I decided to connect the dots with a trail that I haven’t done yet. Met up with Analyn and Janell on the North Shore for another HTMC hike. Making use of my hiking membership, since I’m letting my gym membership go to waste.

Trailhead

Met up with the HTMC group, where we saw familiar faces in Art, Christine and Dale at Sunset Beach Elementary School parking lot where we then carpooled to the end of Pupukea Road to begin our hike.

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Leaving the trail and hitting the road.

Kaunala Trail

Leaving the road and hitting the trail.

Kaunala Trail

Following in the footsteps of the HTMC trail clearers from the week before.

Kaunala Trail

Our forward momentum was momentarily stalled as some confusion existed as to where to turn off from the main trail. Where are the people that know the path? Oh, all the way in the back of the group.

Trail

Making our way through a patch of mixed forest.

Trail

Passing through the cleared trail topped by power lines.

Trail

Looking out towards the military installations that populate central Oahu.

Trail

Yielding to bikers on the path.

Beer goggles

Yeah, everybody is starting to look pretty good in this heat and humidity.

Lilikoi Junction

Arriving at the picnic bench area and the seeming nexus of the well maintained bike trail system that exists back here.

Lilikoi Junction

Signs pointing everywhere and nowhere.

Just need the Queen

Isn’t this stating the obvious, or am I just that oblivious? Photo by Janell Tuttle.

Trail

The rest of the club continued down the trail to the bunkers, while Dale took us on the higher road to see a giant swing.

Spare

One of many spares hanging on the trees.

Ellbo junction

Analyn using some grease to move the trees as we headed the wrong way.

Trail

Headed back to the right way.

Bowling

Props to the biking community that keeps these trails maintained and their creative expressions.

Swingers

Some of us had fun on a giant unstable swing.

Roost

Others had their fun climbing or soaring higher than a metallic bird.

Bowling

We soon had our fill of climbing and swinging and made our way back to catch up with the group.

Opener

Now all that was missing were the wine bottles. Red or white?

Trail

Switch backing our way up as we trudged through the thick carpet of pine needles.

Trail maintenance

Raking the pine needles from one side of the trail to the other side. Just trying to make a difference. Irrelevant difference, but a difference nonetheless.

Splish Splash

There’s nothing like soaking in a hot tub after a long hike. And this is nothing like that. Photo by Christine Galiza.

Sunset Beach

We soon met up with other dog walkers, hikers and bikers on the trail as we neared the sandy beaches of Paumalu.

Chief’s arrival

Passing another creative sign marker and other bikers sharing the trail.

Running out

Left, right, straight or back. So many choices. Not enough time.

Trail

Pushing up the final hill where we soon arrived …

Top Bunker

… at the three storied WW2 bunker with commanding views of the North Shore coastline.

Personal Bunker

Finding my own personal space to enjoy my carbonated bliss. Photo by Dale Yoshizu

Bottom Bunker

Drone view from the lower bunker. Hey, where did everybody else go? And why didn’t I point the drone towards the ocean view?

Chill

It seems the picnic bench undergoes many paint changes. Just like the seasons.

All pau

Our mountain meandering covered a little over 6.2 miles with a fun group, thanks to Quintin for leading the hike. Post hike meal at Ted’s bakery. The wait was insufferably long and I almost forgot to grab my slice of chocolate haupia pie. GYOD. Where’s the petting pig?

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.

It was time to repay a visit to the Ko’olau Range. Gen, Jose and myself spent the Labor Day weekend cabin hiking in the mountains. Mahalo to Chris Hiona for dropping us off in Pupukea.

Pupukea

We shouldered our hefty backpacks, some were stuffed with the kitchen sink and the liquor store, as we started on the dirt road that passed the Boy Scout Camp and headed deep into the forest.

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

The dirt road transitioned to a paved military road where we soon passed the Kaunala trailhead on our left that winds through the Pupukea Paumala Forest Reserve. Another hike for another day.

Off the beaten road

We left the road past mile marker 19 to begin our hike on the Pupukea trail. The road actually continues its way through the lower Ko’olau Range and ends at Helemano Military Reservation.

Black Junction

The “official” start of the KST trail. We decided to take a short jaunt to the lookout.

