Today over 30,000 people were lining up at Kapiolani Park to start The Honolulu Marathon. Marvin, Jose and myself got dropped off by Chris on Waikane Valley Road to start our own Hiking Marathon of sorts. We walked past the barking dogs and followed the explosive danger signs plastered fence into the dark valley, only to be stopped in our tracks as we came across a huge muddy landslide that had wiped out part of the trail. Jose checked it out and deemed it safe enough to walk over without sliding down into the gurgling stream below us.

Sunrise

After crossing the stream, we missed the sharp left turn to gain the Waikane trail in the dark until Jose called out and we backtracked our way. Breaking free of the valley cover, the sun was able to reach us unfiltered as we took in the sunrise from the lookout on the Waikane trail.

Contouring

Contouring our way on the Waikane trail.

Waikane terminus

Stopping at the Waikane terminus that is marked by a rusty metal stake with a pink ribbon on it.

Staring into the sun

Looking into Kahana Valley with squinty eyes. After a short break, we made another sharp left turn as we set foot on the KST in the general direction of Waiahole.

Trail clearing time!

The trail was heavily overgrown with all types of vegetation and there were many false steps on the trail for hikers not paying attention. Like me.

Waianae Mountains

It was clear enough to see the entire Waianae Mountain Range from Kaena to Mokuleia.

Kahana Valley

The prominent peak of Ohulehule rising out of the Kahana Valley floor.

Nice day on the KST

Taking a break and soaking in the views on the KST. Shortly after, the clouds rolled in and we resumed our hiking.

Big buggah

A rather large example of Lehua papa or Metrosideros rugosa, endemic to Oahu and particularly fond of making themselves home on the wet and windy ridges of the Koolaus.

Wind(less) meadow

We descended down into this meadow, expecting to battle the fierce winds that I’ve heard so much about. I guess Mother Nature was on hiatus today. Not even a puff.

Clouds rolling in

Climbing out of the meadow, we looked over the ridge to check out the cloudy views of the Windward side.

Sugi not sugoi!

We soon came to the notch and the grove of Sugi Pine Trees that signaled we were near the Waiahole Uka terminus.

The last hill

Going up the grassy hill to the Waiahole Uka terminus. The original hike was planned to end at Manana, but my stomach was having none of that and so we ended up using Waiahole as the bailout.

Waiahole Uka

Taking a break amongst all the clouds.

Climbing into the clouds

Going down Waiahole Uka is all descending. No rolling hills here. Other hikers have likened this ridge to Piliwale, with the main difference of heavy overgrowth and more taxing.

Ropes are our friends

There are a couple of steep and crumbly sections to go down, but for the most part, they are roped for assistance

.

Uluhe fern country

Marvin and Jose wading through the last half of the ridge which is covered in uluhe ferns. Not fun at all.

Until we meet again

I’m not looking forward to wading through those obnoxious ferns again. In hindsight, should have stuck it out to Manana. Oh well.

GPS Tracks

After popping out of that tangled mess of ferns, we made our way down onto the Kuolani-Waianu trail which passed through several gullies and the man-made waterfall. Jasmin was nice enough to pick us up at the trailhead which saved us a mile of walking and running into Scuba, the “guardian” of the valley. The entire hike was just shy of 11 miles, which still made it a grinder in my books.

Not a fan of hiking the same trail twice, Olomana to be specific. I asked Chris to show us the backdoor way to Anamolo or reverse Olomana, as he knows the route quite well.

Trailhead

We staged cars at the traditional start of Olomana on Auloa Road in Kailua. Then we drove into Waimanalo and parked on Waikupanaha Street, where further down the street Bumpy Kanahele and his Nation of Hawaii community lives on the 45 acres they got after their 1993 occupation of Makapu’u Beach. Group photo by Matt Vidaurri. Standing left to right: Bob, Chris, myself, Jasmin, Hiram and Matt. Sitting left to right: Rey and Brian.

Junction

Instead of taking the traditional Maunawili Demonstration Trail, we took the right at the junction to continue our hike.

Exposed roots

One can either run very fast over this section or gingerly pick their way across the eroded and exposed roots.

Makai view

Brian enjoying the makai (ocean) view after we broke out of the forest and onto the ridgeline.

Mauka view

Bob checking out what’s for breakfast at the Nation of Hawaii’s community, as we saw smoke going up into the sky. Could have been burning trash or smoking a pig.

Hello there!

The rest of the crew making their way up.

