could see the summit of the second highest peak on the island in the distance, so close yet so far.

WST

Somebody didn’t get today’s memo to not to put their full weight on the fence.

Hobbs Junction

Group photo at the terminus of the steeply graded ridge that takes one down back into Waianae Valley.

WST

Resuming our hike on the fenced trail that cut through the thorny blackberry bushes and itchy grass.

WST

Looking back at the flat topped summit of Mount Ka’ala.

WST

Traversing the crack.

WST

Aida and Aileen climbing down and back up.

WST

Dropping down to contour around the ridge line.

WST

Climbing up the last rockface.

WST

Fist bump followed by lunch.

Pu’u Kalena

360 degree view of the 3,504′ peak with clear and commanding views of Lualualei and Waianae Valleys, Wahiawa Plain, cloud capped Ko’olau Mountains, and the prominent peaks of Ka’ala, Hapapa, Kanehoa and Kaua.

WST

Leaving the fern saturated summit.

WST

Descending down the steep fenced line.

WST

Climbing up the eroded hill section.

Star Trek Junction

Giving the Vulcan salute that was created by Leonard Nimoy who drew upon his Jewish roots to create the iconic gesture.

WST

Chris enjoying the views and brief respite from the overgrowth.

WST

Taking the invasive critter from the wilds of Waianae …

WST

… to the tangerine tree in Ewa.

WST

Thomas carefully crossing over the slipper fence, as he didn’t want to hit a high note.

SeXXXy Ridge

Looking out towards the skinny ridge that drops down into the valley and the crumbly hot mess known as Pu’u Ka’ilio in the background.

WST

Aida approaching the beginning of the dike section.

WST

Chris watching the girls climb their way down.

WST

Somebody asked what is a dike? Not to be confused with a dyke. Same sound. Different meanings.

Pu’u Kumakalii

Group photo at the 2,881′ peak. We have a name.

WST

Chris and Thomas descending down the narrow dike with steep drop offs on one side and vegetation on the other side.

WST

Aida keeping her balance on the narrow sheet of rock.

WST

The girls coming off the dike to more stable ground.

WST

Looking into the heart of the largest coastal valley on the island which used to be the center of volcanic activity of the Waianae Volcano.

WST

Getting off the exposed ridge line.

WST

Making our way down to the lowest point in the Waianae Mountains.

WST

Aileen coming down the sliding sands section.

WST

Leaving the Martian like dune landscape for the emerald forest.

Kolekole Pass

The group emerging from the valley of head high grass and UXOs.

Kolekole Pass

#19. Congratulations to Thomas for completing the entire Waianae Summit Trail that totals roughly 26 miles.

Kolekole Pass

I declined the champagne dousing as best as I could for my #10. I don’t drink alcohol. Only in the worst of times.

All pau

A big thanks to Amber, Cary and Doug who picked up our collective group and dropped us off to our parked cars in Kapolei. Somebody drove back to Schofield Barracks to search for her missing phone, despite being in the car that she was picked up in. I guess she needed extra driving time, much unlike extra cardio time.

GPS Tracks

Our double finish of the WST covered 7.45 miles that covered the two highest peaks on the island with a great group. Post hike meal was supposed to have been at Outback Steakhouse. Father’s Day reservations made the wait intolerable. Ono Steak & Shrimp closed early. El Mariachi didn’t want to seat us due to the time. Hot Spot was confused with Hot Pot. We finally settled on nearby L & L, which stands for Lee & Lee, the original owners. We should’ve waited for Outback Steakhouse.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Aileen Agustin, Chris Bautista, CJ Mendiola, Thomas Barrett, 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.

Met up with Gen, Justin and Matt on the West side with the intention of doing a camp over. Sweeping rain showers that inundated the highest point on the island dictated otherwise. Besides camping in the rain was getting old already. Just a week old. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Waianae Valley

Group photo by Justin Hirako, left to right: Matt, Justin, myself and Gen in front of our reserved parking space.

Trailhead

The road to the highest mountain on the island.

Prickly Pear

Harvest time.

Trail snacks

Peel carefully, lest you get some spines lodged in your hands. Just ask Matt. Photos by Justin Hirako.

Dirt road

Trading the paved road for a dirt road.

