Joined Dale’s group to end the year with a roaring waterfall that was once a highly kept secret which backfired and is now widely known in the community. It’s even on AllTrails.

First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu

Met up with Chris, Dale, Lilyn, Quan, Sally, and Terri at the church parking lot that used to be home to the Ko’olau Golf Course, that was once considered one of the toughest in the country to play, and is now shut down for good due to the covid pandemic. Somebody decided to save an Alexander Hamilton by walking up the road instead.

Trail

Detouring off the trail where we picked up a couple of lost hikers.

Likeke Falls

Following the rocky stream toward its source.

Likeke Falls

Group photo in front of the falls named after Richard Davis, the legendary hiker that created and maintained the trail that bears his name (Likeke means Richard in Hawaiian).

Likeke Falls

The easy part was getting on the branch. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Trail

Going down the watery trail in search of another raging waterfall.

Trail

Meandering our way through the foothills until we came to this large boulder which marked the way to the falls.

Trail

Looking at another waterfall in the distance.

V Falls

Climbing up the stream to the waterfall that only flows during periods of heavy rain.

V Falls

Terri scrambling up the wet rocks.

V Falls

Standing on one of the multi-tiered falls. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

V Falls

The lower falls with its three streams flowing down the rocks.

V Falls

Terri climbing up the last tier to the main waterfalls.

V Falls

Chris relaxing in the waterfall.

V Falls

Group photo left to right: Terri, Lilyn, Sally, Dale, Chris, myself and Quan.

V Falls

My feeble attempt at climbing partway up the waterfall. The water was just hammering me from above and I soon made my way back down. All wet and cold. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

V Falls

Dale using the elephant leaf to balance himself on the rock.

V Falls

Heading back out as the steady rain started to increase the volume of the falls. Photo by Chris Bautista.

V Falls

Chris standing at the top of the tiered waterfalls as the water started to pick up in flow and density. At least the water wasn’t brown. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

V Falls

Looking back towards the impressive falls. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

V Falls

The lower falls had grown by another one due to the increased rain. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

V Falls

Chris at the base of the quadruple falls. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Waterfall

Just needed some awapuhi ginger shampoo. Who needs Paul Mitchell? Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

All pau

Dale left a late Christmas present for all hikers; old and young, nice and naughty. Thanks to Dale for organizing the sweet, short and wet hike. Post hike meal at Daiichi Ramen where I should’ve got the ramen instead of the mapo tofu. New adventures are around the corner and hau’oli makahiki hou to all!

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.

We decided to explore one of the islands last (un)touched waterfall. This was actually two visits combined into one story, as redundancy has its limits. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Trailhead

Met up with Analyn, Anne, Chris, Daryl, Ferlino, Jasmin, Lopaka, Sean and Tina at the parking lot that is only hospitable to church (body of collective Christians) and golfers.

H20 Tank

We swung a collective left at the water tank to remain on the muddy trail.

Pali Puka

Can you see the hole for the mountain?

Hau Trail

Ducking our way underneath the tangled thicket of hau trees.

Kalo

Passing the world’s oldest cultivated crop.

Likeke Falls

Surprisingly, we had the popular watering hole all to ourselves. Photo by Jasmin Nepomuceno.

Likeke Falls

We came back with umbrella props on our second visit.

Likeke Falls

Group photo left to right: Ferlino, myself, Analyn, Chris and Rocky.

Trail

Following the stream down hill.

Trail

The well-defined trail took us through several gullies and stream beds gouged from rain cascading off the Ko’olau Mountains.

Vanity Fair?

Can it really be any easier than this?

Trail

Making our way up the stream bed that was strewn with trees and assorted boulders washed down from the mountain.

Lanihuli Bigs

The twin falls teased us with her trickling water. No gusher today. Group photo left to right: Sean, Ferlino, Lopaka, Tina, Analyn, Anne, Jasmin, myself, Chris and Daryl.

V Chute

What happened to the forecasted rain showers?

Aquarium

Pssst. Call Lopaka over here as there is a certain amphibian friend that wants to meet him.

Virgin Mary Falls

A little more trickle on our second visit. Still no gusher.