Ahiki

Looking at the backside of Ahiki, the third peak. Olomana is actually the name of the first peak, with Paku’i being the name of the second peak.

Let the fun begin

Arriving at the base of Ahiki. It was a couple of weeks since I’ve done any rock climbing, so it was fun scheduled all day.

To rope or not to rope?

There are ropes on some sections of all three peaks. Depending on your skill level and confidence, use them sparingly or none at all. What matters is being safe as you should test out all ropes before using them and even then, don’t rely on them 100% if possible. Because you never know when these ropes will give on you. It’s not a matter of if, just when.

You’re almost there!

The buzzing bees kept us company as we waited for the rest of the crew.

That pesky ladder

I chose not to use the ladder as we made the final push to the top of Ahiki.

Top of Ahiki

We all signed the guest book at the top. Time to get a new book as people are writing on top of other people’s comments.

Guess what we are supposed to be?

Give up? It was Matt’s idea to mimic Shiva, the Hindu deity that has four arms. We had, umm, 16 arms.

That rock looks fun

Coming down from Ahiki, I noticed a rock pillar. What could that possibly be used for?

Giving it the old college try

Who needs VRG (Volcanic Rock Gym) when you have the great outdoors? However, no soft mats to break your fall, unless trees count. Photos by Brian Leano.

Small rock, good view

Photo by Brian Leano.

How do I get down?

The hardest part of rock climbing is going back down. As Brian asked me, “Why do you put yourself in these situations?” I still don’t have the answer. Photo by Bob Tyson.

Climbing down to the keyhole

Bob climbing down to the keyhole rock formation. Another one to climb! I still don’t have the answer.

Top of the keyhole

I wasn’t about to do any yoga poses on top of the keyhole. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

The keyhole is now open

The rest of the crew making their way down to the keyhole. Now we were seeing more hikers coming and going. Olomana actually sees a lot of traffic, most go to the first peak and turn around. Not many go further to the third and final peak.

Leaving Ahiki behind

Bob climbing up to the second peak, Paku’i.

Steps to Olomana

Brian walking over the natural rock steps that leads from Paku’i to Olomana.

Butterfly Bob

As we waited for the rest of the crew at Olomana, I decided to photograph the fluttering butterflies that were around us. None would sit still for me. Bob then called me over as one landed on his hand and stayed there for several solid minutes! Bob has good sweat and odor or something!

Top of Olomana

The highest of the three peaks at 1,644′ elevation and the best in terms of sightseeing conditions.

Cover yourself! Have you no shame?

Chris had ripped his shorts earlier in the hike and luckily was not commando today. I know the feeling as I’ve ripped my pants in larger fashion and still continue to hike in them. I have no shame!

Pine needle break

Waiting for the rest of the crew to catch up.

All pau!

Last group photo at the traditional start of Olomana.

GPS Tracks

The 3.88 mile hike was a nice fun day with good company.

My triple dose of hiking fun started at 3am, even the chickens were sleeping. I met up with Chris and Jasmin as we took advantage of the full moon’s illumination as made our way up Le’ahi.  

City lights

The skies were clear enough to see past the neon glow of Waikiki and reached out all the way to the Waianae Mountain Range.

Town lights

Rivers of light poured down from the Ko’olau Mountain Range. Reminded me of the Electric Parade at Disneyland for some reason.

East Oahu lights

Picking out Koko Crater and Koko Head in the distance. We could even see Maui. Wow!

Full moon

The streak of light is actually an airplane that was caught in my long exposure shot.

Best seats in the house

I’ll say it again, a 30 second timer does wonders, especially when you’re running back to the pillbox in the dark.

Sunrise

The moment everybody was waiting for.

Fish eye view of Waikiki

Group picture time.

Fish eye view of the crater

Another one.

Standing room only

After enjoying the sunrise and taking lots of pictures, we merged with the crowds going down the trail. Talk about a mass of humanity. Sheesh. That’s why I like to hike the trails less trampled. After we followed the stream of people leaving the crater, we ambled over to the KCC Farmers Market to grab a bite or two to eat. I highly recommend the Kona BBQ Abalone and Hamakua Mushroom Fries, to be washed down by a Pineapple Coconut Smoothie. Your taste buds will thank you.

Visitors welcome?

Drove back home and dozed off to the idiot box at home. A couple hours later, Chris texted me about joining David’s hike to Hamama Falls. Sluggish and sleepy, I hopped into my car and met Chris and his niece at the end of Waihe’e Road in Kahaluu. We made our way through the rather large opening on the left side of the fence to start my second hike of the day.

