Aida, Aileen, Andrew, Akira, Chico, Chris, Jeremy, Mari, Roger, Ryan, Val and myself collectively gathered to do a short birthday hike on Superbowl Sunday.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

We all parked nearby the seventh pole and after some discussion, went up the “normal” switchback trail.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Tessa leaving the “pebbly” neighborhood behind her.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Aida and Roger sitting in a tree. P-H-O-T-O-B-O-M-B.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

One can’t escape graffiti, even in the mountains. Just wait until you get to the top.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Switch backing our way up the trail as we gained elevation and with it, stunning coastal, valley and mountain views.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Good morning sunshine.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The group reaching the top of the ridge line of the hill after climbing roughly 700′ up the hill.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Some of the girls checked out the concrete emplacements below the vantage point.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The group at the first bunker that was painted in a jigsaw pattern. The graffiti is constantly changing up here. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Chris in the first WW2 bunker.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The girls approaching the second and third bunkers.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

This particular hike is very popular with the public as evidenced by the abundance of other hikers on the trail.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Looking down on the first and second bunkers.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Andrew getting two shakes for the price of one.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Mari inside the pillbox that gives the trail its current and popular name.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Outside photo of the bunker that was painted pink in 2015 to promote breast cancer awareness.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

We have a liftoff at seven minutes past the hour, liftoff on Skydio 1.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Drone views.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Enjoying the sparse shade while we can.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Approaching the fourth and fifth pillboxes that are also known as Maili Pillboxes or Puu o Hulu Pillboxes.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Happy Birthday Aida! Enjoy your stick of butter.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Group photo at the summit which is roughly 800′ in elevation.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Chico working hard for his money. Nobody said retirement was going to be easy.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Leaving the summit and whatever shade that was offered.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

This section offered a tad more climbing than the bunker lined trail.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Shadow watchers.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Making our way down into the saddle.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Chico climbing down the rocks.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Andrew and Aileen making their way down.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

What sound does it make when a hiker falls off a rock? Marine.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The Marine looking for the easier route down.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Checking out the different routes in case the Marine got in trouble.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Tessa following the group climbing their way down.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Everybody took their own path of least resistance on the way down.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Negotiating the narrow part of the ridge line.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The graffiti guys leaves no rocks untouched.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Checking out the puka.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

How many hikers can fit in and around a puka? In today’s evolution, lucky 13.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Descending down towards the lowest point in the ridge line.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Aida climbing her way down sans backpack. She’s not called Princess for nothing.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The boys checking out the available ways down. There were three choices. 1. The Climbing way. 2. The Contour way. 3. The Marine way.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Even though we were only around 400′ elevation at this point, the framing seems like we are high in the Hawaiian Alps, if such mountains existed.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Looking back at the summit of Pu’u O Hulu.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Aida and Ryan working their way around the rocks.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The group making their way down the last of the rock climbs.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Contouring our way past the water tank and to the trail that would take us out to Sea Country. The original plan was to hike to the end, but it was getting hot and the kickoff was getting too close for comfort for some in the group, so we cut the hike in half. Compromises.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Who wore it better? Text your answer to 246-6532 (AINOKEA).

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Now all Chico and Mari need are real bicycles. Perhaps search the nearby chronic camps for the mode of transportation that was invented in 1817.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

Hanging out near the rockfall protection fence installed to catch any errant rocks that may come tumbling down into the residential houses below us.

Pu’u O Hulu Trail

The last obstacle of the day as we climbed over the fence meant to keep out the riff raff from using the RORO dumpster.

All pau

The Princess Diaries. Get lost. Get picked up in a Lexus. Not as good as inheriting the throne of a small European kingdom, but for today’s purposes, all good.

Casa Cantu

Susan making it rain dollar bills. She didn’t even have to dance on a pole. Life’s not fair.

Casa Cantu

Happy Birthday to Aida and Lilia. Many more happy returns.

Casa Cantu

Group photo to end the Super Bowl blowout. I think most of the group were interested in what the bar had to offer anyway while I nursed my Coca-Cola as the Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22.

Casa Cantu

Sunset over the saddles. Thanks to everybody that came to the birthday hike that clocked in at around 2.6 miles, chipped in and brought food and their appetites and smiles. Mahalo to the Cantus for hosting and also making too much ono food.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Aileen Agustin, Akira Suzuki, Andrew Green, Chico Cantu, Chris Bautista, Jeremy Cannone, Mari Saito, Roger Schiffman, Ryan Nakahara, Tessa Bugay, Val Wang, 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.

Jasmin joined me on a nice rim stroll around Koko Crater. Yes Koko Crater, not Koko Head.

Koko Crater

We passed through head high dry brush grass and rusty barbed wire to gain the rim.

Koko Crater

Jasmin making her way up the initial steep climb up the rim.

Koko Crater

Cylindrical cacti stems sprouting from the rocky crevices.

Koko Crater

Panoramic view of Jasmin rimming the crater.

Koko Crater

This clump of distinctive looking trees used to tower above the rim line until the wind or old age bowed it over.

Koko Crater

Jasmin in search of dragon fruits to pick. It was going to be a disappointing day.