Picnic shelter

Nothing to see here. Hike along. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Waianae Kaala Trail

A sign is needed here to prevent hikers from going astray and getting lost or rescued.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Slow, steady climb. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Halfway there.

Three Poles

Group photo by Justin Hirako.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Follow the fence.

Waianae Kaala Trail

Gen and …

Waianae Kaala Trail

… Justin made short work of the slippery boulder sections.

Mount Ka’ala

Rain, rain go away. Group photo by Justin Hirako.

Ka’ala bog

Hitting the boardwalk.

FAA tracking station

No hat. No salute. Talk of camping went away as fast as the rain came our way.

What’s cooking?

We ended up eating lunch. Chicken noodle soup and Chicken pho.

Solitude

Catching the scenery when the clouds gave us a break.

Trematolobelia kaalae

Spectacular flowering of this endemic bellflower plant.

Community service

We ran across some volunteers who volunteered to give us a ride back down to Waialua. So we volunteered to help pull those thorny blackberry plants and other invasive plants from the bog. One by one. Ouch by ouch.

Mount Ka’ala Bog

Adopt a plant.

Mount Ka’ala Road

Letting the tires do the riding and not our feet do the walking for a change. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Hawaiian tree snails

The volunteers pulled off the road a short distance down to show the group these endemic tree snails.

Mount Ka’ala Road

The road is slippery when wet … Photo by Justin Hirako.

Stoppe!

… and so are the mountains. Just ask the two Norwegian girls who had been hiking from Three Corners and saw our cars and flagged us down in the rain. Talk about timing and luck. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Sjokolade

The best chocolate in the world. Well, according to the girls from Norway.

All pau

The volunteers dropped us off in Waialua and we dropped the girls off at their friends place. Pay it forward. Driving back to Waianae Valley, we even saw one of Marvin’s models in a photo shoot. None other than Kat Sweets. Photo by Justin Hirako.

GPS Tracks

While our hike didn’t go as planned; we got to meet some awesome volunteers, including Ken Lee, pulled some invasive plants from the highest mountain on the island, ate the world’s best chocolate and met a facebook famous model. All in all, it was a great day well spent with friends. Post hike meal at Tacos and More. More salsa please.

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.

Jon Medrano had sent me a link to this video, which was the inspiration for today’s hike. Met up with Chris B, Chris C, Jon, Matt and Rebecca deep in Waianae Valley.

Trailhead

It was still dark as we pushed off the much hated road that leads to the Waianae Ka’ala trail trailhead. Copper thieves must have struck in the area, as illumination was noticeably absent. Save for the twinkling stars.

Mothman prophecies

Giant spider webs and moths were our only company on the trail. No sign of Richard Gere.

Purple Trail

We followed the trail that were profusely marked with purple caps and ribbons.

Three Poles

The group taking a break at the 2,720′ junction. What’s for breakfast?

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Looking ahead

Halfway there. Just warming up.

Boulder climbing

The crew making their way over the two boulder sections.

Kaala Natural Area Reserve

Group photo at the highest mountain on the island, left to right: myself, Rebecca, Matt, Jon, Chris C and Chris B. Photo by Chris Chun.

Boardwalk

Rebecca making her way though the ancient Hawaiian forest ecosystem, home to many rare endemic fauna and flora.

Water sample

Matt collecting water to test for future hikes. Then an Australian accent chimed in “I don’t understand you Americans, we just drank straight out of the stream back home. What’s the big fuss?”

Bog

The crew exiting the 1,100 acre cloud forest.

Open house

Free cookies and a ride down. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Follow the fence

We skirted the fenced installation and began to make our way down the ridge.

FAA tracking station

Leaving Mount Ka’ala. The clouds would soon follow us down the ridge, much to our dismay.

Kamaohunui ridge

The long ridge down. We just didn’t know it yet.

Coming down

The trail up to this point was still somewhat passable with little effort. That was about to change.

Central view

Looking out towards Schofield Barracks.

Bushwhacking

The trail quickly disappeared into a dense tangle of blackberry thorns and uluhe ferns. Rebecca soon parted ways with us and returned back down Ka’ala.