A nice walk through the forest

The flat gravel road winds its way through the lush tropical forest of Waihe’e Valley. Chris pointed out numerous side trails that supposedly lead to the extreme hike known as Kalahaku Teeth. Another hike for another day.

Swimming hole

We left Chris’s niece at this popular local watering hole on the way to the falls. I heard there are little fishes in the water that will nibble at your dead skin. Who needs those fancy nail salons?

Hamama Falls

The gravel road became more of an incline towards the end as we arrived at the falls to meet up with David and his friend, Phillip. David said these falls are always flowing, whether it’s rain or shine.

Tap water anyone?

Chris said on his last hike up here, another hiker had a faucet spigot that he attached to one of these water pipes in front of the falls. Talk about drinking directly from the source!

Down the banyan tree grove

Chris took his leave of us as he had to return back to the swimming hole to collect his niece. I joined David and Phillip for my third hike of the day, a side trip to Waihe’e Falls. We went back down the gravel road until we came upon a large banyan tree and made our way down to the stream and crossed over to the bank to pick up the ribboned trail.

Upstream

As we made our way to the falls, Phillip pointed out the numerous mamaki plants growing on the trail. Hawaiians boil it in water to make tea. We had the plants and the water, just no container and heat source.

Waihe’e Falls

The falls were raging compared to Hamama.

Trying not to get wet

Phillip and David decided to climb up the waterfall. I was tired from being up all night and stayed put at the bottom of the falls, enjoying the misty waters.

GPS Tracks

The 4.05 mile hike capped off a long fun filled day that started with enjoying the night lights and ended with two waterfalls. What more could a hiker ask for? I know, a nice steak and lobster dinner at Ruby Tuesdays!

Stuart Ball called Bowman the most difficult of the ungraded ridge hikes in the leeward Ko’olau Range. With that being said, Chris wanted to try out the Bowman shortcut, which would chop three miles off the trail length. I only agreed because knowing the route would come in handy when the time came to tackle the Bowman side of Kalihi Saddle. Jasmin also joined our hike for today.

The road to Kalihi Ice Ponds

Parking at the end of Kalihi Street deep in the valley is extremely scarce. Carpooling is highly recommended if coming with a large group. Instead of going over the bridge and straight into Kalihi Ice Ponds, which I have yet to visit, we went up the dirt road to our left.

What commercial does this remind you of?

Anybody know the answer? I’ve been scratching my head to no avail.

Burmeister Overpass

We soon crossed the Overpass that was built by the state for the Burmeister family when construction of Likelike Highway cut off access to their land deep in Kalihi Valley.

Knock Knock

George Burmeister shot and killed a trespasser back in the 1960’s. He got off with five years of probation. I don’t know if the family is still around, from the looks of these abandoned buildings. Not wanting to push our luck, we soon took the trail that winds to the right of the buildings.

Is this the shortcut?

We followed the ribbons and barbed wire fence as we made our way up the spur ridge.

Kokua Kalihi Valley

Our progress up the shortcut ridge was soon halted by a group of surveyors that claimed this land was now private property. What? Where are the signs? Not wanting to push the issue, we took their suggestion to try the adjacent spur ridge. #1 Big mistake of the day.

Trail snacks

We backtracked our way down and crossed over to the next ridge. As we started to make our way up, the smell of ripe lilikoi (passion fruit) hung in the air.

Where is the shortcut?

The ridge soon disappeared into a thick tangle of vegetation and heavily eroded sections. Bushwhacking is an understatement. I must have muttered “What frigging shortcut?” too many times to count.

Sky staring

Checking out the cloud formations at the top of the junction for the Bowman trail.

Hanging around

I was glad to see Chris and Jasmin after waiting almost two hours. It was getting pretty lonely at the top. Photo by Jasmin Nepomuceno.

Swallowed by uluhe ferns

As we continued our hike on the Bowman trail, coming up the “shortcut ridge” had taxed Chris to his limit. He called and said he was returning back down the trail. I asked Jasmin if she wanted to join him or continue the hike. She opted for the latter. #2 Big mistake of the day. An hour into the hike, rumbling thunder cracked open the sky and the proverbial cats and dogs poured on us for almost two hours. The trail became a raging waterfall. I was more worried about being struck by lightning. I could just hear Chris laughing at us.

