We spent Veteran’s Day weekend with veterans and non-veterans to help a friend finish the KST.

Jeep Road

Mahalo to Jimell and Mona for driving us up the road that was filled with cows and a solitary hiker.

Poamoho Trail

Stepping foot on what used to be known as the marsh trail until it was improved by the Civilian Conservations Corp in 1934 and renamed it to what it’s called today.

Poamoho Trail

The solitary hiker that we thought we had left in the dust on the jeep road soon caught up with us on the trail and passed us. Who is this guy?

Poamoho Trail

Crossing the small stagnant stream as we approached the windy grassy summit.

Poamoho Trail

We passed multiple Koolau Range lobelia whose tubular flowers were blooming.

Cline Memorial

No views at the summit so we started heading towards the cabin.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Traversing the boardwalk that was installed to limit the spread of invasive seeds to the mostly endemic area.

Poamoho Cabin

Pit stop at the oldest cabin on the KST for water and where we met up again with the hiker on the trail who turned out to be a cool guy named Eric. He was planning on hiking all the way to Manana but the inclement weather changed his mind.

KST

Using the trail that was blasted, chipped and dug out of the mountainside during the years of 1933-1936.

KST

Chico stepping through one of many gates on the trail that serves to allow passage to humans but not feral animals. Is there a difference?

KST

Traversing over one of many landslides on the trail that have long been weathered by footsteps and plant growth.

KST

Eric soon had his fill of the cloud soaked trail and turned back.

KST

The clouds were fighting with the views. The suspended water droplets were winning.

KST

Following the fence line that was installed to prevent feral ungulates from decimating the endemic fauna and flora.

KST

The Ko’olau Goose was receiving some unwanted or wanted attention.

KST

Looking ahead to the Waikane-Waiahole Junction.

KST

Life imitating art.

KST

The girls hugging the cliff as they made their way on the trail.

Schofield-Waikane Summit

We took lunch at the 2,360′ socked in clearing where we were denied views of the four undeveloped valleys. Rain, rain, go away. The nursery rhyme didn’t seem to work in the mountains.

KST

Chris pointing out the many false holes that pocketed the trail.

KST

Taking the high road as we split from the junction as the other trail drops down to Waikane Valley.

KST

Crossing over the well trodden landslide area.

KST

A snail on its last slimy trail? This particular unshelled gastropod was looking for a calcium fortress in all the wrong places.

KST

Contouring on the Leeward side of the mountain.

KST

Pushing through the corridor of congested uluhe ferns on the trail.

KST

Following the fence line down in the dark.

Tree of Life

Lack of daylight forced us to make camp in the wind blasted meadow that had everybody struggling to pitch their tents as the strong winds coupled with darkness pierced by our headlamps made a usual task extraordinary. On top of that, somehow my stake bag got lost and lucky I was camping with CB that had his knife and carved wooden stakes out of his hiking stick. To make matters more interesting, it started to rain on our parade as well which made us setting up our tents more urgent if we wanted to stay more dry than wet.

Tree of Life

Chico turned on his burner to stay warm and also added extra ventilation to his tent.

Tree of Life

Day 2 – Saturday November 11, 2023
Waking up the next morning to the illuminated lights from the central plain.

Tree of Life

Pictures with the vertical and horizontal Japanese Sugi Pine Trees. Yes that is a tree and not a bush behind us. We broke down camp as the winds persisted in keeping us company.

KST

It was a chore just to get out of the wind tunnel and back onto the trail. Any lighter and some of us would have been Mary Poppins.

KST

Walking on the trail that seemingly interrupted the flow of uluhe ferns that cascaded down the mountainside.

KST

Finally getting a break in the views.

KST

Approaching the small cut in the mountains.

KST

Passing the notch which I assume to be man-made much like the earlier notch after Poamoho.

KST

Dropping into the patch of Japanese Sugi Pine Trees under the shadow of Waiahole Summit.

KST

Walking amongst the moss covered red-cedar trees which are considered the national tree of Japan.

