The Annoying Church Slut decided to have Sunday service in the mountains with some of her friends today.

Manoa

We parked in the shadow of the house that bore witness to a tragic crime over two years ago and stepped foot on the seven bridges or seven falls trail.

Manoa

Edgar documenting the hike as we crossed over the second bridge.

Manoa

We soon plunged into the jungle as we left the bridges behind us and didn’t get to test the theory of seven out and six back in.

Manoa

Group photo at the stairway to salvation.

Queen’s Bath

Making our way down to the stream fed pool.

Queen’s Bath

Can you see me for the trees?

Manoa

The birthday girl ready for her first ascent up the ridge which was virgin territory for her.

Manoa Middle Ridge

Making our way up the initial steep climb up the rooted and roped ridge.

Manoa Middle Ridge

Are we talking about the person or the trail?

Manoa Middle Ridge

Back to our regularly scheduled program of climbing up the unrelenting ridge line infested with uluhe ferns.

Manoa Middle Ridge

I guess we’re taking a short break here.

Manoa Middle Ridge

Somebody said she knows how I think. Group photo!

Manoa Middle Ridge

Edgar against the backdrop of the wide and vast verdant valley, which has seen the area transitioned from taro patches, to coffee and sugar plantations to the current residential development.

Manoa Middle Ridge

The birthday girl leading the charge up the short and steep hill.

Manoa Middle Ridge

Aida looking back at Manoa Valley which has been settled since the 1400s and was a favorite retreat for the ruling class back in the day due to the cool climate.

Manoa Middle Ridge

The group approaching the summit of Manoa Middle.

Manoa Middle Summit

We arrived to find out that the top was being temporarily occupied by three campers; Austin Wakinekoa, Marc Moody and Andrew Bui. They had hiked up from Manoa Middle Ridge the day earlier and were enjoying their campsite until we crashed their party. Austin even gave Allison a shot of vodka for her birthday to chase down her carrot.

Manoa Middle Summit

I think this was a first for everybody involved, celebrating a birthday with baby carrots. Happy Birthday ACS!

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Time to leave the summit as the trio were breaking down their camp and were planning on hiking back down Manoa Middle Ridge. Nice meeting the braddahs.

KSRT

We soon caught up with Stefan and Kaitano? who had come up from the Kalawahine Trail and were taking a break on the trail. Allison found out from Stefan that they had descended down Waikeakua Ridge a couple of weeks ago and was sharing his stories of slipping off the ridge almost 30 times, had wanted to cry and that the descent down the waterfall was steep and barren of trees to hang onto. As somebody in our group would say, Ririii?

KSRT

Let the congregational singing commence. In this particular case, congregation is defined as singular.

KSRT

Allison flashing the shaka or OK sign? Let the singing continue.

KSRT

Weaving our way in and out of the stand of pine trees that were smack dab in the middle of a thin ridgeline.

KSRT

Now we can literally say we are out of the woods. Marked as safe and sound.

KSRT

Allison balancing on the tightrope of rocks masked with vegetation. Perspective.

KSRT

Contouring our way around on the Old Castle Trail, which stretches from Nu’uanu Reservoir to Ka’au Crater.

KSRT

Popping out by Sedan Rock, nobody wanted to take a test drive, so we continued on the Old Castle Trail.

KSRT

Edgar checking his weather app to confirm what we already knew, it was raining in the mountains.

KSRT

Rounding the corner so to speak as parts of the trail were overgrown and almost lost back to the aina.

KSRT

Taking a break before the start of Waikeakua Ridge, as stories of slipping off almost 30 times bounced around somebody’s head(s).

Waikeakua Ridge

Does that count as the first slip?

Waikeakua Ridge

Cristy on her way down.

Waikeakua Ridge

Anticlimactic slide. Let’s try again and make it a bit more dramatic shall we. Arms flailing and screaming beyond comprehension.

Waikeakua Ridge

The group trying not to slip off the ridge on their way down.

Waikeakua Ridge

Taking the trampled trail.

Waikeakua Ridge

The ridge soon leveled off a bit and became swallowed in uluhe ferns.

Waikeakua Ridge

Spoke too soon as Allison came sliding down a steep section of the trail.

Waikeakua Ridge

The rest of the group scrambling their way off the ridge.

Waikeakua Falls

Looking at the trickling upper falls.

Waikeakua Falls

Two can play that ChatGPT game. We all made it to the bottom of the ridge way short of 30 slips. Aloha Amen.

Waikeakua Falls

Following the ribbons as we paralleled the stream.

Waikeakua Falls

Mushrooms are nature’s recyclers as they decompose dead organic matter and turn them into nutrients.

Waikeakua Falls

Following the stream down, some took it literally.

