Back to back birthday hikes. We went to explore the aftermath of the heavy rains that had lashed the islands from the recent seasonal cyclone.

Nu’uanu Pali

Thanks to Chico for squeezing nine of us plus man’s best friend in his truck.

Nu’uanu Pali

Groot leading the pack on the road littered with storm debris and passing cars.

Judd Trail

We soon stepped foot on the trail named after the medical missionary who arrived in Hawaii in 1828.

Judd Trail

Somebody didn’t want to get wet. This is not what I signed up for.

Judd Trail

Gangis, King of the Waterfalls.

Judd Trail

Dale and Doug checking out the banyan tree that was featured in the movie, A Midsummer’s Hawaiian Dream, that had a couple local actors in the movie and was shot entirely in Hawaii.

Judd Trail

Threading my drone through the branches of the tree that has its origins in India and first came to Hawaii in 1873.

Judd Trail

Crossing the swollen Nu’uanu Stream to get to the other side of the trail.

Judd Trail

Walking through a corridor of bamboo that was brought to the islands by early Polynesian settlers.

Judd Trail

Swinger.

Judd Trail

Spectators.

Judd Trail

Swinger.

Judd Trail

Spectator.

Judd Trail

Climbers. Where’s Ferlino when you need him?

Judd Trail

Groot surveying the land or just looking for his daddy.

Luakaha Falls

We have arrived. She’s a gusher!

Luakaha Falls

The group fording the surging and swollen stream.

Luakaha Falls

Group photo with the 50′ waterfall at the place of relaxation or resting place.

Luakaha Falls

Wading into the washing machine. Nobody else wanted their clothes laundered.

Judd Trail

Only the slender may pass. Others go around.

Kaniakapupu

Looking at the “Old Ruins” is how a 1874 map described the former summer retreat of King Kamehameha III and Queen Kalama, built in 1845 and was host to the Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day in 1847 that was attended by a reported 10,000 people.

Kaniakapupu

The original stone house was a simple large room and two sleeping rooms surrounded by a fenced veranda. Reportedly built on the site of Kawaluna Heiau, the property was known as Luakaha and is now known by its current name. The retreat was mysteriously abandoned to the jungle in the 1870s and rediscovered in the 1950s. The ruins has been defaced and vandalized in the past by irresponsible persons and should be seen and not touched.

All pau

Leaving the lush forest that is for the most part alien and invasive to the area; as the original lands were home to taro ponds, koa trees and ferns which are not in evidence today.

Kenko-ya

Happy Birthday Gangis! The restaurant even piped in birthday music as well to celebrate the birthday of Dale, thanks to everybody that came out for his birthday hike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFuHRNDu2lE

Video by Edgar Gamiao of our birthday hike.

Photos/Crew taken by Aida Gordon, Akira Suzuki, Chico Cantu and Groot, Dale “Gangis” Yoshizu, Doug Ross, Edgar Gamiao, Kenny Lui, Tessa Bugay, 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.

Ever since I met Ted and his crew coming up from Piliwale ridge to Lulumahu Falls when we were coming down that same ridge, I have always wanted to follow in his footsteps so to speak. But having no knowledge of the route down to the falls, that hike was shelved for awhile. Today Ted was nice enough to lead ten of us up the ridge and to the falls.

Ted briefing us on the hike

We all met at the Pali Hunter’s check-in, left a couple cars there and carpooled to Maunawili where we parked on Lopaka Place. Going this way is a more direct route than starting from the Pali Lookout.

Sunrise breaking over Olomana

Walking up the slightly graded trail and catching the sun break over Olomana and Maunawili was a nice way to start the morning.

Piliwale Ridge trailhead

Half an hour later, we found ourselves at the start of the trailhead going up Piliwale Ridge. Now the real cardio workout began, well at least for me it did.

Waiting our turn to go up past the notch

When we got to the notch in the ridge, Ted decided to break us into two groups of five each. This was for safety reasons as this is the part where the ridge got steeper, crumbly and prone to loose rocks being dislodged by people climbing on them. Luckily, this section is heavily roped which comes in mighty handy when you’re searching for some kind of handhold to pull yourself up.

Watching and waiting

Glenn, Jay, Matt, LyZel and myself waiting on the notch. Photo by Jim McKown.

Admiring the intermittent view

Having been down this ridge before, I can say it was much easier going up. I’d rather climb up a steep ridge, than come down it and fight gravity.

Looking back towards Maunawili

This was one of our last clear views we got before the clouds swallowed us up, as we climbed higher towards the summit of Konahuanui or K1.

I’ve got you!

Jason illustrated how the vegetation can sometimes mask the narrowness of the ridge, as he slipped and was hanging on the edge when LyZel came from behind and pulled him up to safety. Another good reason not to hike solo and not to be spaced too far apart, in case assistance is needed. Photo by Jim McKown.

Socked in at the top of K1

The highest point on the Koolau mountains was totally socked in, affording us zero views. Top row left to right: myself, Ted, Matt, Glenn, Jim, Will and Jason. Bottom row left to right: LyZel, Tom and Jay.

Slippery slope down

Going down from K1 was literally by the seat of my pants, due to to the steepness, wetness and mud lubricated trail.

Breaking views

As the steepness gradually leveled to a walkable grade, we started making our way down below the clouds.

Panoramic town view

Click here for the larger image.

Nuuanu Reservoir

Eventually we went down the side of the ridge towards the reservoir. As we got lower, it became a jumbled maze of pig and eroded trails. It seemed that somebody had removed the prior ribbons that clearly marked the trail. Without the ribbons and an experienced guide, one could find themselves bushwhacking for quite a spell. Jay put up a bunch of pink ribbons to mark the key junctions on the trail, hopefully nobody will remove them for future hikers.

Lulumahu Falls

Once we got down to the bottom, we followed the rock strewn stream up to Lulumahu Falls. These falls are fed from the top of K1 and cascade all the way down into Nuuanu Valley.

K1 still capped in clouds

After taking a short break at the falls, we followed the stream out into a clearing that surrounds the Nuuanu reservoir. There is a cleared trail through the bamboo forest that leads back to the hunter check-in station on the Pali.  

GPS Tracks

The 4.5 mile hike took us about 6.5 hours to complete. But the day was not yet done! I had always wanted to check out the summer palace ruins of King Kamehameha III.

Tree tunnel

We drove to Nuuanu Pali Road and parked on the side along with a bunch of other cars that were already there. Walking down the road, we found the trail that lead us into a bamboo forest.

Summer Palace Ruins

A short 5 minutes later, we were standing among the ruins of Kaniakapupu, which was King Kamehameha III’s Summer Palace.

Kaniakapupu

According to the informational plaque, it was built in 1845 and was host to a number of celebrations involving locals and foreign guests.

King Kamehameha III’s Summer Palace

Walking around the ruins, one can feel the “history” of the place.

Singing of the Land Shell

Kaniakapupu means “Singing of the Land Shell” and was a place of rest and refuge for King Kamehameha III. Apparently it soon fell into neglect, as an 1874 map pegged the summer palace as an “old ruin.” We didn’t have time as we were hungry for lunch, but Luakaha Falls is a short hike away from the ruins. Another hike for another day.