Rain clouds forced us out of Kahana Valley to Plan B.

Trailhead

Chris, Dale and myself drove to the top of Wilhelmina Rise for our Plan B hike.

Mau’umae Trail

Walking up the corridor that was flanked by the Board of Water Supply and unfinished business.

Mau’umae Trail

Chris and Dale making their way down the open ridge. We can’t see the mountain for the clouds.

Mau’umae Trail

Never hike alone. Good advice from an inanimate object.

Mau’umae Trail

Chris and myself coming down one of several rocky sections. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Mau’umae Trail

Chris and Dale giving their quadriceps a workout.

Mau’umae Trail

City views. Just when we thought we left the rain behind us. It hit us like an old wet sock.

Mau’umae Trail

Chris and Dale headed towards the Captain Morgan tree stump.

Mau’umae Trail

Looking at the third waterfall spilling down from Ka’au Crater.

Mau’umae Trail

The last muddy push to the socked in summit.

Kainawa’au Summit

Group photo left to right: myself, Dale and Chris before the clouds snatched our view away.

KSRT

Chris and Dale hiking the short traverse on the Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail.

KSRT

Windward views on the left. Your right. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

KSRT

Chris and Dale approaching Lanipo Summit.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Time to hike a new ridge. Thanks to Troy for the beta on this trail.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Serious bushwhacking ahead. Where’s that machete when you need one?

Wiliwili Nui Ridge

So close, yet so far.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Faded ribbons marked the abandoned HTMC trail, which has completely surrendered back to nature.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Chris ducking under one of many fallen trees on the trail.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Offspring of the Kahana Valley dragon.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Sea of uluhell.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Looking back at the now clear Ko’olau Mountains. The cruel irony. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Waialae Nui Ridge

Rock of Chris. Chris on the Rock. Chris Rock. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Waialae Nui Ridge

The trail soon opened that lead us to a …

Waialae Nui Ridge

… water tank. Dead end. We were not part of the Millionaire’s Club.

Waialae Nui Ridge

We scooted and scrambled our way down the ridge through the brittle, rotten trees and loose rocks.

Waialae Nui Ridge

A little waterfall fed by the stream. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Waialae Nui Ridge

We threaded our way through the tree lined embankment, looking for a place to cross the stream.

Waialae Nui Ridge

The punishing cardio climb up the spur ridge towards the top to connect us back to Mau’umae Ridge Trail.

Mau’umae Trail

We were all tired and exhilarated upon reaching the top. Are we there yet?

Mau’umae Trail

Sun setting. Time to finish this hike. Photo by Dale Yoshizu.

Mau’umae Trail

Connected the ridges.

All pau

Heading back to our cars. I was glad the day and hike were almost over. What a day.

GPS Tracks

Our loop ridge hike covered 8.68 miles of bushwhacking and cardio hiking. Post hike meal at Big City Dinner. Well, at least for the two of us. One got lost and went home. Time to feed the dog.

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.