Shaking off the jet lag, I decided to do an easy stroll around the fringed vulva and look for another hole. Met up with Kenny, Marilyn, and Scott at the botanical garden to kick off our hike.

Koko Crater Rim

We all scrambled up our own path to reach the top.

Koko Crater Rim

Kenny and Marilyn continuing the theme of the day.

Koko Crater Rim

The group crossing over one of many puka (hole) found on the rim.

Koko Crater Rim

Kenny passing the point of no return. Small steps.

Koko Crater Rim

The views are better up here!

Koko Crater Rim

Simulation of cracking the whip to help Kenny overcome his acrophobia.

Koko Crater Rim

Watching the rest of the group contour their way back to the rim.

Koko Crater Rim

Somebody was missing from the table rock selfies. Next time.

Koko Crater Rim

Climbing our way to the summit.

Pu’u Mai

Group photo at the 1,028′ top of the rim or trail.

Koko Crater Rim

We descended from the summit and met up with Edgar and his two grandkids and we then collectively made our way down to the arch.

Koko Crater Arch

Edgar training them young.

Koko Crater Arch

Marilyn rolled off this section and banged into the cliff. Luckily just a bruised ego. Maybe Edgar should train her as well.

Koko Crater Arch

Scrambling our way down the somewhat steep arch.

Koko Crater Arch

Group photo. Don’t step too close to the edge. We do have a fireman with us. Retired.

Koko Crater

We scrambled down the arch as three other hikers came up the arch. Turned out later that I was chatting with one of the guys online about possibly hiking together at a later date. Small world.

Koko Crater

The terrain was uneven, loose rocks underfoot and annoying and irritating dry bushes blockading the way. Edgar and grandkids and Marilyn decided to turn around and call it a day. We traversed up and down multiple ridges before descending down to the cave.

Koko Crater

Yay. Somebody told me about this cave almost ten years ago and thanks to Kenny spotting it earlier, I found myself standing in this natural void in the volcanic tuff. The elusive inhabitant was not at home. Perhaps it’s no longer occupied anymore.

Koko Crater

Deja vu. Nobody else wanted to come and share the moment with me as it started raining. Upon rejoining the other two, I discovered my car key was missing. Back to the cave and nowhere to be found. Scrambled back up the ridge and Kenny found it amongst the bushes as we made our way back. A needle in the haystack. Mahalo! Scotty suggested I should air tag my keys like he does. Filed under procrastination. One day.

All pau

We climbed our way down from the arch to the highway and walked back to Scotty’s car to get a ride back to our cars. Thanks to everybody for a fun day.

Photos taken by Edgar Gamiao, Kenny Lui, Marilyn Bermudez, Scott Dea, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Addendum – October 29, 2025

Met up with Chico and Kenny to check on progression and occupancy as we returned to the volcanic crater whose age has ranged from 7,000 to 67,000 years old.

Koko Crater Rim

One has to crawl before they can walk.

Koko Crater Rim

Climbing instead of contouring. Leaps and bounds.

Koko Crater Rim

Relaxing in the puka (hole).

Koko Crater Rim

Chico bridging the gap.

Koko Crater Rim

Kenny trying to shake off the acrophobia one step at a time.

Koko Crater Rim

Perched on the pedestal.

Koko Crater Rim

Climbing to the summit of Pu’u Mai.

Koko Crater Rim

Same spot, different faces.

Koko Crater Rim

Going down the makai (ocean) side of the rim.

Koko Crater Arch

Chico fighting his flashbacks.

Koko Crater Arch

The gap between empty space and solid ground has ended. Safe and sound.

Koko Crater

Contouring and scrambling our way around the crater.

Koko Crater

Making our way across the uneven and crumbling terrain.

Koko Crater

The guys pantomiming what we hoped to find in the cave.

Koko Crater

Hello? Anybody home? Seeking a nocturnal and solitary bird of prey.

Koko Crater

The floor of the cave was carpeted with the bleached bones of past dinners.

Koko Crater

Somebody had put a blanket deep in the recesses of the cave. For themselves or the bird?

Koko Crater

Individual photos.

Koko Crater

Group photo.

Koko Crater

Leaving the cave, empty-handed again.

Koko Crater

We spotted a set of stairs hiking down and went to check it out.

Koko Crater

Going up the stairs to a shrine that has long been ransacked and wrecked, leaving only trinkets and scattered cow and goat bones.

All pau

Walking down what looked like the remnants of a lava tube as we made our way back to our cars. Another fun day with good company.

Photos taken by Chico Cantu, Kenny Lui, 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.