We all gathered at the Pali Lookout to ride the ridges but we found ourselves hiking in the shadows of the ridges instead. Called up Edgar to join us and some of us fed the feral chickens to kill time until he could join us.

Old Pali Road

Mindful of falling rocks, we set foot on the road that has fallen out of favor since January 3, 1961.

Old Pali Road

Don’t we know this guy?

Old Pali Road

Looking for waterfalls in all the wrong places.

Old Pali Road

Look down here.

Old Pali Road

The rodents seem to have decent dwellings in this part of town.

Old Pali Road

Akira climbing down the love ladder.

Old Pali Road

Crossing underneath the Windward lanes of the Pali Highway that opened to the public in 1958.

Old Pali Road

Group photo underneath the town bound lanes of the artery that opened back in 1957.

Old Pali Road

We checked out the graffiti art, some of us too closely. No need to choke the chicken Akira-san.

Old Pali Road

Following the road system that connects the Windward community to town.

Old Pali Road

It’s truly amazing how these graffiti artists are able to tag these structures in remote and seemingly out of reach places.

Old Pali Road

Sharing the road with bicyclists pedaling their way up the abandoned road.

Kamo’oali’i Stream

My Tarzan transition was a failure. I guess I have to keep my day job.

Kamo’oali’i Falls

Group photo at the trickling waterfall. The sense of disappointment hung heavy in the air. Or maybe it was just in my head.

Old Pali Road

Edgar making his way back to the road.

Old Pali Road

We soon spotted many of these leaf footed bugs crowding on the nearby plants, similar to stink bugs, as when crushed, they release a foul-smelling liquid. Keep distance.

Old Pali Road

Detouring off the bridge and road that was rebuilt in 1919.

Likeke Trail

Walking our way up to the refurbished water tank that was overshadowed by the hollowed Pali Puka that was looking down at us.

Likeke Trail

Exploring the tank, I remember when it was flat and you could actually climb and walk across the top. Not anymore.

Likeke Falls

The man-made spring fed waterfalls were teeming with Scouts and their leaders. Boy and Girl Scouts are a thing of the past. Political correctness at its finest.

Likeke Falls

Apparently, only Kenny and myself wanted to get wet in the waterfalls. And I don’t even particularly care for waterfalls!

Likeke Trail

We took our leave of the crowds and followed the trail that was overgrown and littered with blow downs.

Likeke Trail

Taking a short pause at the V Falls Junction. No water. No flow. Nothing to see. Move along.

Likeke Trail

Resuming our hike on the trail that has seen better days.

Likeke Trail

We finally broke out of the stifling humidity of the forest and got some trade winds on the exposed ridge line. Edgar decided to give his drone a proper send off, it was more like an involuntary separation. If anybody sees a Mavic DJI 3 Mini lying in the forest, please return to sender.

Likeke Trail

Shaking the trees and harvesting the bounty of mountain apples that fell from the skies like so much manna.

Likeke Trail

We soon found ourselves in mosquito country, where Akira was quick to lend a selective hand.

Likeke Trail

Scooting our way across a fallen tree that served as a bridge across the gully.

Likeke Trail

It was either a pledge for the tin hats or the hard hats. Hello! Anybody home?

Interstate H-3

The Dancing Queens doing their stuff underneath the highway that was built to connect Pearl Harbor with the Kaneohe Marine Corps base and opened in 1997.

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden

Walking out to our cars where only Ninja Arashi got the photo so prized by influencers and tourists alike.

All pau

Only our dogs are barking and not pooping. Smile anyway.

GPS Tracks

Our meandering in the foothills covered a tad shy of six miles with fun company. Post hike meal at Saito & Pho. Need to distance myself. No relationship. No discount.

AI Photo

When AI runs amok. Next thing you know, we will be hiking vicariously through AI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai3OsXaA_-A

Video by Edgar Gamiao of our hike.

Photos/Crew taken by Aileen Agustin, Akira Suzuki, Chris Bautista, Cristy CM, Edgar Gamiao, 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.

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.