KST

We left Camp Rusty and climbed our way back to the ridge line.

Kipapa Summit

Where tomato becomes tomatoe. KST to KSRT.

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

The trail soon followed the ridge line instead of meandering throughout the mountains.

KSRT

Enjoying expansive views of the Windward coastline and valleys.

KSRT

Picking our way through the ankle biters, shin hitters and false holes on the trail.

KSRT

Crossing over with verdant views of the meadows, valleys and peaks.

Waiawa Gap

Taking a breather at the gated fence line.

Waiawa Gap

Descending into the gap.

Waiawa Gap

Climbing out of the gap.

KSRT

To bee or not to bee. The idea of whether is it better to live or to die. In this case for the honeybee, quite relevant.

KSRT

Mountain views for days.

KSRT

Back to our regularly scheduled program of hiking.

KSRT

I don’t know if I was giving the signal to land or to cook lunch. This was roughly the same spot where Doug Ross was plucked from the mountains and flown back to sea level.

KSRT

The hills had hills.

KSRT

Chris going through the tree tunnel and dropping off the ridge to the meadow below us.

The Corner

Much like salmon spawning, we went upstream to collect water from the creek.

The Corner

It was another deja vu moment as we all struggled to climb out of the wind swept meadow.

KSRT

Rounding the landmark ‘ohi’a tree. No plucking of the flowers, we don’t need any more rain on our parade.

KSRT

Descending down the ridge with the expansive overlook of the ancient ahupua’a, divisions of land which ranged from the mountain to the ocean, which was meant to sustain the local population and excess was for tribute.

KSRT

Passing the Windward views as we made our way to the final terminus on the trail.

Manana Summit

#20 – My customary champagne celebratory dousing of Aileen who had just finished her last section to put all the pieces together to complete all 52 miles of the Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST). Congratulations!

Manana Summit

Group photo at the 2,660′ knob. Chris made another pot of saimin which he shared with us at the top.

Manana Summit

Leaving the summit for what Stuart Ball calls “the best of the ungraded Ko’olau ridge trails.” I would have to respectfully disagree.

Manana Trail

Golden hour.

Manana Trail

Our last group photo as the sun slowly sank below the horizon, plunging the trail into darkness.

Manana Trail

Chico testing out the Uluhe bedding on the trail for potential camp spots.

Manana Trail

We interrupted a couple in their pitched tent on one of many false summits. I hope that’s all we interrupted.

All pau

We got out from the trail a little past midnight. Sorry that my banged up knee kept everybody up past their bedtime. Post hike meal was served on site from Teddy’s Burgers courtesy of Aida, Ferlino and Jasmin and a colony of feral cats. Congrats again to Aileen for finishing the KST and the group for another memorable hike that covered over 17 miles through the mountains.

Photos taken by Aileen Agustin, Chico Cantu, Chris Bautista, 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.

It was another deja vu camping hike for me this weekend. Thanks to Bill for taking Art, Katie, Tessa and myself up the Poamoho Jeep Road and for wishing us a dry day on the trail.

Trailhead

Starting off on the wet foot. Have rain jacket, will hike.

Poamoho Trail

Stepping foot on the mostly graded trail that was peppered with small landslides and blowdowns. Photo by Art Young.

Poamoho Trail

Sloshing through the muddy trail. Setting the tone for the weekend. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Cline Memorial

Art trying to figure out the mileage to our destination. Hint: It’s not listed. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Poamoho Summit

The views were noticeably absent on the wind blasted summit. Let’s take our photo anyway for posterity’s sake.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Making our way on the boardwalk, somebody probably wished the whole KST was laid out in this manner. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Poamoho Cabin

The reports of overcrowding were greatly exaggerated. Reservation place cards were on the four bunks. Honoring them was another question entirely.

KST

Our bladders and bottles topped off, we pushed off from the cabin to resume our hike on the Leeward side. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Art on the exposed trail and exposed views. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KST

Preparing to hike on a trail that was blasted and dug out of the mountains back in the 1930s. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Tessa passing through one of many meadows on this side of the mountains. Photo by Art Young.