Where’s the rainbow?

The thunderstorm eventually turned into a drizzle as we approached the climb up Pu’u Kahuauli (Bowman).

Chances of waterfalls…

The intense soaking produced tons of waterfalls all around us. There were over a dozen of them coming down from Lanihuli.

..and partly cloudy

Looking back towards town. The air always smells fresher after an intense downpour, especially if you were caught in the middle of it!

Marshy meadow

After reaching the top of Pu’u Kahuauli at an elevation of 2,740′, we turned left towards Tripler Ridge.

Is that the sun?

The sun would peak out every now and then, teasing us with scattered cloudy views.

HECO trail

Heading down the slippery and muddy trail. HECO maintains this section due to the power lines, so there are ropes to keep you from sliding off the ridge.

Makeshift weather station

Total whiteout conditions from the top of the relay station. Bummers.

Smoky mountains

Looking back, the clouds partially cleared to reveal themselves wrapping around Lanihuli and Pu’u Kahuauali. Postcard perfect.

CCL Building

We soon passed the middle junction and the top of Pu’u Keahi a Kahoe at 2,820′ high above the clouds and made our way to the CCL building which marks the top of Haiku Stairs.

Losing daylight

The sun’s rapid descent as it pierced the heavy clouds made the climb down the stairs more urgent.

Stairway to Heaven

Top of the stairs at 2,800′.

Coming down

Jasmin climbing down the stairs, all 3,922 of them.

Sunset over Moanalua Saddle

Looking to our left, the sun was setting. Where was my headlamp? Oops.

Haiku Stairs

I believe this was the last of the five landings that breaks up the continuity of the stairs.

H-3

Watching the cars pass overhead on the H-3 as I waited for Jasmin. The guard was long gone. I could’ve used the company.

GPS Tracks

The roughly five mile hike marked a very long day. Chris picked us up and we all had dinner at Zippys. Food is especially tasty after a long hike.

I had gotten wind from Hiram on our last hike that he was planning on doing Kaupo #1 in Waimanalo. Bob and I joined him on today’s hike.

Waiting our turn

We entered the Waimanalo forest through the Tom-Tom trailhead and followed the ribboned trail to Kaupo Cliffs #2.

We go up

After descending into the chute, we soon found ourselves at the beginning of Kaupo #2.

Looks pretty steep

Gaining elevation quickly, we could see why the base approach to Kaupo #1 is not climbable due to the steepness of the cliff. Somebody would have to top rope the cliff in order for others to start from the bottom.

Let’s cross here

We soon found a good spot with lots of trees to grab to cross over from #2 to #1. Sounds like scatalogical humor.

Spot the hikers

Crossing over. Photo by Bob Tyson.

Kaupo #2

Bob had tweaked his back and decided to stay on Kaupo #2 and snap a couple photos of us climbing Kaupo #1 before heading back down. Next time Bob!

Kaupo Cliffs #1

We have arrived! Not at the top, but on Kaupo 1. Photo by Bob Tyson.

Our goal

Climbing up Kaupo #1 was not as challenging as I had expected. Basic climbing up a cliff is the best way to express it.

Climbing up

Look, Bob is still taking our pictures. Wave. Photo by Bob Tyson.

One step at a time

That’s how you enjoy life and continue to enjoy it. Or something like that. Photo by Bob Tyson.

Hiram climbing up

There are really no close to the edge climbing parts that I remember. Or tricky rock faces.

Hiram checking out Waimanalo

I stand corrected.

Tom-Tom trail

Looking at our return route – the Tom-Tom trail that are marked by the powerline poles.

Last pic of the day from Bob

It’s always nice to see your photo from a different perspective. Photo by Bob Tyson.

Had to do it

Nice day to be hiking.

Top of Kaupo #1

Testing out my GoPro on a stick. My tripod was on its last legs, literally. Time to join the crowd and get those aerial shots.

Koko Crater and Koko Head

I always thought those two volcanic cones were Diamond Head and Punchbowl. Geographically challenged.

Open for business?

Hmmm, how many hikers are flaunting the newly reinforced gates that are supposed to keep them off Kamehame Ridge?

Nice day for paragliding

Popular spot for paragliders.

Back down into Waimanalo

Making our way to the Tom-Tom trail, we practiced rock climbing along the way. Still got to hit the VRG (Volcanic Rock Gym) one day.

