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.

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.