Schizaea robusta

Art finally found his toothbrush fern in the wild after looking for many years. Now he just needed to find extremi longiores foris dentifricium to complete his search. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Hiking with views. Not a bad way to spend the weekend. Photo by Art Young.

Pauao Junction

Looking down into Kahana and her surrounding valleys.

KSRT

Traversing on the trail pitted with false holes and landslides. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Wrap around views of the spectacular scenery. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Ko’olau Goose

No feeding or petting of wild animals allowed. Some people are just born rebels. Photo by Art Young.

Schofield-Waikane Junction

At least we got views at this summit stop.

KST

Heading towards the fork in the trail. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

Tessa mistaking the marker for a resting pole. A common occurrence in the mountains. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Going uphill. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Katie traversing the well trodden landslide.

KST

The trail interrupting a line of native loulu palm trees running down the mountain. Photo by Art Young.

KST

If you look closely, you will find a couple gold earrings that was surrendered to the uluhell overgrowth. Finders keepers.

KST

Meandering our way through the contour trails. Photo by Art Young.

KST

One of many fence crossings that we went over on the trail. Photo by Art Young.

KST

Somebody was asking why can’t the entire trail be like this section. You can ask. Just don’t expect an answer.

KST

Dropping down towards the wind blasted meadows. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Tree of Life

To camp or not to camp? Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Tree of Life

Group photo with the horizontal leaning sugi pine tree. If we stayed any longer, we would be horizontal leaning as well.

Tree of Life

We had no wish to camp here, so we picked up and pressed on.

KST

Are we there yet?

KST

We are home! Photo by Katie Bingham.

KST

Is that somebody waving at us? Somebody that is 5’11” and orange?

Camp Rusty

Art demonstrating to Tessa that butane cans are our friends and not to be feared. What’s for dinner?

Camp Rusty

Our camp site for the night, nestled in the grove of sugi pine trees at the base of Waiahole. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Camp Rusty

The audio has been deleted to protect the innocent. Claims of partially obstructed breathing from the male side of the camp were dubiously made.

Camp Rusty

Cinja’s group came down from the mountains to crash our camp site. Group photo left to right: Art, Tessa, Katie, Tess, Somphet, myself, Cinja and Leslie.

Camp Rusty

The group heading towards Poamoho and an unfortunate date with rolling. And not rolling with laughter either.

KST

Back on the ridge line to see … well nothing.

Kipapa Summit

Art trying to be one with the sign. Lean more to the left. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

The cloudy start to our constant climbing for the day. Photo by Art Young.

Raindrops keep falling into my mouth

Why wait for the water, when the water comes to you? Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KSRT

The group making their way down to another meadow and one of my old camp sites.

KSRT

Passing through a landslide area that seems to be slowly being taken over by clumps of white lichen?

KSRT

The spiderwebs on the trail were catching nothing but dewdrops and our faces.

Waiawa Gap

Low clearance trees.

Waiawa Gap

Smile for the camera. Photo by Art Young.

Waiawa Gap

We quickly passed through the once bee infested ridge line to start our soggy hike up the hill. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KSRT

High clearance trees. Somebody lost their Garmin GPS in the general vicinity. Need another Garmin to locate the missing Garmin.

Lunch break

Time for some hot food and a hot belly. Both inside and outside. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Hitchhiker

Sorry, no free rides here. Photo by Katie Bingham

KSRT

The ridge line keeping the clouds at bay on the Windward side.

Allstate

Need a helping hand or just a good hand? Photo by Art Young.

KSRT

Katie crossing another meadow to stay on the ridge line.

KSRT

It appeared the ridge line was slowly breaking up and dissipating the clouds back into the atmosphere. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Broken Spectre

Only seen by the three of us, the person in the front just got to hear stories about it. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KSRT

Looking back at the mountainous terrain we had covered this past weekend. Photo by Katie Bingham.