Evelyn

Looking down in the valley, we clearly saw the wrecked remains of a B-24 bomber that crashed in the forest shortly after takeoff in 1945 from Wheeler Airfield. Another hike for another day.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Looking back

Chris chatting with a neighbor on the other side of the fence. Is the grass greener?

Fence trail

Typical ridge hiking. Multiple short ups and downs.

Halo rainbow

We saw this fleeting rainbow down in the valley.

Fenced trail

The metal eyesore extended as far as the eye could see, or more accurately as far as the clouds would let us see.

Break spot

Group photo. Where’s the view? Photo by Chris Bautista.

GPS huddle

Let’s see. That tree looks familiar. Let’s not follow those blue ribbons. Hmmm, we seem to be on the right track.

Webbing trail

The fence was gone for now. Webbing took its place. As we dropped in elevation, we left behind the clouds and began to see what was around us.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Waialua Whiskey

We climbing that?

Bark worse than the bite

Easy peasy. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Looking back

Matt popping the pimple.

Contour

Chris contouring the ridge on the Windward side.

Ridge

Hiking on top the ridge.

Looking back

Jon making his way down the ridge.

Ridge

The ridge rose and fall with multiple false summits to mark each passing.

Saddle

Are those metal poles staked on the ridge?

Looking back

The crew climbing out of the saddle. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Ridge

Are we there yet?

Erosion

Chris C and Matt making their way over a eroded section of the ridge. Where’s that fence when you need it?

Helipad

We waited for the chopper to fly in our prime rib and clam chowder. In vain. Photo by Chris Bautista

Pu’u Pane?

Chris B and Chris C approaching a summit we thought was Pu’u Pane. Thought.

Junction

Jon climbing over the fence to begin our descent down the spur ridge.

Climb

Rock climbing galore ahead.

North Shore

Looking out towards the sugar town of Waialua and the tourist town of Haleiwa.

Hiker’s pole

Chris C responding to a milk shortage. Watch out for the bark shavings!

Tricky crack

Chris B about to make his way down.

Blue webbing

Rated to 4,000 pounds. Should be enough. Wait, how much do you weigh again? Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Love rock

Chris C hugging the rock as he makes his way down.

Rocky ridge

The crew between moments of concentration and relaxation as they made their way down.

Looking back

That was a fun ridge. Not finished yet.

Cliff

Chris C and Matt coming down a steep section.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Twilight

The setting sun reflected off the shimmering windmills in the distance.

Wild West

We soon got off the ridge to be met by blocking tree lines and head high California grass. Bushwhacking. Night bushwhacking. Complete with wild life.

Waterfall

Eventually we bushwhacked our way to the stream, which offered a respite from the suffocating overgrowth. Photo by Chris Chun

Kaukonahua Stream

Our last obstacle was a fast flowing stream that fluctuated from knee to waist high depth. Photo by Matt Vidaurri

All pau

After our white water stream crossing, we walked out through the gated housing area and made our way to Matt’s staged truck.

GPS Tracks

Our West side hike to North shore hike covered 10.22 miles through rugged terrain and beautiful scenery. Epic hike with a great crew. Post hike meal at Zippy’s. Missing my prime rib and clam chowder.

I had a hankering to revisit the entire Waianae Summit Trail. Helping me to scratch that itch again was Chris, Gen and Jose. Shout out to Brian who dropped us off deep in Waianae Valley.

Trailhead

A friendly hunter greeted us and advised us to sign in, just in case we got lost. Hmmm. We then talked about the hanging cloud system over Ka’ala and hoped it would clear up. The hunter quickly dissuaded us from such foolish notions, by saying it was sticking around. All day. And then some. Really? And then some?

The long road

Walking up the paved road. Loving it. Not. Click here for the larger image.

Harvest time

Waianae Farmer’s Market is now open. Bring your own knives.

The dirt trail

We left the road behind us and started following the purple caps and ribbons as we made our way up. Hiking bread crumbs. No time for picnicking.

Steady climb

Nothing like a good cardio workout to get your juices flowing in the morning.

Three poles

Scenic break overlooking Waianae Valley.

Follow the fence

We ran into a hiker that had returned from attempting to summit. He ran into the boulder section and couldn’t get past the slippery rocks. Better safe than sorry.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image of Bolo Head Ridge, Waianae Valley, Kamaileunu and Ohikilolo Ridges. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Boulders

Gen working her way up.