Koko Crater Puka

Not as well known as the other ones scattered at Makapu’u and Pali.

Koko Crater

Relaxing on the pile of rocks. Photo by Jasmin Nepomuceno.

Koko Crater

Typical windy day on the rim. Just ask my hair.

Koko Crater

And the prestigious award goes to …

Koko Crater Summit

The rim sure beats taking the 1,048 steps up to the 1,200′ summit. Photo by Jasmin Nepomuceno.

Koko Crater

Excuse me. Passing through.

Koko Crater

Sitting down and soaking in the views. Photo by Jasmin Nepomuceno.

Koko Crater

We crossed paths with a couple other hikers who had come up from the arch.

Koko Crater

Jasmin skirting her way underneath the overhanging rock.

Koko Crater

We can see the arch.

Koko Crater Arch

Hikers coming, going and staying at the arch.

Koko Crater Arch

Jasmin making her way down the relatively smooth faced topside of the arch.

Koko Crater

Mauka (mountain) end of the arch …

Koko Crater

… to the makai (ocean) end of the arch.

Koko Crater

Jasmin looking for the drone in the sky. Too windy.

All pau

We made the dangerous car crossing of Kalanianaole Highway to wait at the Halona Blowhole Lookout. Thanks to Ray for taking us back to our cars. Short hike didn’t warrant a post hike meal. People to see. Places to go. Photo by Jasmin Nepomuceno.

Note: I have been made aware the 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.

This was our first hike towards completing the entire Koolau Summit from Makapu’u to Pupukea. Of course we plan on breaking it up into manageable chunks, not everybody can be Chase Norton. Mad props to that guy for hiking the entire Koolau Summit in eight days. I parked my car at the top of Kaluanui Road where the hike would end and my friend picked me up and we all met at the Makapu’u Lookout to start our hike. This was our first hike as a group that one of us called the Four Horsemen which included Glenn, Chance, Jason and myself.

Makapu'u

We made our way up the ridge following the chain link fence that had danger signs plastered over them. Looking back, we saw Makapu’u Point which means “Bulging Eye” in Hawaiian, sandwhiched in between the Makapu’u Lighthouse on the left and Pele’s Chair on the right, a natural rock formation that in Hawaiian legend, was the last place Madam Pele left on Oahu before settling on the Big Island. Speaking of fire, this part of the trail has zero shade, so it’s best to lather on the sunscreen or be prepared to be seared lobster red.

Sea Life Park

Further up the ridge, we were treated to views of Sea Life Park and the islands of Manana (Rabbit Island) and Kaohikaipu (Turtle Island). The sounds of barking seals from Sea Life Park punctuated the morning silence as we made our way up the ridge.

Early Goats

We followed the rocky ridgeline as we passed numerous interesting rock formations, some of which looked like jagged teeth protruding from the ground. We also noticed a herd of goats that were keeping an eye on us from the next hill over.

Rock climbing the Makapu'u Puka - Not

We also started dropping altitude as the ridgeline gradually dipped towards the Makapu’u Puka. Hawaiian legend has it that a warrior named Kaulanaakaiole threw either a spear or shot an arrow at a rat that created this hole or puka.

Three monkeys on a platform

After passing the puka, the ridgeline started to climb again as we gained elevation and reached the top. We passed some old Army barracks atop Kamehame Ridge that is now home to a teen program called Winner’s Camp. We then passed a rickety looking platform used by hang gliders and then came across another one where we clowned for the camera. 

Robin's Nest

The trail turned left from the second hang glider platform and we followed the stairs down and hung a right onto a paved road that led to the old Nike Missile Site, which was last used in the mid-60’s. Eventually a locked gate blocked us from continuing further up the road, but a hole in the fence on the left side allowed us to continue. From one of the abandoned towers that we climbed, we peered directly down into the Anderson Estate, which became famous for being used as “Robin’s Nest” in the popular 80’s TV show, Magnum PI.

Down in the saddle

After poking around the old Nike Missile Site, we picked up the somewhat indistinct trail masked in heavy bushes behind the last building and eventually went down a saddle that dropped several hundred feet in elevation. We then climbed out of the saddle up towards a clump of ironwood trees that provided much needed shade to have our lunch and enjoyed the views of Waimanalo.

Kamiloiki Ridge

We stopped briefly at Kamiloiki Ridge to see Mount Olomana and tried to locate Bumpy Kanahele’s 45 acre sanctuary, otherwise known as Pu’uhonua o Waimanalo.

Headed down the ridge towards the Tom-Tom trail

It is very easy to miss the right turn, ribboned branches and all, that will keep you on the Koolau Summit Trail and headed towards Mariner’s Ridge. We found this out as we continued to walk straight on the trail from Kamiloiki Ridge, luckily we figured it out pretty early and backtracked to the right turn. The trail rollercoasters until you reach the top of a hill where there are three poles, this marks the spot where the Tom-Tom trail descends down into Waimanalo.

Mariner's Ridge

As we pushed on past the Tom-Tom trail, the ridge went down and up a couple more times until we reached the top of Mariner’s Ridge. After that, it was a short and sweet stroll back down the trail towards our car on Kaluanui Road and next stop – Zippys.