KSRT

Going through the tree tunnel. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KSRT

Leaving the ridge line for the meadow with the running creek. Running did you say? Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Corner

Seeking water in stagnant pools.

Corner

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s our picture being taken!

Corner

Leaving the creek with our bags slightly heavier but content knowing we would not be dehydrated anytime soon.

KSRT

Art on his throne of mossy ohia trees.

KSRT

The group making their way around the tricky turn.

KSRT

Going down the ridge line. And back up. We should be used to it by now. Photo by Art Young.

KSRT

Reaching the summit of Manana. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

KSRT

The group ascending the ridge to join me at the 2,660′ knob.

Manana Summit

Katie tried to capture the steam coming off of Art’s overheated body, but only ended up photographing Tessa taking a selfie.

Manana Summit

Our last group photo of the day.

Manana Trail

Going up and down the 5.5 miles of roller coaster ridge line that can’t come to an end soon enough.

Manana Trail

Enjoying the views from the helipad. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

Manana Trail

A big shout out to Chris who met us at the picnic shelter with a bag of fried chicken and a cooler of cold carbonated Coke. Photo by Tessa Bugay.

All pau

Exiting the trail into the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and our ride home. Photo by Katie Bingham.

GPS Tracks

Our weekend camping hike covered 16.8 miles through rugged terrain and jaw dropping scenery when Mother Nature permitted them. Fun times with good friends. Thanks to Chris for taking us back to our cars. Post hike meal at Zippy’s. The nearby Popeyes was sorely tempting, but we just had chicken as our appetizer. Next stop was Zippy’s after all.

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.

I found myself in the company of Aida and Lilyn and back in the wild country of the Northern KST on Kamehameha Day. Not a bad way to spend the holiday. Maybe I spoke too soon.

Cattle crossing

Who needs a cattle dog when you have a Toyota 4Runner.

Trailhead

Thanks to Edgar for driving us up the jeep road and whose parting words were that he would check on our cars the next day. Little did we know how true his words would turn out to be. Photo by Edgar Gamiao.

Poamoho Trail

The summit looked clear and promising as we set foot on the graded and cleared trail.

Poamoho Trail

Stepping over a small blow down. Little did we know it was going to be a primer for bigger things down in the valley.

Poamoho Trail

Heading into the pea soup gulch. So much for the views at the top.

Cline Memorial

The winds were blowing something fierce at the summit and visibility was near zero. So we settled for our group shot at the somewhat sheltered spot. I should’ve wiped the condensation off the lens.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Aida and Lilyn making their way on the board walk.

Poamoho Cabin

No stop at the cabin today. Speed was of the essence today and not shelter. Photo by Aida Gordon.

KST

Seeking temporary refuge on the Leeward side from the battering winds. Photo by Aida Gordon.

KST

We got treated to magnificent vistas as we stepped foot on the “runway.” Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST

The girls leaving the last gate on the trail behind us.

Pauao Junction

Panoramic view of Kahana Valley and points beyond.

KST

Following the trail as it contoured and dropped below the ridge line. Photo by Aida Gordon.

KST

Misty mountains. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST

Lilyn crossing over one of many land slides on the trail. Photo by Aida Gordon.

Schofield-Waikane Junction

Group photo with Kahana Valley and all her peaks. I should’ve wiped the condensation off the lens. Slow learner.

KST

Lilyn coming around the sheltered side.

KST

Looking ahead to the junction. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

When the wind hits you in the face like a Chicago pizza pie.

KST

Crossing over one of the bigger land slides on the well trodden path. Photo by Aida Gordon.

KST

Hiking on the Leeward side offered a reprieve from the whipping winds but in exchange we had to deal with overgrowth and many false holes. Photo by Aida Gordon.

LifeCall

Spoke to soon? Somebody was saying something about false holes? Lilyn helping Aida get back on the trail.

KST

The bipolar weather followed us on the ridge line. Clear. Cloudy. Clear. But the gusting winds kept us company throughout the hike.

KST

Switching back to the Windward side. Photo by Aida Gordon.