Waikeakua Falls

Looking down at the first major drop. Is this the steep part the two hikers were talking about? Must not be, as there were a lot of surrounding trees.

Waikeakua Falls

We soon met up with CB who had gotten off from his part-time job and hiked up the falls to meet us.

Waikeakua Falls

The girls scrambling their way down the crumbly cliff.

Waikeakua Falls

Drone view of our first waterfall for today.

Waikeakua Falls

Group photo at the tallest of the waterfalls being fed by Waikeakua Stream.

Waikeakua Falls

Leaving the waterfall in search of more waterfalls.

Waikeakua Falls

The group climbing between a rock(s) and hard branches. At least we weren’t stuck.

Waikeakua Falls

Collective photo at the base of the second waterfalls. They seem to be getting smaller. Is that a function of gravity?

Waikeakua Falls

The scientific explanation is that when a denser object (rock) enters water, the kinetic energy is converted to a rapid displacement of water particles. The practical explanation is that it’s fun and visceral satisfying.

Waikeakua Falls

Cristy climbing down to join Allison and the others.

Waikeakua Falls

The rest of the group making their way down to the last waterfall. No group photo. I think somebody had to go.

Waikeakua Falls

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Waikeakua Falls

Passing by a colony of Fairy Inkcaps.

Waikeakua Falls

Crossing over one of the non-countable bridges.

Waikeakua Stream

Paying respects at the rock memorial dedicated to the 11-year old English lad who was killed by a falling rock on a Sunday School picnic in Manoa Valley.

Queen’s Bath

Exploring the two opposing irrigation tunnels consisted of squeezing my round body in a square hole. Literally.

Manoa

Some of us took the high road and others took the low road to get out of the trail.

All pau

The group’s out of tune but hilarious rendition of “One Day.” Best to leave the singing to the professionals – kids. Thanks to Susan for loaning us the ukulele and everybody else for their participation.

GPS Tracks

Our birthday hike covered 4.48 miles on ridges and waterfalls. Something for everybody. Thanks to everybody that came out to hike in Allison’s Birthday Hike.

Waipuna Sushi

Post hike meal at the place where it takes up to 40 minutes wait for Udon Tempura and somebody can do better than that by cooking his own lunch across the street and he doesn’t pay money to that kind of *bleep* guy. Missed out on the complimentary vegetable tempura and selective free drinks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcRsmwiIuYo

Video by Edgar Gamiao of our birthday hike.

Photos/Crew taken by Aida Gordon, Aileen Agustin, Akira Suzuki, Allison Banks, Ani Lagpacan, Chris Bautista, Cristy CM, Edgar Gamiao, Kenny Lui, Marilyn Bermudez, Roger Schiffman, 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.

Gen, Jose, Matt and myself met up at the Pali Lookout with the goal to traverse to Kuli’ou’ou. The hot weather would have a say in those plans.

Trailhead

Hiking with headlamps underneath the thicket of hau branches.

Lanihuli

Looking across to the other half of the Nu’uanu saddle.

Notch #1

After climbing down the first notch, we hung out for awhile to catch the sunrise. The clouds did not cooperate.

Notch #2

Gen and Jose coming down the second notch.

Trail

Making our way to the Chimney.

The Nipple

Admiring the view. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

The Chimney

From this angle, going up looks like a walk in the park. All about angles. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Looking up

Everybody waiting their turn. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

The Chimney

Gen making her way up. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

The Chimney

So many shiny new ropes. Which ones to use? All ropes are suspect and should be treated as such.

The Chimney

Group photo at the Chimney, left to right: Matt, Jose, Gen and myself.

Trail

More climbing ahead.

Trail

Matt making his way to the contour section. Climb or contour?

Rock contour

Gen contouring around the rock. This is the same area where another hiker fell 300′ and survived to hike another day.

Trail

Grab that tree! Grab that rock!

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Trail

All the hard parts behind us. Cruising on the KST.

Olomana

The sun breaking over Olomana and Kailua.

Trail

Abundant uki grass that we used to pull and move ourselves up on the ridge.

Trail

Matt coming up the ridge with stunning Windward views behind him.

Trail

Splash of color on the ridge.

Mud wall

The mud wall had turned into mud steps. When trails become popular, ropes and increased erosion in the form of handholds and footholds shows up. A good and bad thing.

Trail

Almost there.

Piliwale junction

Matt at the Windward spur ridge junction, named after Silver Piliwale who pioneered the trail back in the 1980s.

Konahuanui

Sharing a bag of tasty beef jerky at the 3,150′ summit.

Trail

We soon headed to the other peak or “testicle” of Konahuanui.

K2

Geodetic mark that was emplaced back in 1927 and used for triangulation surveys.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Trail

Gen and Jose making their way down to the saddle.