Summit Lookout

Group photo left to right: Gen, myself and Jose.

WST

Looking out towards the Waianae Range and the Kawailoa Wind Farm.

Hina

All feet on the Pupukea Summit. This is also supposed to be the junction for the old Kahuku trail.

Ocean View

Looking out towards Laie Point.

Slipper Junction

Jose plunging into one of the heavily overgrown sections on the trail.

Soggy

Ziploc bags and plastic containers are not foolproof nor waterproof over time.

Trail

Jose walking through knee high uluhe ferns and vegetation.

Laie bound

Just a couple more hours to the summit. Almost there. Flashbacks to another hike.

Trail

The trail opened up, giving us a brief respite from all the overgrowth.

Loulou Palms

Wading through waist high uluhe ferns and shrubs. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Country

Somewhere along this section, we missed the junction for the Maleakahana Trail. Another hike for another day.

Summit

The Laie summit.

Foxhole

Group photo at the 2,240′ summit.

Trail

The trail from the summit was initially defined and well trodden.

Meadow

We passed the summit of Kawailoa on our right as we crossed the bowl shaped depression. There’s also a nearby water source that Patrick Rorie showed us on our last hike in this area.

Mountain Yoga

Our first sign of the fence on the KST. It would keep us intermittent company through the following days.

Muddy shoes

Time to take a break. A break from the mud.

Follow the fence

We resumed hiking on the mostly Windward side of the fenced trail.

Cabin in the clouds

A sight for sore eyes.

Koloa Cabin

The best cabin on the KST.

Cabin life

Stuff I learned on my first cabin hike. Bring extra clothes, so you don’t have to be wet, dirty and miserable the whole day and night. Wet clothes and shoes will not dry on top of the KST. Bring a toothbrush, as dental hygiene is important when roughing it. Mountain House tastes a lot better than MREs, especially if you have a heat source. Hot chocolate is imbibed better laced with vodka. Smoking tobacco tastes better when you roll it yourself. Things that go bump in the night could be a rat or a ghost. But if you sleep soundly and snore loudly enough, things like that don’t bother you.

Sunrise

Click here for the larger image.

Morning musings

Rambling reflections of our hike so far that we left in the cabin log book, that was donated by Allison Baird.

Good morning

Group photo at the cabin.

Leaving the cabin

It was so hard to leave this cozy cabin in the mountains. Click here for the larger image.

KST

The Windward side of the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

Leeward side

The trail also meandered on the Leeward side that was marked by heavy cover and vegetation.

Trail

The trail weaved across open meadows and back to the Windward side.

Looking back

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

Kicking It

Stretching it on the KST. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Ko’olau Faces

I always fail to get the memo. Photo by Genesaret Balladares.

Waianae Mountain Range

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

Trail

The trail contoured the ridgeline for the most part.

Scenic view

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

Ko’olau Range Lobelia

No plants were harmed or molested in the making of this photograph.

Castle Junction

Group photo.

Mountain activities

Time to stretch and relax.

Trail

Open country. Photo by Genesaret Balladares

Dragonfly

Hello. Which one of 5,000 species are you?

Hello fence

Just when we thought we lost the fence.

Army Cabin

A junction and cabin for another day. Time and weather was not on our side.

Ridges

Looking out at all the ridges and valleys.

Got Mud?

The Papali section is feet down, the muddiest section of the KST.

Mud break

We needed a Kit Kat break, not a mud break.

Ko’olau Award

Gen being badged the Wawae’iole club moss. The order of mud splatter was automatically awarded.

Deep Mud

Jose going through a typical muddy section of the trail.

Spartan Mud Race

Get ready. Set. Go! Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Trail

The fence made some sections of the trail a little tight for space.

Ko’olau Massacre

Hiking in mud all day can do strange things to a person.

Cloudy view

We saw a stream meandering its way down to the valley below us.

Revenge of the Ko’olau Massacre

Hiking in the mountains all day can do strange things to a person.

Trail

Approaching a scenic point overlooking Kahana Valley.

Kahana Valley

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

Trail

Clinging onto the fence as the trail traversed a narrow section of the ridgeline.

Hanging on

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

Meadow

Why did the hikers cross the fence? To get to the other fence.