KST

Psst. Over here. Navigating the twists and turns of the trail.

KST

Aida making her way on the Leeward side. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST

Why can’t the whole trail be like this? Then it wouldn’t be fun otherwise known in some circles as character building.

KST

Following the fence line down to the cloud soaked meadow. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Tree of Life

Capturing a rare moment when the backdrop views against the horizontal tree presented themselves. The condensation cleared up.

Tree of Life

The winds seemed to blow us every which way but up. The struggle was real.

KST

Passing through another grove of sugi pine trees.

KST

The girls passing through the notch which meant that we were close to the base of the summit. The cross over was finished, now we had no idea what lay in store for our descent. Surprises can be a good thing. Not on this hike.

KST

Climbing up to the summit I last visited over four years ago. I was in for a big surprise.

Waiahole Summit

The winds seemed to have picked up in intensity at the boggy summit. The condensation came back.

Waiahole Uka

The socked in summit, gale force winds and heavy overgrowth had me second guessing if we were on the right ridge. We eventually came across faded ribbons which gave us assurance. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Waiahole Uka

The clouds soon cleared revealing the lush and green Waiahole Valley. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Waiahole Uka

The overgrowth seemed to increase in density as we dropped in elevation. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Waiahole Uka

Lacking clearing tools, we had to use our body weight and appendages to force our way through the uluhe ferns and vines that masked the ridge and drop offs. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Waiahole Uka

Lilyn going down the second rope section.

Waiahole Uka

Vines served to impede further progress on the ridge. Just ask Aida.

Waiahole Uka

Last picture of the day before we got swallowed up by the head high uluhe ferns. We slid off the insanely overgrown ridge as darkness hit the valley floor. Lights on. It was a perfect storm of washed out trails, massive blow downs, and overgrowth as far as our headlamps could illuminate. We knew East was the way out, but our GPS kept returning mixed signals. Props to Lilyn for her dogged determination to find our way out as she had teeth to pull the next day. But the dragging time and the fact we were tired to the bone, took its toll so we eventually just took a nap on the trail itself until sunrise to shed some light on our way out.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed

We were awakened from our short slumber by the rising sun around 0530 and discovered that the trail was directly across us. Daylight can bring such clarity to the subject at hand.

Waiahole Valley

Passing underneath the tree that was both horizontal and vertical.

Waiahole Valley

Getting our feet wet.

Waiahole Valley

Now we can enjoy and appreciate the valley trail. Look at all these trees! And they’re not blocking the trail!

All pau

A big shout out to Quan who came and picked us up bearing gifts of KFC, hot and cold beverages and drove us back to Mililani to recover our cars where we met Edgar “self-fulfilling prophecy” Gamiao washing his car.

GPS Tracks

Our exhilarating and exhausting hike all rolled up into two days covered 13.7 miles through spectacular scenery (when it presented itself) and a descent down an insanely overgrown ridge and valley with an amazing bunch that never gave up. Now it was time for us to go to work on one hour of sleep.

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.

I decided to repeat a section of the KST that we had just done three weeks ago. With one difference, as I did not have company to share the misery this time around. Thanks to Anne for dropping me off.

Jeep Road

I’m just glad we were chasing the cow and not the other way around.

Trailhead

Mahalo to Edgar for driving me up the jeep road that saved me over five miles of wear and tear.

Welcome to Poamoho

I picked up my pace as the summit looked clear. I hope that I would not be subjected to Mother Nature’s bait and switch.

Poamoho Summit

The windy lookout did not fail to disappoint or deliver.

Poamoho Cabin

I stopped briefly at the weathered cabin to add my entry to the storied logbook and filled up my two liter bladder for the weekend.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

No matter how many times I’ve set foot on this trail, these views never get old.

Hiking Trail

Just missing the hiking stick.

Schofield-Waikane Summit

Soaking in another great scenic point with more ridges and peaks that you can shake a hiking stick at. Except I didn’t have a hiking stick.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

Passing over landslides, uneven terrain and false holes before taking the higher road.