Looking back

We left the twin peaks of Konahuanui behind us as we descended down from the highest points on the Ko’olau Mountains.

Lunch spot

Who brings hot soup and rice to a hike? Something else was getting hot. The weather.

Manoa Middle

We ran across two other hikers who had come from Ka’au Crater and were going down Manoa Middle.

Trail

Jose passing the sedan rock section of the trail.

Mount Olympus

Group photo at the top of Awaawaloa with Ka’au Crater in the background. It was unusually clear. And hot.

Trail

The heat had started to slowly roast us from the inside and we collectively gave up on our goal to reach Kuli’ou’ou. Dwindling water supplies had a say in that too. Somebody kept saying Makapu’u.

Trail

Jose coming down from Mount Olympus.

Trail

The twin power lines that mark Ka’au Crater.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Trail

Looking out towards Ka’au Crater and town views. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Tourists

Hikers with a European twist coming down the trail that looped around Ka’au Crater. We also met some channel swimmers who were taking a “break” hiking.

Trail

Jose pointing out the big hill that we still had to climb.

Trail

What goes down …

Trail

… must go back up. It was a steep hill.

Kainawa’aunui

We took a short break at the 2,520′ summit.

Trail

Clouds and the attendant cooler temperatures rolled into the mountains. Somebody repeated Makapu’u.

Trail

Matt looking back at the summit and Mau’umae Ridge.

True Lanipo

Geodetic marking the 2,600′ summit of Lanipo.

Trail

Gen making her along the cloudy ridge.

Trail

Making the steep descent down towards the row of power lines on the ridge.

Lanipo Windward

Looking back at the ridge that connects to Aniani Nui Ridge and Olomana.

Trail

Almost there.

Trail

Matt coming up the trail with the summit of True Lanipo behind him.

Wiliwilinui Summit

Group photo at our last summit on the Ko’olau Range.

Trail

It was all downhill from here.

Swing

I found out that a girl named Tina put up the original swing here. Don’t even know if this is the original swing anymore.

All pau

Our hike was over. Now all we needed was a ride since we came down a different trail than originally planned. Who can we call?

GPS Tracks

While our hike did not end as originally planned, it was still quite a day that covered 7.56 miles with great company. Shout out to Justin for picking us up and shuttling us back to our cars. Post hike meal at Thai Valley Cuisine. Tasty tom yum soup. Matt’s treat.

Waahila State Park was wide open and empty as I pulled my solitary self into the parking lot at 6:45am to hike the last piece needed to complete the Eastern part of the Koolaus from Makapuu to Lanihuli.

First Clearing

Going into the hike, scenic views of Manoa Valley quickly opened up. The good thing about this trail, is that your car does most of the early climbing as you wind your way up through Saint Louis Heights to get to the trailhead.  

Second Clearing

After passing the first clearing, the trail splits into the Kolowalu Trail which descends down into Manoa Valley and the Upper Waahila Trail which takes you to Mount Olympus. I’m not sure if the Upper Waahila Trail is sanctioned or not, as the sign implores hikers to turn back. But turning back was not on the table today.

Third Clearing

The cloud ceiling started to get lower as I made my way to the third clearing. I was hoping that the views at the top would not be blanketed in clouds.

Windward panoramic view from the summit

Made it to the top of Mount Olympus in two hours to be greeted by relatively cloud free views of both sides of the island. Click here to see the larger image.

Koolau Summit Ridge Trail

I climbed back down to the foot of the peak from Mount Olympus to find the trail that would take me to the Manoa Middle Ridge. The trail coming down the hill was very muddy and wet, which led to major butt sliding all the way down.

Looking back towards Mt. Olympus

One hour was spent hiking on the ridge from Mount Olympus to Manoa Middle Ridge. But what a windy hour it was! The wind was blowing hard enough that I resorted to crawling on all fours on the narrow parts of the ridge to avoid being blown off.

Coming down Manoa Middle Ridge

Click here to see the larger image of the view coming down from Manoa Middle Ridge.

Jackson Chameleon

This is the first time that I ran across a Jackson Chameleon in the wild. A female one at that, as only males have the distinctive triple horns on their heads.

Waiakeakua Stream

After crossing Waiakeakua stream and passing several Chinese Fan Palm trees, I spotted the ribboned branches that led me up the hill. Pushing my way uphill through these small but numerous trees made me frustrated and tired. I eventually made it to the Puu Pia trail at the top of the hill and turned right until the trail ended in a clearing with a bench. From that point on, the trail was heavily overgrown and in need of extensive clearing by those good samaritans at the HTMC. I eventually made it out to Alani Drive after six hours of hiking and called 422-2222 to take my dirty and tired butt back to Waahila State Park.