We decided to visit Hell and Heaven today; I met up with Alexis, Analyn, Chris and Ferlino at Moanalua Valley.

Trailhead

Too early for the chickens. Only the dogs were barking as we started our early morning hike. Thanks to Jasmin for dropping us off.

Aiea Loop Trail

Bench with city light views.

Aiea Ridge Trail

New sign. Summit Trail. No Exit. Advanced. All good to know.

Aiea Ridge Trail

Ferlino crossing the landslide area under spotlight.

Tripler Ridge

Climbing up the steady and steep ridge. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Pu’u Kawipo’o

Taking a break at the large, grassy hill top. The dolphin had “swum” over to another branch.

Aiea Ridge Trail

Approaching the power lines which sits at the base of the summit, where the clouds blocked the views but not the cacophony of civilization that floated to the mountains.

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail ( KSRT)

Making our way along the muddy ridge, Chris slipped and a branch poked him below his eye. Mountain first aid rendered – Bactine sprayed on and medical tape slapped on. Good to go.

KSRT

Looking back at the rest of the group making their way on the cloud shrouded ridge.

KSRT

The sun was fighting through the clouds.

KSRT

The rest of the group getting off the ridge and contouring around the protected plant enclosure.

KSRT

Peeking around the corner.

KSRT

Group photo on our descent down to Hell where we ran into a friend who was ascending, left to right: Chris, Alexis, Analyn, Noah, myself, Ferlino and Shirley. Can I shake your hand?

KSRT

Chris’s face says it all. We got a view!

Stairway to Hell

The dress was on. The flag was out. Time to take our group photo.

Bunker

Chris checking to see if the tent collection had grown since our last visit. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KSRT

Leaving the chilly haunt of Hell. Which begs the question. Why is Hell not so hot?

KSRT

Making our way to the summit of Red Hill, where we soon …

Moanalua Saddle

… dropped into the crumbly saddle. Rope? I don’t need no stinking rope.

Moanalua Saddle

Comin’ down the mountain. But first take my picture.

Moanalua Saddle

Humping over the saddle.

Kulana’ahane Summit

The running man. Going the wrong way. Medical tape is not only good for facial cuts but torn pants as well. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Moanalua Saddle

Going up through the tangled and twisted roots that carpeted the ridge.

Moanalua Saddle

The group contouring their way up the Windward side of the ridge.

Moanalua Saddle

Making our way to the main obstacle on the ridge. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Dirt Triangle

Alexis climbing up from the Leeward side. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Moanalua Saddle

Crawling our way up the eroded ridge.

Moanalua Saddle

Don’t touch that crumbly rock?

Moanalua Saddle

Looking back at the H-3 Highway snaking its way through Halawa Valley.

Moanalua Saddle

The group climbing out of the saddle.

Moanalua Saddle

Going up the back stairs.

Stairway to Heaven

Not going down the front stairs.

CCL Building

Throwing shakas out at the 2,720′ summit. Somebody needs to get with the program.

KSRT

Leaving Heaven behind us with views of Kalihi and Nu’uanu Saddles to our front.

KSRT

Dropping down from the MMR junction, we saw a helicopter perched on Tripler Summit ahead of us and decided to see if we could reach it before it took off.

KSRT

No climbing today. Read the sign.

KSRT

We briefly interrupted the workers on the power lines as we quickly passed underneath them. Safety first. Mahalo.

Tripler Summit

A minute late and a helicopter short. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Tripler Summit

The helicopter pilot skillfully flew the workers up and down the spur ridges, dropping and picking them up.

Tripler Summit

No, we are not being rescued.

Tripler Ridge

Leaving the summit and the helicopter ride (wishful thinking) behind us.

Powerlines Ridge

We abbreviated the long Tripler ridge by taking the spur ridge down to the power lines, passing an abundance of smashed guavas on our way down.

Moanalua Valley

Making our way out from the back of the valley.

Moanalua Valley

I think we had our fill of California grass on this hike and then some.

Kamananui Valley Trail

Does somebody need medical tape on their butt again? Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

All pau

End of the long road. End of a long day. Somebody needs to get with the program. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

GPS Tracks

Our two for the price of one hike covered a little over 13 miles. Fun day with a great group. Post hike meal at Lilihia Bakery. Oxtail soup tastes better when a dead fly falls out of your eye.

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.

I decided to start off 2017 by slipping back into the saddles. Joining me today were Derek, Glenn, Lee and Matt.

Kalihi Valley

Thanks to Zack for dropping us off in the land of wallabies. No sightings.

Kalihi Valley

Making our way up to the power lines.

Sunrise

We caught the sun breaking over the three peaks of Olomana. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Kalihi Saddle

Glenn, Lee and Derek popping up over a hill.

Kalihi Saddle

Going up one at a time. Photo by Derek Potter.