Waianae Range

Leeward views of the Waianae Mountain Range etched against the background sky. Maybe I picked the wrong range to hike this weekend.

KST

Crossing back over to the Windward side.

Sugi Cedar Grove

Making my way down into the magical valley of moss covered evergreen trees that have been twisted and shaped by Mother Nature.

Tree of Life

I am not camping here again.

Waiahole Summit

Standing in the sheltered campsite with coils of rusted wire and cabin pieces at my feet.

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Back on the ridge line where the clouds had settled in for the night.

Campsite

My hopes for a scenic sunset were smothered in clouds, so I decided to call it a day and pitch my tent. Besides my eyes were already closed.

Waiawa Gap

Woke up on Veteran’s Day to find out that the clouds were still outside my tent. No sunrise views for me.

Waiawa Dip

Losing hundreds of feet in elevation resulted in me getting below the clouds and enjoying some valley and coastal views.

Waiawa Gap

I made a hurried climb up the ridge to avoid another stinging experience and escaped unscathed.

Uluhell

It’s frustrating how the overgrowth just bounces back no matter how many hikers have trampled through these trails. In some circles, it’s called character building.

Eleao Windward

Looking down at the cloud wrapped windward ridge, one of the hardest hikes I have experienced to date.

Manana Summit

White out conditions persisted upon reaching the hilltop at 1045. Early lunch.

Eleao Meadows

Passing this hardy specimen of the trematolobelia singularis on the verge of flowering.

KSRT

Working my way out of the meadows and avoiding the fenced spur ridge, where I reconnected back to the ridge line that exposed the lush green fluted flanks of the mountain.

KSRT

I soon passed the landslide and found myself descending down to the summit.

Waimano Summit

Backdrop of Waihe’e Valley bottled up by the sister ridges of Eleao and Kalahuku.

Waimano Trail

Putting my head down, I just went on auto pilot and hiked down the overgrown 7.5 mile trail. This trail has failed to grow on me. In fact, I mentally noted to bypass this trail on future cross-overs.

All pau

A big thanks to Aida for picking me up after her hike and bringing me a lemonade flavored with cucumber, apple mint and carrot. It’s the thought that counts.

GPS Tracks

My two day hike covered 20.33 miles through the wild back country of the Northern KST. Post hike meal at Outback Steakhouse. I came for the food and stayed for the service.

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 Analyn, Anne, Chris, Kip and Yoly to see Ferlino through the finish line for his Ko’olau Summit Trail completion. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Paala Uka Pupukea Road

Thanks to Jasmin for dropping us off and Lopaka for driving our group up the jeep road. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Where’s the beef?

Separation of ungulates and mammals. Let’s keep it that way. We wouldn’t want any inter-fencing. Photo by Anne Fai.

Off-roading

Three in the back, four in the front. That’s how we roll. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Trailhead

Heading into the weekend.

Poamoho Trail

Everybody was doing something at the halfway point. Bench warming, shoe lace tying, bathroom break and photo taker.

Poamoho Stream

Anne and Kip crossing the trickling stream that was within ten minutes of the summit. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Poamoho Summit

Everybody enjoying what many claim are the best views on the island. No argument here.

Cline Memorial

Enjoyment time started to exceed expectation time, as we still had 4.9 miles to cover before setting up camp or so we thought.

Boardwalk

Walking on the 300′ section of elevated footpath built to prevent the invasive spread of unwanted seeds.

Lobelia

The multiple flower stalks extending from the base were not quite ready to flower. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Poamoho Trail

Getting our feet wet as we made our way up the trail filled with pockets of muddy water. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Poamoho Cabin

Our stay at the storied cabin was short and sweet. I once read that the old cabin used to have a wood burning stove, too bad the present cabin can’t say the same.

Bathroom humor

When Nutella goes bad.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Looking back at Pu’u Ohulehule in the background.

KST

Enjoying the scenic stretch of the trail with expansive and exquisite views of the Windward side.

