It was supposed to be a promising day to be in the mountains today. A sucker is born every minute.

Trailhead

Thanks to Barry for dropping Aida, Art, Chris, Marilyn, Quan and myself off at the Pali Lookout. Somebody woke up late and still forgot their spikes. See you on the next hike.

Pali Puka Trail

Quan scrambling up the short and stiff climb. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Pali Puka Trail

Catching the breaking sunrise that was textured with the drifting clouds.

Pali Puka

Marilyn making her way to the hole in the cliff.

Pali Puka

Group photo left to right: Marilyn, Quan, myself, Aida, Chris and Art.

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

The group making their way up the steep contour littered with blowdowns and loose under footing.

KSRT

Climbing our way up through the forested flank of the ridge line. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Aida at the top of the ridge line. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Cloudy and windy conditions greeted us on the ridge line. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Aida pulling herself up the first of many humps. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Trying to keep our balance on the skinny ridge without getting blown off. Photo by Marilyn Bermudez.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Climbing down past the leaning tree of Nu’uanu.

Nu’uanu Saddle

The group making their way up and over the rugged ridge line. Photo by Art Young.

Incisor Rock

Quan hugging the boulder as she makes her way down. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Incisor Rock

Aida contouring the rock shaped tooth. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Lehua blossoms

Passing a cluster of the endemic red stamen flowers. Photo by Art Young.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Everybody was busy climbing while Chris checked into Instagram. Photo by Art Young.

Nu’uanu Saddle

The group climbing up the crumbly ridge line.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Gaining elevation as the moisture laden clouds enveloped the ridge line and released its cargo. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Are we having fun yet?

Nu’uanu Saddle

Hiking in the clouds.

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Can you see the 23rd letter for the clouds? Photo by Aida Gordon.

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Dropping off the hill to contour our way around the fourth-to-last letter of the alphabet. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

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Don’t look down!

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Contouring and climbing our way up and over the rock obstacle. Photo by Art Young.

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One will be amazed to find the assortment of climbing aids in these mountains. Wire. Printer Cable. Webbing. Rope. Twine. String. The best climbing aids are a few good friends.

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Going down the narrow spire of a rock. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

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Aida climbing down as the winds were whipping something fierce. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

Nu’uanu Saddle

The group making their way to the what many think used to be another puka (hole) in the mountains before erosion took its toll. Photo by Art Young.

Anvil

Quan going down the point of no return where a small section of the trail had been washed away from a landslide. Actually, there was a point of return which the girls took to double back down to the Pali. Mahalo to Narissa for picking them up. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Anvil

Art making his way down the one way trail. Gender segregation.

Nu’uanu Saddle

Chris climbing his way out of the saddle.

Lanihuli Summit

White out conditions at the 2,700′ peak. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Stick with the original plan or go down with Chris?

Kapalama Trail

Heading down the trail as rain showers saturated the ridge. Good call on Plan C.

Kapalama Trail

When plants provide amusement for others. Photo by Art Young.

Jackson’s Chameleon

Sighting of the invasive species that got its name from the first Governor of Kenya. Photo by Chris Brower.

Napu’u Mai’a

We dropped almost a 1,000′ in elevation as we took in the views from the 1,831′ hill.

Kapalama Trail

Walking down the pine needle carpeted trail while hearing multiple choppers overhead and sirens in the distance. Unanswered calls. Dark thoughts. Unfounded thoughts. Photo by Art Young.

Kapalama Trail

Nearing Na Pueo Park as the city views unfolded before us. Photo by Art Young.

All pau

We met up with two hikers going up the mountain who were training for the Kalalau Trail, which is still on my bucket list. Thanks to Quan for picking us up.

GPS Tracks

Our Independence Day hike covered a little over five miles that included a crumbly ridge line, inclement weather, good company but no fireworks. Somebody finally got to finish this section, while two others have to come back one day when trail and weather conditions are more favorable. Post hike meal at Pieology.

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.

My saddle tour business model continued with Ben, Cisco, Katie and Yoly where Quan and Lonnie were nice enough to drop off us at the trailhead. At a nickel a pop, I have to do a lot of business in order to succeed, which I learned in college. A slow study. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Powerlines Trail

Walking up the mosquito and ginger infested service road.