Kalihi Saddle

Panoramic view of the Windward side by Matt Vidaurri.

Kalihi Saddle

Single file shuffling down Witch’s Hat.

Kalihi Saddle

Climbing queue. Photo by Derek Potter.

Kalihi Saddle

Leaving behind Witch’s Hat.

Kalihi Saddle

Lee going up the saddle. Photo by Derek Potter.

Kalihi Saddle

Dancing on the ridges of Kalihi Saddle.

Kalihi Saddle

We passed tabletop rock, found no breakfast and moved on. Photo by Derek Potter.

Kalihi Saddle

Glenn crabbing on the narrow and eroded ridge section.

Kalihi Saddle

Going up the first crumbly rock triangle. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Kalihi Saddle

Derek scrambling his way up.

Kalihi Saddle

Looking ahead to the second rock triangle.

Kalihi Saddle

The waiting game.

Kalihi Saddle

Where’d he go? Photo by Derek Potter.

Kalihi Saddle

Matt excused himself to the front of the line in order to recreate his bowel movement from our last hike up here. The only saving grace was that no Korean food was previously consumed like the last time.

Kalihi Saddle

Trying to stay downwind. Or should that be upwind? Photo by Derek Potter.

Kalihi Saddle

Lee and Derek barreling through the broken dirt wave.

Kalihi Saddle

We dropped below the ridgeline to contour around the narrow and crumbly sections.

Kalihi Saddle

Double shaka for me. Double hands on the rope for Lee, as she climbed up to the ridgeline. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Kalihi Saddle

Matt, Lee and Derek making their way along the crumbly and eroded ridgeline.

Kalihi Saddle

Primate hiking up the ridge. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Kalihi Saddle

Leaving all the hard parts behind us.

Kalihi Saddle

Pausing and taking in the refreshing views. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KSRT

Making our way to the clouded summit of Bowman.

Bowman Summit

The sitting group photo. I didn’t get the memo.

KSRT

Hiking in the clouds with only the highway noise to keep us company.

Tripler Toilet

When you gotta go, you gotta go. At least Matt brought his own TP.

Tripler Summit

Group photo by Matt Vidaurri, left to right: Derek, Lee, Glenn, myself and Matt.

KSRT

Traffic jam. Do you know where Stairway to Heaven is?

KSRT

I wanna go up there too!

KSRT

Go big or go home. Lee’s motto. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KSRT

Somebody must have been plucking the lehua flowers like crazy. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KSRT

Glenn almost passing out, I mean almost topping out at Pu’u Keahi a Kahoe.

KSRT

The trail to heaven was filled with mud, crowds and covered in clouds. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Haiku Stairs

We ran into Ryan Chang, Katie Ersbak and their friends at the top. Group photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Haiku Stairs

Let’s go hiking together. Text me. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Haiku Stairs

Glenn looking for a pot to piss in.

Moanalua Saddle

Leaving the CCL building behind us.

Moanalua Saddle

Looking across Haiku Valley at Stairway to Hell.

Moanalua Saddle

The back stairs are slowly succumbing to Mother Nature. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Moanalua Saddle

Glenn and Lee contouring around an eroded section.

Moanalua Saddle

Glenn perched on the eroded section, affording him a commanding view of the valley. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Moanalua Saddle

All clear?

Moanalua Saddle

Glenn making his way down as we noticed we were not alone on the saddle. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Moanalua Saddle

Derek making his way down to the Dirt Triangle.

Moanalua Saddle

I heard there is an active golf course in this area. Fore! Ouch! Photo by Derek Potter.

Moanalua Saddle

Lee making her way around the contour section with Moanalua Valley behind her.

Moanalua Saddle

Glenn leaving the Dirt Triangle behind him.

Moanalua Saddle

Is this the way to Haiku Stairs? The hard way. Ok, turning around.

Moanalua Saddle

Did somebody call rescue? Or a tour? Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Kulana’ahane Terminus

Panoramic view from the terminus by Matt Vidaurri.

Kulana’ahane Terminus

Leaving the summit to make our way down the spur ridge leading into the valley.

Moanalua Falls

We saw a trickle of a waterfall coming down the chute.

Kulana’ahane Trail

What? We’ve been hiking on unmaintained trails this whole time?

Kulana’ahane Trail

One of many stream crossings. The water was so clear. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Kulana’ahane Trail

Glenn and Lee making their way underneath the tangled thicket of hau tree branches.

Kulana’ahane Junction

Our last group photo.

Kamananui Valley Trail

Walking the long road out of the valley.

Kamananui Valley Trail

Lee crossing one of seven storied bridges that was built for the Damon family back in the day.

All pau

Walking out towards the sunset.

GPS Tracks

Great hike to start off the New Year with new and old friends. Our rollercoaster of a double saddle hike covered 10.76 miles. Post hike meal at Outback Steakhouse. Prime Rib, I have missed you.

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.