V Falls

Aspiring umbrella models posing at the waterfall. Photo by Chris Bautista.

V Chute

Ferlino getting up close and personal.

Exit

Time to leave as a few scattered rocks dropped in on our party. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Trail

Going down the timber mountain log ride. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Windward view

Clear and sunny. Good conditions for a ridge hike, not so much for a waterfall hike.

Hau jungle

Back down in the hau jungle gym.

Uluhe trail

Group photo against the vegetation blocked backdrop of the Ko’olau Mountains.

Trail

We decided to see where this trail would take us. It has to come out somewhere, right?

Junk yard

Somebody ran their car into the ground.

Bridge crossing

Some had a high center of gravity …

Underpass

… others had a low center of gravity.

H3

Passing the most expensive interstate highway built, at a cost of $80 million per mile. I’m sure the rail will surpass that cost by leaps and bounds.

Fence line

We couldn’t find the gate.

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden

Who will make it into the 2019 Hiking Models calendar? I should have showed more skin.

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden

Group photo with Kalihi Saddle in the background. Mahalo to Jasmin for picking us up.

Fiddleneck galore

Anne and Analyn plundering, I mean harvesting the tender tips of the Warabi or Pako ferns.

Kitchen

From the farm to the table. Just add kamaboko, tomato, onions, fish sauce and a vegan appetite.

Water tank

Chris found a comfortable seat amidst the tree branch tangled top.

Water tank

Can you see me now? Photo by Rocky Abad.

Water tank

Coming up. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Water tank

Going down.

Ko’olau Golf Course

Free range bacon …

Ko’olau Golf Course

… fresh eggs …

Ko’olau Golf Course

… and a tree loving hen. We had all the fixings of a post hike meal! Fun little hike with friends to see a flowing and trickling waterfalls tucked away at the base of the mountains.

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.

I decided to stay at sea level elevation this week and went waterfall exploring with Chris and Jasmin. My body was still recovering from last week’s extreme hike.

A well traveled trail

We found parking on Nuuanu Pali Drive and entered the opening in the bamboo forest.

Follow the source

Hopping over the water pipe, the upper falls gurgling with fresh water soon greeted us.

Cascading waterfall

Looking down from the top of the falls. Don’t stand too close!

Going down the hill

Chris picked up the trail to the left of the falls and we made our way down the mosquito infested hill.

Luakaha Falls

The grass surrounding the falls was nicely clipped as it’s supposed to be on private land.

GPS Tracks

The short walk to the falls was only .75 mile round trip. Not enough to make a day of it, we proceeded to the next stop – Likeke Falls.

Trailhead A or B?

Most people start from the Pali Lookout to get to Likeke Falls, Chris knew of a shorter way from the Ko’olau Golf Course. There was a large sign saying no parking for hikers until after 11:30am. Hmmm, I guess that meant us? Luckily Jasmin was able to squeeze her car into the last “open” space in front of the Old Pali Road gate.

Old Pali Road

We walked up the Old Pali Road, passing the golf course’s shop and soon made a right into the forest where Chris and Jasmin are standing. This took us to the top of the golf course’s parking lot where the trailhead starts. Security was there to thwart any hikers that chose to ignore the sign that was posted at the bottom.

Can you see the puka?

A graffitied water tank blocked further progress on the trail, the junction is actually to the left just before the tank. Can you spot Pali Puka?

Big Tree Junction

We picked up the Old Pali Road again, slowly being reclaimed by Mother Nature, and took a right at where Chris is peeking out from.

Calathea lancifolia

Yellow and red rattlesnake plants lined the trail.

Likeke Falls

More mosquitoes greeted our arrival, fresh meat! These falls seemed to have become very popular recently, with more locals and tourists flooding the area. Today, we had the place all to ourselves.

Obligatory group shot

My camera has a 30 second timer, which comes in handy when scrambling up wet, mossy rocks.

Town view

Looking out towards town, one can actually follow the stream all the way back out to civilization.

Costus spicatus

Checking out the Indian Head plants on the way back out.

Walk down memory lane

Hard to imagine, that this used to be the main artery for folks to get to and from the Windward side.

GPS Tracks

The 1.45 mile hike led us to the second and last waterfall of the day.