GPS Tracks

Thanks to Hiram for letting me tag along this fun little 2.57 mile hike. Now I only got Kaupo Cliffs #7 left to do!

Marvin put together another fun hike today, this one was Pu’u Piei out in Kahana Valley. We all met at the first parking lot and please silence your cellphones for the hike, as phone reception is zero in this area. The group consisted of Marvin, Chrissy, Hiram, Julz, Matt, Nani, Ray, Rob and myself. Photo by Julz Pruett.

Kapa ‘Ele’Ele Trail

The trail is a 1.2 mile loop that passes a fishing shrine and a lookout, today it was just going to take us to the ridge. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Follow the leader

We followed the trail into an open clearing and turned left into the forest. The trail soon led us to another junction, where we took another left to gain the higher ground.

Photo break

About halfway up the ridge, was a wide washed out clearing that served as an impromptu break area. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Rain forecast – 100%

Matt and I soon separated from the group and made our way up to the top of the ridge, where we turned left to head to the summit. We soon saw a rain shower making its way around the coastline. Yes, we did get soaked.

Pu’u Piei Summit

The summit of Pu’u Piei is postage stamp sized and overgrown. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Panoramic view from the summit

 The outstanding views of Kahana Bay and Valley. Photo by Nani Dee.

Smoking mountain

 Making our way back down to the group on the now slippery and muddy trail.

Leaving the summit

Another rain shower gave us a second good soaking. No wonder Kahana is one of the wettest valleys on the island. We soon met up with the group at the top of the junction and hiked up ahead to join Hiram as we continued on the Makai part of the ridge. No other takers wanted to join us on some fun rock scrambling. Next time.

Strike the pose

Matt took off his shoes to get better purchase on the small square footage of this thumb of a rock. I had climbed up earlier but didn’t trust my wet soled shoes to stand on the rock without slipping and falling over.

Which way?

Hiram checking out webbing left by previous hikers. We elected to simply hike up and over. Straight to the point.

Nice views!

Typical rocky ridgeline. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Rock climbing

We noticed paragliders circling over our heads as we had our fun and they had their fun. 

Fun, fun, fun!

We got another sprinkle which made the rocks somewhat slick, so we took our time.

Bugs eye view

Going down the first notch. You can either free climb and go down the front or contour to the left and use these handy ropes. Due to the rainy weather, we decided that ropes were our friends.

Birds eye view

Try not to put all your weight on the ropes, as these particular ones went over a small rock wedged between bigger rocks. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

First notch

I heard a fellow hiker fell off the first notch while free climbing and plunged about 100′. While these rocks seemed more solid than on other trails, you just never know.

Second notch

We came down the second notch by contouring to the left and then working our way down towards the middle of the notch.

Downclimbing

We got our last sprinkle of the day as made our way down the last set of rocks. Once again, ropes were our friends due to the slick rocks. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Punaluu Valley

The Army in WW2 had Jungle Training Camps in Kahana and Punalu’u Valleys.

Checking out the views

The fun rock climbing is over! Time to relax and check out the scenic views of Kahana Bay and Valley.

Back to hiking

This part of the ridge was heavily overgrown with vegetation.

Leaving the rocky ridge behind

I can see why the valley and surrounding areas are so green and lush with vegetation what with all the constant watering that Mother Nature provides.

Last group photo

Our last group photo together. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Trail snacks

Snacking on the abundant, ripe and chilled guavas on the trail. Spit out the seeds.

The ridge going down

The trail ends at the last spur ridge going back down into the valley.

Paragliders

Watching the paragliders circle lazily above the ridges, made me want to try that one day. It looks like fun!

Back on the road again

Hiram popping out of the bushes as we followed Kamehameha Highway back to our cars. Lunch at Uncle Bobo’s!

GPS Tracks

The fun filled scramble was a short 3.75 mile hike, but well worth the climb!

Rain had cancelled our plans to hike from Kalawahine trail to K1 to Lulumahu Falls, so it was off to Kaena Point with Chenay, J, Kinky, Nate L and Nate Y.

Fishing spot

We parked past Yokohama Beach and joined the rest of the hikers on the trail to Kaena Point. This trail sees a lot of use from fishermen and hikers, especially on the weekends.

Bouldering spot

Approaching a popular bouldering spot. One who spends time at VRG ( Volcanic Rock Gym ) can put all their practice to use here.

Another view

Looking back at the spot offers another perspective.

Rugged coastline

The Waianae side never fails to impress me with her rugged beauty.