Slippery when wet

Safe. Not sorry.

Native forest

Chris making the final steep climb to the summit.

Mount Ka’ala

Group photo at the highest point on the island at 4,025′, left to right: Jose, myself, Gen and Chris.

On the boardwalk

Keeping our feet dry.

Off the boardwalk

Getting our feet wet.

Jewels of the forest

We ran across some native Hawaiian tree snails, of which only 25 known species are known to exist. Their habitats are found at the cooler, higher mountain elevations.

Got moss?

There was an actual flagged trail running through the misty bog that we followed.

Boggy day

Rain, rain go away.

Raindrops keep falling on our heads

Jose making his way down the cloudy exposed ridge.

Look out below

Gen getting ready to climb down the steep, rain slicked boulders.

Next

Chris making his way down.

Leap of faith

Jose looking back at the small gap that we had to get over.

Boulders in the mist

Inspected the inviting boulders. One day.

Heavy burden

Somebody always has to be different in the group. Guess who?

Hello fence

Abundant and abusive blackberry thorns became a major obstacle along this section. Hawaiian barbed wire. Ouch for miles.

Clearing up

We dropped in elevation below the cloud deck to gather some views and enjoyed a brief respite from the thorns in our sides.

Soaking in the views

Somebody was yelling about the views. She was drowned out in the mountain’s vast silence.

Scenic view

Click here for the larger image.

Landslide

Erosion at work.

Overgrown

Time for some trail clearing action. Break out the machete.

Hobbs terminus

Chris passing the junction with the spur ridge that comes up from Waianae Valley.

All smiles

We said goodbye to those pesky blackberry thorns. Or so we thought. Photo by Genesaret Balladares.

Ohia lehua

Brushing past the numerous crimson colored flowering evergreen trees. Make it rain.

Summit in sight

Getting closer to the top of Puu Kalena.

Fence interreptus

The fence line was soon interrupted by the earth that was rent asunder. Or something like that.

Climbing down

One person at a time.

Spikes?

Gen about to climb down a steep section. Needed extra traction.

Climbing up

Jose reaching for a hold to pull himself up.

Mossy ohia tree

Have a seat. Sign in. Make yourself comfortable.

Puu Kalena

Jumping for joy at the second highest peak on the island at 3,504′. I guess nobody gave me the memo.

Hitchhiker

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly away home …

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Going down

Gen heading down from the summit.

Puu Ka’ilio

Looking down at the forbidden mountain.

Sumigaw!

The scream of nature. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Skinny section

Single file shuffle.

SeXXXy ridge

We hopped over the fence to pay a visit to sexy. ridge. that is. Photo by Genesaret Balladares.

Waiting

Patiently. Before the wind pushed me off the rock. Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Twister on the rocks

Everybody’s here. Say cheese.

Looking back

That was a fun little detour.

Dike crossing

The crew crossing the narrow sheeted rock.

Pu’u Kalena

The nipple of the Waianae mountain range.

Junction

Time to take our leave of the fence and head down. Missed that memo again.

Narrow dike

It was a little windy as we made our way down the steep descent.

Looking up

Coming down the mountain. Here we come. Photo by Genesaret Balladares.

Kolekole Pass

Making our way down to the lowest section on the Waianae range.

Surfing the mountain

Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Martians

Gen and Chris against the backdrop of the red, crumbly rock.

Sliding down

Making our way down the washed out section. Photo by Chris Bautista.

All pau

We dropped down onto Kolekole Pass Road and were picked up by Chris’s brother, Jonathan. Thank you!

GPS Tracks

The mountain and ridge hike covered a distance of roughly nine miles. Fun times with good friends. Post hike meal at Outback. Can’t go wrong with clam chowder and prime rib.

The mountain was calling. The highest mountain on the island. Ka’ala. Met up with Carmi, James, Rocky, Ron and Ryan at Waipio Costco, our staging point. Ron’s wife was nice enough to drop us off in Waianae Valley. We even got to watch a comedy video while driving to the trailhead. All we were missing was the drink service.

Clear skies

The skies above Mount Ka’ala were unusually clear. A good sign.