Powerlines

Making our way up to the saddle while watching out for the metal punji stake that was waiting to give somebody a reason for a tetanus shot.

Kalihi Saddle

Watching the rain shower as it made its inexorable march from sea to summit.

Kalihi Saddle

The soaking was brief enough to not let us think twice of turning around.

Kalihi Saddle

The drifting clouds muted the mountain landscape. Photo by Ben Hinders.

Kalihi Saddle

The thick vegetation on the Leeward side and the pushy Windward winds kept us grounded on the edge of the ridge line.

Shark’s Fin

Climbing up to the fifth sequel? Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Bunny Ears

Descending from the stand of pine trees at the top.

Bunny Ears

Ascending to the top of the second ear. Photo by Ben Hinders.

Bunny Ears

Cisco reminding us what obstacle we were currently on.

Doorstop

Top down view. Somebody had to be reminded which way the spikes faced on the shoes. Photo by Ben Hinders

Doorstop

Yoly climbing down to her right. The other right.

Pimple

Looking ahead to the crumbly elevation of shredded rock. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Pimple

We are not climbing up and over this one.

Pimple

Katie doing her best not to pop any of the rocks on her climb down.

Kalihi Saddle

Ben and Cisco contouring their way around the pimple.

Kalihi Saddle

Scrambling our way up to the heavily eroded section below the can opener.

Can Opener

The sofa sized rock that is just waiting to fall out. Don’t want to be around for the clearance sale. Photo by Katie Bingham

Skittles

Aerial view of our shower soaking reward. Drone photo by Ben Hinders.

Kalihi Saddle

Wide angle photos of the scenic spot overlooking the saddle, courtesy of the iPhone 11.

Lanihuli Wall

Contouring around the can opener to ascend the grassy flank. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Lanihuli Wall

Passing the first tier of the wall and going to the next and longer tier.

Lanihuli Wall

Cisco pulling himself up the near vertical flank. Look for the red dot. Drone photo by Ben Hinders.

Lanihuli Wall

Almost there. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Kalihi Saddle

The face of sheer exhaustion.

Kalihi Saddle

The centipede crawl up the saddle.

Kalihi Saddle

When arms and legs go akimbo as the ridge was too narrow to pass. Photo by Yoly Bedford

Dirt Dragon

Straddling and standing on the skinny serpentine of a ridge.

Kalihi Saddle

Time to get off the back of the dragon and back on the ridge. Photo by Cisco Quintanilla.

Kalihi Saddle

Pushing ourselves up the slow and exhausting climb.

Kalihi Saddle

Scrambling our way out of the saddle. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Lanihuli Summit

Group photo at the swirling heavens, left to right: Yoly, Katie, myself, Ben and Cisco.

Lanihuli Summit

Leaving the 2,780′ summit.

Kapalama Trail

Going down the initial steep descent that was clogged with vegetation and muddy underfooting.

Kamanaiki Junction

We briefly considered doing the overgrown loop and then thought better of it.

Kalihi Saddle

Looking back at the spur ridge that we had originally planned to go down, but discovered that the junction fell short of the summit. Lesson learned.

Kapalama Trail

Making our way down the rustic trail.

Kapalama Trail

The tree that time forgot.

Kapalama Trail

The trail soon took on a more manicured and maintained appearance going down.

Kapalama Trail

Where horizontal and vertical intersects outside of mathematical equations and poetry.

Kapalama Trail

Looking for the correct trail to follow amidst the colored ribbons littered on the ground. Photo by Yoly Bedford.

Kapalama Trail

Following the fence line on the outside to avoid being trapped and detoured to another exit.

Kapalama Trail

Yoly overlooking the extinct volcano of Pouwaina surrounded by urban blight.

All pau

Walking up to the postage stamp sized of a park where Quan and Lonnie where waiting to pick us up.

GPS Tracks

Our saddle and ridge hike covered 5.56 miles with a great group. Post hike meal at Lilihia Bakery where the oxtail soup never seems to run out.

Video by Ben Hinders of our saddle hike.

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.