Crossing to the other side

The last time that I had hiked to Kaena Point from Mokuleia, this pest control fence was still being built. Mission accomplished.

Resting in the shade

Spotted this albatross chick on the way in.

Rock climbing

J showing us how it’s done. Getting ready for Kalihi Saddle!

Looking for a new home

 This blue-eyed hermit crab was looking for a new home. The current tenant didn’t want to move.

Ladybug

There was a thin film or sheen covering this ladybug. Don’t know if it was molting or hatching, is that the correct word? Sorry not a bug person.

Knock Knock

Check out this interesting looking mustachioed spider. What’s for lunch?

Going up

We were also hoping to see some monk seals, but no such luck. So we left the fenced area and made our way up to the mountain.

Looking back

Looking towards Kaena Point, the westernmost tip of Oahu.

Bunker #1

Group photo left to right: myself, Nate L, Nate Y, Kinky, J and Chenay (sitting) at the first bunker.

Some more climbing

Nate L, Chenay and Kinky making their way up the mountain. It was hot. Waianae hot.

Bunker #2

Another group photo at the second bunker.

Going inside

Nate Y showing us the way into the bunker. The island is littered with military bunkers from WW2 that occupies the high grounds, some are safe to explore and others are not. Use caution when exploring these military relics, as they are over 70 years old.

Going up?

Chenay halfway up the ladder. The ladder is twisted at the top, making the full climb to the top and out sketchy. It was a sweltering sauna in the bunker, so we all exited through the bunker doors.

Still more climbing

We came across some other hikers on the mountain that were totally unprepared. No water on this scorcher of a day. J was nice enough to give them an extra bottle of water.

Looking down

Eventually the heat got to some in our group, so we made our way back down.

Cave exploration

Nate L entering one of the caves that is located outside of the fenced area. You have to climb down from the trail to get to this cave.

Inside the cave

It was a lot cooler inside this cave than the bunker.

Going back out

Nate L leaving the cave.

The tracks back home

Walking in the remnants of the railroad ties as we made our way back. Oahu Railway & Land used to operate railroad tracks from 1889 until 1946 when the Aleutian Tsunami and increased road infrastructure signaled the end of the locomotive in Hawaii. These tracks once ran around Kaena Point to Haleiwa. What a ride that must have been.

GPS Tracks

The 6.12 mile exploration hike took us a little over five hours.

I joined the OHA ( Oahu Hikers & Adventurers ) group to drive and hike up Poamoho Trail today. You will need a permit (free – click on this link) and 4 wheel drive to make it up the trail. We met at the parking lot right before the entrance to Helemano Military Reservation at 8:00AM or something close to that. I picked out a familiar rainbow colored hair in the form of Laredo who arrived fashionably late. Everybody else was a first time greeting.

The long road up

Udom, who was the hike leader, gave a short briefing on what to expect in terms of hike conditions and duration and then took our group photo. The group then split into three 4×4 vehicles and made our way to the first of three gates along the six mile jeep road. Udom who had the combinations that came with the permit was nice enough to hop out and open and close each gate. Along the way, we saw numerous cattle grazing and the views of the valley opened up as we gained elevation.

Trailhead

Group photo at the trailhead. Left to right: myself, Laredo, John, Rebecca, John, Amelia, Jim, Rene, Cindy, Vivian, Fanny, Elmer, Terrence, Cody and Udom (sitting).

Easy trail

We pushed off and started making our way along the relatively wide open trail carved out of the side of the mountain. I understand this trail receives periodic maintenance from DLNR. Thanks guys!

Hole in the clouds

 Checking out the nice cloud formations in the sky.

Poamoho stream

Looking down into the valley, we spotted Poamoho stream.

Mango break

Udom was nice enough to share her ono mangos with us as we took a short break and another group photo. Top row left to right: Cindy, John, Rene, John and Cody. Middle row left to right: Fanny, Vivian, Rebecca, Amelia, Elmer and Terrence. Bottom row left to right: Udom, Jim and myself. What happened to Laredo? He had broken off from the group and speed hiked his way to the summit. That guy is in super shape.

It gets harder?

After this point, the trail became narrower, steeper and muddy. Real hiking!

Stream junction

We soon crossed the stream junction, turned left and resumed our way to the summit.

Waianae Mountain Range

Crossing the meadow and looking back towards the flat topped mountain of Ka’ala.

Cline memorial

This rock memorial was built in 1978 to honor Geraldine Cline, an avid hiker. It marks the junction where the Poamoho summit meets the KST.