On the road again

There’s just no getting around the paved road to Ka’ala.

Leaving the road

Transitioning to the dirt road. Straight ahead. The trail to Tiki Ridge is on the left.

Purple junction

We turned left at the purple bottle capped tree and dropped into a gully to continue the hike.

Morning cardio

Making our way up the tree covered ridge that provided ample shade that kept the heat down.

When a tree falls in the forest

Walk on it and see where it goes. Photo by Rocky Abad.

Three Poles

Group photo at Three Poles junction left to right: Ryan, myself, James, Garmi, Ron and Rocky.

Bolohead ridge

Bolohead Ridge and sweeping views of Lualualei and Waianae Valleys to our right.

Follow the fence

Making our way up the fenced Kamaile’unu Ridge.

Scenic point

Picture perfect day. Break out the camera. Photo by Rocky Abad.

Still a long way to the top

The ridge flattened and widened though an Australian tea grove as the mountain loomed ahead of us.

First boulder section

The only rock climbing to be found on this trail.

Test all ropes

Ron making his way up.

Second boulder section

Fun but short lived. The trail soon became rather steep and muddy to the top.

Summit view

The view was strikingly clear all the way to the “golf ball” radar stations at Kaena Point.

Ka’ala Natural Area Reserve

Severe fly infestation at the top. They were either feeding or breeding. Let’s get out of here!

Entering the bog

Rocky walking on the boardwalk that helps to protect the fragile ecosystem that are home to endemic mosses, ferns and plants.

Leaving the bog

After walking about 3/4 of a mile through the misty blog, we emerged on the other side.

How many hikers can fit on a bench?

The answer is two. Group photo in front of the expansive bog.

Fly away

A glider flew overhead and swung around the summit. We thought we had a view, that pilot must have had a better view. Photo by Rocky Abad.

No hat, no salute

Group photo in front of the FAA tracking installation. Only James, Ron and Ryan gets a salute.

Mount Ka’ala Road

Walking down the road with a million dollar view.

Group selfie

Who cleans all these mirrors?

Dupont trail

Leaving the road for greener trails.

Stairs

The stairs extended for a good stretch down the trail.

Goodbye Ka’ala

Looking back at Mount Ka’ala.

Any echo? Any echo?

Is this thing active? Good question to ask before poking your head inside.

Da Bus Stop

Is my watch broken? Hey, is that Steve Perry? What does my horoscope say today? Running thoughts at the bus stop. Thanks to Troy Solano for pointing this iconic hiking fixture out to me. Photo by Ron Kimura.

Freycinetia arborea

The ‘ie’ie plant, has medicinal qualities when combined with other endemic plants.

Checking out the view

Sometimes you just have to stop hiking and eyeball the views. Photo by Rocky Abad.

Hiking past erosion

The group making their way past one of several eroded sections on the trail.

Hiking on the edge

Ron and Rocky making their way past the shrubbery on the trail.

Rock climbing…sort of

Rocky going up a 30′ rock face. Ron waiting his turn. Easy peasy.

Tasty trail snacks

James picking from the abundant strawberry guava trees that lined the trail.

Walking on the ridge

The group making their way along the well defined section of the ridge.

Dirt slalom

Going down this eroded section was fun. Had to stay balanced and slide on loose dirt, past the narrow section without falling down. Staked ropes were provided for assistance.

Looking back

The radar dome on the summit was getting smaller as we made our way down.

High ground

Still a long way to go.

Following the dirt trail

The trail was for the most part open and obvious…

What trail?

…until we hit this section of head high California grass that just swallowed the trail and us. I could barely see Ron ahead of me.

Back on the trail

Visibility restored.

Cattle fence?

Our first fence on the trail. Meant to keep cattle from higher ground?

Trail disappears

We ended up bushwhacking a bit to regain the trail.

Sunday services?

We spotted a huge white cross on the ridge to our left.

Dry trough

No water. No cows. Makes sense.

Back on the trail

The trail soon turned into a jeep road.

Broken gate

The group making their way over a gate that looked like it got hit by a cattle stampede.

No signs of cows

Other hikers had told us of cows giving chase on the trail. Guess they were sleeping or it was too darn hot to be out and about.