KST

Walking on the “sidewalk” of a trail, which I understand once measured four feet wide when it was originally built in the 1930’s. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Notch

When your progress is temporarily halted and you become an unintentional photobomber. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

Passing one of many windswept meadows that populate the mountains.

KST

Hugging the carved trail that followed the ridge line. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Pauao Junction

Yoly sitting at the 2,680′ spur ridge terminus that drops down into Kahana Valley. Photo by Ferlino Carinio

KST

The trail soon became uneven and interrupted with landslides and false holes.

KST

Ferlino and Yoly passing by one of many native palm trees with their corrugated fan leaves.

Schofield-Waikane Junction

Our four valley views of Kahana, Ka’a’awa, Hakipu’u and Waikane from the 2,360′ open grassy spot.

Schofield-Waikane Junction

We met Arnold at the junction who was doing an out and back hike on the rugged and overgrown 12 mile Schofield-Waikane Trail.

Schofield-Waikane Junction

Leaving the original terminus of the Ko’olau Summit Project. Photo by Arnold Yago.

Rainbow

Catching the reflection and refraction of light in the water droplets below us. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

Chris approaching the trail that soon split into two paths.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

Taking the higher trail lest we end up in the valley.

KST

Chris hiking through the cloud soaked trail.

Landslide

Crossing over the unstable slope that is still surprisingly sparse of vegetation from over two years ago. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Trail Candy

Anne harvested the immature fruits with the chewy center before the rats ate them all.

Carved Rock

Chris passing the rock that bears the initials of previous hikers.

KST

Making our way on the exposed Windward ridge before crossing over to the sheltered Leeward side.

Trail meeting

We met another group hiking from Manana, that were also helping a friend to finish the KST as well. Group photo left to right: Ferlino, Chris, myself, Yoly, Analyn, Tanya, Audrey and Stacy. Photo by Ferlino Carinio

Fence Junction

Stepping over the fence line as the trail twisted and turned in the misty mountains.

KST

Hiking through the Leeward side of the mountain that protected us from the biting wind but not the congested overgrowth and hanging clouds.

KST

Chris passing a weathered tree whose stunted and gnarled branches added texture and character to the trail.

KST

Following the fence down the slippery slope.

Tree of Life

We arrived at the Tree of Life pass where the horizontal Sugi Cedar was still alive and well, as they can live for more than 500 years.

Camp Site B

Daylight hours were dwindling and rain was in the air, so we decided to call it a day and set up camp. Photo by Anne Fai.

Camp Site B

Is that a bivvy bag or a tent? Photo by Anne Fai.

Dinner

The steady rain kept us isolated in our tents as we ate our supper and turned in for the night. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Camp Site B

Waking up to the earthy smell left by the overnight rain showers. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Tree of Life

Doing our morning calisthenics to get the blood flowing.

PDA

Get a tent already.

City&County

Analyn getting pointers on how to properly pitch a tent.

KST

Leaving the dew dropped pass as we had a lot of ground to cover for today. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Selfie Stick Junction

Just missing the camera. Photo by Anne Fai.

KST

Chris crossing the trail that interrupted the cascading uluhe ferns.

KST

Anne coming around the man-made notch in the trail.

KST

Chris below the summit of Waiahole.

KST

Forest bathing in the grove of Japanese sugi cedar trees planted back in 1935. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Climbing our way above the tree line and clouds. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Kipapa Summit

Chris passing the 2,786′ summit that was once home to Uncle Tom’s Cabin circa 1927.

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Traversing on top of the ridge line and dealing with the knee to waist high overgrowth and that banged and scratched our lower extremities.

Mud Slide

Anne letting her butt do the sliding.

KSRT

Trying to stay on the trail becomes a bit tricky when the mountains close off your views.

DoubleShot Mocha

When you have to reverse hog-tie a person to get them to take their caffeinated drink. Photo by Anne Fai.

Land Navigation

We found a map! Who knows how to read one?

Waiawa Gap

Big ups … Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Waiawa Gap

… and downs.

