Projected thunderstorms derailed our camping hike, so we went to a popular watering hole instead.

Trailhead

This was my first time using the regular entrance to the trail that was established back in 1995 by Dick Davis, the Sierra Club and the Marines.

Follow the signs

I guess we go to the right.

Trail

Making our way down the notoriously muddy trail that were interrupted by slick wooden steps.

Trail

The log that was ignored at first for a photographic prop, but its use could not be denied for long.

Trail

Passing by Maunawili stream, which is the longest in the entire Windward district of Ko’olaupoko.

Trail

Analyn rock hopping across one of the stream crossings.

Trail

Making our way towards the back of the valley.

Maunawili Falls

We captured a large amount of time before letting others have their 15 minutes of photographic posterity.

Trail

Analyn watching her overhead clearance as she made her way up the even muddier trail above the falls.

Bridge

We ran across another hiker on the dilapidated bridge who was droning himself.

Bridge

Most of the wooden steps on the swaying bridge have long rotted and fallen away, which did not give Analyn much confidence in crossing the decaying structure. Fortunately, she changed her mind after some coaxing.

Moss Slides

Locked in a swimsuit version of Groundhog Day.

Moss Slides

Time to have some fun in nature’s water park. Photos by Adrian Nando.

Reflections

Back in the groundhog day.

Moss Slides

Group photo left to right: Analyn, myself and Adrian. Drone photo by Adrian Nando.

Trail

Following the irrigation ditch on our way back out.

Trail

Taking the lower trail as nobody wanted to go on the slippery pipe.

Crawfish got your tongue?

When the food bites back.

Bridge

Look ma! No steps!

Bridge

Analyn coming back up the rickety bridge.

Bridge

Looking heroic going back down.

All pau

We came back down to the crowded watering hole where some hikers were interested in what was beyond the falls. Trying to explain it in terms a tourist can understand. Language barrier. It was a fun and short photo shoot, err hike. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

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.

Met up with Glenn, Jose and Thessa in the Maunawili neighborhood for our hike today.

Maunawili Valley

We started off the beaten path. Away from the crowds. What crowds?

Red ginger

All we needed were anthuriums, lotus pods, papyrus and ruscus.

Stream crossing

Thessa trying not to get her feet wet.

Tree fungi

Colorful tree fungi populated the decaying tree trunks that littered the valley floor.

Going uphill

We followed the meandering stream through the valley until the trail took us to higher ground.

Ko’olau Mountains

Scenic spot. Clear day on the mountains.

Falls junction

A bench marked the junction down to the waterfalls.

Going down

Thessa and Jose making their way down.

No traffic

We met up with the stream again. No other soul was in sight. Early hikers gets the trail all to themselves.

Maunawili stream

The cold, clear waters gurgled down the rock strewn stream.

Maunawili Falls

Group photo left to right: Glenn, myself, Thessa and Jose.

Going up

No cliff diving today, served with a side of leptospirosis, so we climbed the trail to the left of the falls.

Looking down

We heard voices coming up from the waterfalls. Tom?

Pipe crossing

Local style. Taking our shoes off before we cross the pipe.

Rickety bridge

Crossing the metal and wooden bridge was something out of an Indiana Jones movie. Or just a typical bridge crossing in Central America according to Jose.

Looking back

Glenn waiting to come down.

What happened to the planks?

We had to straddle the creaking and swaying bridge as most of the rotten wooden planks were missing.

One at a time

Another group soon joined us at the bridge crossing. They turned out to be Brian, Marc and Scott. Small island.

Follow the ditch

We continued by following the open irrigation ditch, which lead us to…

Moss slides

…Nature’s playground.

Testing the waters

Scott and Marc tried the left bumpier slide, while Glenn went down the right smoother slide.

Slip ‘n Slide

My turn. Half a dozen times. Photo by Thessa Bugay.

Who’s next?

Group photo left to right: Scott, Brian, myself, Marc, Jose, Thessa and Glenn.

Going back

Thessa crossing the pipe back to the bridge.

Follow the blue ribbons

We decided to follow the irrigation pipe up the hill, instead of going back down to the waterfalls.

Watch the stump

50 Shades of Hiking.

Hill slide

Dried palm fronds underneath our footing made for a slippery slope down to the stream.

Muddy waters

We passed streams of hikers making their way to the waterfalls.

GPS Tracks

The 3.25 mile hike to the falls and moss slides was a fun day and met up with some old and new hiking buddies. Now it was off to explore another waterfall in Manoa.