Panoramic view of Punalu’u Valley and Kahana Valley

Click here for the larger image. The windswept vista views at Poamoho summit are hard to beat. You have to see them in person to truly appreciate the views!

Check out the view!

Pu’u Manamana, True Manamana, Kualoa Mountains and Pu’u Ohulehule behind me. The views were just fantastic. One could sit here for hours soaking them up.

Poamoho cabin

After the rest of the group caught up to us at the summit, we turned right along the muddy trail to Poamoho cabin. We signed the guestbook, some used the outhouse and we all climbed up the small hill to have our lunch.

Celebrity hikers!

Soon we saw some other hikers returning from their snail hunting expedition. They turned out to be left to right: Tom, J, Nate and Agnes. Back in 2012, Agnes fell 300′ off the Pali Notches trail and lived to hike another trail! Rene from our group had to have her picture taken with them. Their fame in the hiking community had preceded them! Photo by Udom.

You got 12 seconds!

We took a last group photo from the top of the hill looking down towards the cabin. The camera was set on 12 second timer and Jim volunteered to press the shutter and run down the slippery and muddy slope to ham it up for the picture. Sporadic rain signaled it was time to start heading back.

Marsh

As we made our way back towards the summit junction, we saw some interesting scenic spots such as this marsh…

Kahuku windmills

…and the windmill farm over at Kahuku. Arriving back at the summit junction, the cloud deck had lowered and blotted out the tasty views we had enjoyed earlier.

Bench with a view

Where was Laredo again? It turned out that he had some kind of baby shower to attend, so he ran down the six mile jeep road. What a hiking beast! The rest of our group made our way back down the trail, to the cars and rode down the six mile jeep road.

GPS Tracks

The entire trail was 19.57 miles, but subtract the 12 miles of the jeep road, and we actually only hiked 7.57 miles round trip. But if you have the chance, hike this trail to some of the most amazing views on this island! You will not be disappointed.

Needing to stretch out my sprained ankle from my last hike, I went with Chris, Andy, Ryan, Will, Kelly, Catherine and Bob to hike up Kaupo Cliffs #2 on Kamehameha Day. Nice to be off on a weekday! We staged some cars at the top of Kaluanui Road and met at the Tom-Tom trailhead.

Taller than the grass

Wading through chest high grass was not a problem for one of our hikers. Andy towered over the grass and some of the trees at 6’10”.

Heading up the hills

We soon left the grassy trail behind us as we started to make our way towards the easiest of the Kaupo Cliffs – #2.

Heading into the chute

This massive chute never ceases to amaze me due to its sheer size and depth. Photo by Chris Hiona.

Contouring

We descended into the chute and passed the trailhead for #3 to contour around the cliff base.

Root climbing

Climbing up the tree roots at the trailhead for #2, almost identical in appearance and roots to #3.

Enjoying the view

Taking a short break to enjoy the fruits of our hike – spectacular views of Waimanalo and beyond.

Kaupo 3

Looking to our right at Kaupo #3.

Rock climbing

Finally! Some rock faces to break up the monotony of the terrain. Photo by Will Lee.

Scenic point

 Group photo back to front: Will, Kelly, Ryan, Bob, Catherine, Chris, Andy and myself.

How’d I get up here?

That’s it for the rock scrambling? Photo by Will Lee.

Traffic jam

The rest of the crew making their way up.

Kaupo 1

Looking at Kaupo #1. There has been some debate if this cliff is even doable. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Will, you up for it?

Scrambling to the top

Earlier we had debated if we would take the ridge straight to the top, but decided that the difficulty was not worth it. We would make it to the traditional crossover from #2 to #3.

The crossover

Group photo back to front: Will, Ryan, Andy, Chris, Catherine, Kelly, Bob and myself.

Koolau Summit Ridge Trail

 It was a perfect day when we hit the top of the Koolau Summit Ridge Trail.

RIP Panasonic

It was also a little breezy. This is the last photo taken before the trade winds toppled my camera and tripod face down into some rocks. Ryan soon parted company with us and went down Kamehame Road.

Caveman Proving Grounds

Will and Chris check out Catherine down climbing some rocks while Kelly spots her. Bob was making bets that the tree wouldn’t survive a certain hiker coming down. The tree is still there!

doRito Tower

Looking down into the valley where doRito Tower sits from the top of the Tom-Tom trail. This gnarly rock formation was first free climbed by a hiker named doRito. Photo by Bob Tyson.