Da Boot

The iconic landmark on the KST. Some believe this is the junction for the Pe’ahinai’a Trail, another trail that has fallen out of use.

Trail

We followed the contour trail on the Leeward side.

Fence

The fence picked the trail back to the Windward side.

Almost there

We left the fence line to continue following the ridge down to Poamoho.

Contouring

Hiking on the Windward side of the trail.

Gated hike

The gate was a sign that we were close to the Poamoho summit.

All wet

Soaked to the bone with mud and water.

Poamoho Summit

One of the best views on the island. When it’s not socked in. Like today.

Trail

There was no view at the summit to be had, so we pushed onto the cabin. The fence had extended its reach since my last visit.

Cabin and marsh

Let’s get out of this rain, but let’s take a group photo first.

Poamoho Cabin

Our cabin for the night.

Cabin entertainment

Poamoho cabin is the oldest extant cabin on the KST and is beginning to show its age. Especially after staying in the newer and roomier Koloa Cabin, but at least it wasn’t locked. We had a roof over our heads and all the rain water we wanted at our disposal.

Sunrise

Good morning! Time to put our wet clothes and shoes back on.

Morning smokes

Even robots just want to have fun.

Back on the trail

Our final day hiking on the KST, as we pushed towards our destination which was Waiahole Uka.

Donkey trail

These trails were blasted and carved out of the mountains by the CCC gangs back in the 1930s.

Hiking sign

Another new sight on the KST. What’s next? Lunch wagons?

Peek-a-boo

Can you see us? Photo by Jose Luis Delaki

Pauao Ridge Junction

The long hike down to Kahana Valley. Another hike for another day.

Trail

Hiking the Windward side of the trail.

Trail

Watching out for the numerous false steps on the trail. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Trail

The mountainside was dotted with assorted shapes and sizes of native loulou palm trees.

Trail

The trail had numerous short up and downs. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

A trail with a view

Every now and then, the clouds would part to tease us with a view.

Schofield-Waikane Junction

The long ridge down to Wahiawa. Another hike for another day.

Waikane Junction

We came to the Waikane junction where we took the higher trail to continue our hike.

KST

The trail contoured on the Windward side below the ridgeline.

Meadow

Cloudy and socked in conditions makes it easy for hikers to get confused and lost navigating the trails.

Tricky Junction

This section was counter-intuitive as one does not continue straight but heads up and turns left to maintain track on the KST.

Trail

Contour for days.

Lehua Papa

Perched above us was the largest known tree of the myrtle family on the Ko’olaus according to Dave Fahrenwald.

Fence

Fenced ridgeline.

Ko’olau Potraits

The mountain meadow photo booth. Where do all those memos go?

Jungle

Uluhe was growing rampant in some sections. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Notch

Gen going through the notch.

Uphill

Pushing up the last hill to the summit of Waiahole Uka.

Looking down

One of the few groves of Japanese Sugi Pine Trees to be found on the island. Other than at your friendly neighborhood nursery.

Waiahole Uka Summit

Socked in and raining. Typical Windward ridge.

Going down

Making our way down the cloud covered ridge.

Grasshopper

Can you hear me now?

Going down

One at a time.

Mossy

Abundant moss covered most of the trees at the higher elevation.

Uluhe

Waiahole is known for its dense and interlocking uluhe ferns. Loads of fun. Not really.

Ocean view

Taking a respite from the uluhe, enjoying limited views of Mokolii.

Never ending

Coming to the last major hump before the final descent off the ridge.

Water

Once we dragged ourselves off the uluhe infested mountain, we turned right onto the Kuolani-Waianu trail and crossed over several large landslides with huge trees blocking the trail.

All pau

Big mahalos to Chris Bautista for picking us up in the dark and pouring rain. No sign of Scuba, the self proclaimed guardian of the valley.

GPS Tracks

The laborious three day hike covered 27.92 miles through the Northern Ko’olaus with stunning scenery, convoluted terrain and not another soul in sight. Good times with great friends. Post hike meal at Haleiwa Joe’s. Gen ran into the restaurant to secure our table before the last seating. I got the most eye popping, belt busting piece of prime rib that my stomach has seen. All that was missing were the horns and the tail.