Headed to the highway

The road to civilization. Photo by Rocky Abad.

Security stop

Security stopped us short of the gate, asking where we had come from. Down from the mountain. They said next time call the landowner, Pioneer in advance to request permission. Thanks for the tip!

Hold the gate

As we approached the road, the gate swung open to let a car in. Perfect timing. James brother in law was waiting on the other side to give us a ride back to our cars.

GPS Tracks

Our 8.43 mile hike started on the Waianae side, crossed over the highest mountain on the island and ended up on the Waialua side. Love hikes that don’t come back the same way. Post hike meal at Outback. No surprise. Great hike with old and new friends.

It has been over two years since we last hiked up to the flat topped mountain known as Mount Ka’ala. This called for a reunion hike and another reunion of sorts, as Jason joined Glenn and myself after taking a long break from the hiking trails.

Left for Tiki Ridge

We pushed off a little past 7am and made our way up a mile of alternating asphalt and concrete road. Boy, do I hate this road! Once the paved road ended at the water tank, we turned left into the bushes and started following the red and white bottle caps nailed to the trees.

Follow the red/white bottle caps

The trail lead us through dry riverbeds and kukui nut trees with their droppings crunching and rolling underneath our footsteps. There are an abundance of markers in the form of red/white and white bottle caps, along with red/white and white ribbons. It can be confusing as one is supposed to follow the red/white bottle caps and now you have white bottle caps as well. One should stay to the left and gain the ridgeline when the markers and the opportunity presents themselves. If you start heading to the right and only see solid white markers, then you are heading into the valley and going a different way.

Slight grade going up

Going up the ridgeline was a nice treat for our cardio workout, not too steep and at just the right grade to get the heart pumping.

Looking back into the valley

The ridge finally broke out of the treeline and afforded us views of the valley we had just left behind.

Tiki #1

There are three small rock sections that must be climbed, all relatively easy. All of them have webbing and a bright yellow garden hose, if so needed. Past the first rock section, is a small tiki statue. Which I totally missed. Jason and Glenn had to point it out to me, so I had to climb back down to get my picture!

Hey, give me a hand!

Jason coming up the second rock section. He didn’t really need a hand. Clap. Clap. Clap.

Tiki #2

Looking down at the second tiki statue. Are there any more that we missed?

Top of Tiki Ridge

Glenn holding the black webbing that marks Tiki Ridge, something that we totally missed on our hike last time. After making our way down the goat fenceline, it was a pleasant and flat stroll to 3 poles.

3 Poles

Taking a short lunch break at 3 poles. Jason started cramping up and despite my meager motivations, decided to stay put until we came back down from the mountain top.

Climb to Mount Ka’ala

The winds started to chill us down as we made our way up to the top. At least it wasn’t as blustery as it was on our last hike.

Boulder section

About halfway to the top, are two boulder sections that must be climbed. Both offer ample footholds and handholds to get over them. Ropes are present, if needed.

Panoramic view from top of Ka’ala trail

Click here for the larger image. Pictures, well at least my pictures, don’t do the views justice. You have to see them in person.

Entering Mount Ka’ala Reserve

Nice windbreaker Glenn. Inside joke.

Any happy face spiders in the bog?

As we made our way on the planks through part of the 1,100 acre Mount Ka’ala Reserve, I didn’t realize how big the bog really is. It seemed to go on and on. Endless.

Top of Mount Ka’ala

We finally popped out of the bog to be greeted by the huge dome of the FAA radar station, it was a beautiful day at the 4,025′ summit of Mount Ka’ala.

Panoramic view of North and Central Oahu

Click here for the larger image.

Going back down

Going back down to 3 poles was eye candy almost the whole way. The views of the Waianae Mountain Range and surrounding valleys were just spectacular. When we got to 3 poles, Jason was nowhere to be found. He had decided to go down the trail with another hiker that was waiting for her group.

The long road home

Once we made our way down the Waianae Kaala Trail, we had to subject our toes to that paved road again. Going down. Did I mention I hated this road?

Moon over the mountains

Glenn took his shoes off and jogged down the road in his socks. Hardcore hiker!

GPS Tracks

It took us a little under 8 hours to complete this 8.18 mile hike.