Tom-Tom trail

Chris going down the Tom-Tom trail. As the rest of us continued our way to Mariner’s Ridge, we came across four hikers who were almost finished with their three day hike from Manoa Falls to Makapuu. They had camped out at Mount Olympus and Kuliouou. Unfortunately, they were almost out of water. Fortunately, Kelly and Catherine had extra fluids to spare to the group.

Mariner’s Ridge Summit

Looking back from where we had come from. As usual, the summit was teeming with two-legged and four-legged hikers, some even wearing slippers. True hardcore hikers!

Heading back down

Nice views of Koko Crater and Koko Head going back down the trail. There has been some controversy swirling around this trail as Kamehameha Schools which owns the trail and not the summit, has reportedly placed it off limits. But you couldn’t tell that by the heavy traffic on the trail. I hope this doesn’t turn into another Haiku Stairs situation.

GPS Tracks

This short and fun hike was a little over 3.6 miles. After that, we fed our faces at Teddy’s Bigger Burgers.

Apparently I had not got my fill of hiking up steep Windward ridges, that is why I found myself with Chris going up Mariner’s Windward on Easter. Photo by Chris Hiona.

Finding the breadcrumbs in Waimanalo

We started off at the Tom-Tom trailhead and made our way through the Waimanalo forest as we crossed dry riverbeds and pushed our way through these green things called trees. By following the scattered pink ribbons and the GPS tracks that J let me have, we eventually made our way to the ridge.

I feel the need for micro-spikes

As the grade got steeper and the dirt become more abundant than those green things, Chris decided to slap on his micro-spikes for better traction. Once again, I found myself the lone man out.

Let’s go find some rocks

As we rapidly gained elevation on the ridge, those green things returned with a vengeance. I was so happy to break off from all that undergrowth when the opportunity presented itself and scrambled straight to the rocky ridgeline. Photo by Chris Hiona.

Nice day on the Koolau’s

Picture perfect conditions on the Koolau’s. Nothing is more rewarding than being able to see both sides of the Koolau’s as far as the eye can see. Photo by Chris Hiona.

The fun begins

After a bunch of picture taking, we resumed our hike up the rocky ridge. It did get steep in certain sections but there were ample footholds and handholds. Those pesky trees also provided convenient handholds as well. Photo by Chris Hiona.

Nice view of Waimanalo

Chris taking a break to soak in the views of Waimanalo.

The fun continues

We soon resumed our scrambling up the ridge. Photo by Chris Hiona.

Crumbly rocks

Crumbly rocks or choss seem to make up most of the rocks found on the mountain ranges in the islands. I was just about to warn Chris that this section was super crumbly, when all the rocks underneath me gave way and sent me sliding 30 feet down the mountain. Luckily those pesky trees arrested my fall.

Better view of Waimanalo

Chris taking in the higher elevation views of Waimanalo. These views never get old for me.

This is where the real fun begins

As we sized up our next major rockface that we had to climb, we spotted the only rope we saw during our entire hike up the ridge. That must mean something, right?

Panoramic view of Waimanalo

Click here for the larger image.

Made it!

Sometimes the direct way up doesn’t click for me. Figuring that was too hard, I decided to scoot my way around the crumbly and narrow ledge to contour my way around the rockface and climb up. Chris decided that was not the path he was going to follow and after some effort, finally made it the direct way up. He made the right choice.

Is this rope safe?

After Chris climbed up the ledge, I swung the rope over to him to give him some assistance climbing up. I don’t know how long that rope has been there, but the outer layer was frayed and coming off in copious pieces. Most of which flew into my nose and mouth, not very appetizing.

Last hump to the top

We crashed our way through some more thick undergrowth, which led Chris to lose his camera boom. After that, it was a quick scramble to the top.

Mariner’s Windward Ridge

Top of Mariner’s Windward Ridge. Photo by Chris Hiona.

Mariner’s Ridge Summit

Top of Mariner’s Ridge with great views of the Koolau’s and Olomana in the background.

Hawaii Kai in the background

The original plan was to continue the hike to Makapu’u, but Chris started cramping up as we made our way up the ridge, so we decided to end it by going down the Mariner’s Ridge Trail.

GPS Tracks Mariner’s Windward to Mariner’s Ridge

The entire hike was a little over 4 miles and Chris decided not to go back down and get his camera boom. I don’t blame him.