Waiawa Gap

Making my way down to the middle of the gap. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Waiawa Gap

Trying in vain to gather everybody for a group photo at the 2,100′ dip. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Waiawa Gap

Climbing our way out of the gap, where we must have disturbed a beehive as Analyn, Anne and myself got stung multiple times. The rest of the group escaped unscathed.

Waiawa Gap

Ferlino making his way up through the stand of palm trees. Photo by Anne Fai.

Waiawa Gap

Climbing up the mountain where our shoes left divots in the soft and spongy ground. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

KSRT

Our sheltered break spot was marked with solitary sulking, pissing in the wind and hunkering down from the cold wind. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KSRT

Climbing up more hills as we passed countless false summits.

KSRT

Taking another break as dictated by the hills and weather. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KSRT

Making our way down to another meadow in the mountains. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KSRT

Is it too much to ask for a view every now and then?

The Corner

Kip making his way down to dip into the isolated pockets of stagnant water for possible future hydration.

The Corner

Got pakalolo?

The Corner

Leaving the trickling creek in the corner. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KSRT

Winding our way through the bog like terrain as the trail turned counter-intuitive.

KSRT

Rounding the massive ohia tree.

KSRT

Back on the ridge line.

KSRT

Are we there yet?

Manana Summit

Relationship goals at the 2,660′ knob. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KSRT

Leaving the sound of music summit.

Eleao Meadows

We discovered stacks of fences in the meadows at the 2,654′ summit. A sign of the irreversible march along the Ko’olau’s.

KSRT

Trampoline time. Photo by Anne Fai.

KSRT

The fence distracted us into continuing down the spur ridge.

KSRT

Back on the ridge trail.

KSRT

The clouds temporarily lifted to reveal the fluted mountain range ahead of us. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

KSRT

False summit after false summit constantly mocked us as we made our way on the roller coaster ridge.

KSRT

Natural illumination was soon replaced with artificial illumination. I preferred to train my night vision for the upcoming holiday hike.

Night Marchers

A couple humps later and then the semi-recognizable landslide marked our descent into the saddle. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Waimano Summit

Champagne congratulations to Ferlino for completing his last section he needed to finish the Ko’olau Summit Trail in its entirety. Photo by Analyn Baliscao.

Waimano Summit

Give me your tired, your soaked, your huddled masses yearning to go home.

Waimano Trail

Once the alcohol tinged celebration wore off, we left the 2,160′ summit as we made our way down the dark and overgrown trail. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Waimano Trail

Going down the seemingly never ending 7.5 mile trail that were populated with irrigation tunnels, minor rock obstacles, a picnic shed and overgrowth. The miles did not melt away fast enough. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

All pau

A big thanks to Jasmin for patiently waiting for our exit from the trail with boxes of cold chicken, pizza and soda. Photo by Chris Bautista.

GPS Tracks

Our two day turned three day hike covered 20.33 miles through rugged terrain and harsh weather made bearable by good company and intermittent views. Congratulations again to Ferlino for finishing the KST.

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.

Decided to combine a family friendly hike with a hike to a Windward Valley today. Of course, the family didn’t show up.

Poamoho Road

We arrived in the central valley to find out that the parking next to the road is now blocked off. Glenn had to drive into town to park somewhere that was not chronic friendly and Brian ferried him back to the road. Somebody was muttering that it was my turn to watch Glenn. I didn’t get the memo.

Cow Safari

Bouncing up the road, we scattered assorted sizes of domesticated ungulates that stampeded back into the barbed wire bushes. Thankfully they were not exercising their “stand your ground” laws like on past visits.

Landscaping

Ferlino was going to town whacking off the protruding branches. This is not your back yard

Trailhead

Thanks to RJ for dropping us off at the trailhead, sorry about your truck bottoming out on several spots. Group photo left to right: Aaron, Ferlino, Naomi, Brian, Glenn, myself, Lopaka, Dale, Sean, Analyn, Anne and Chris.

Poamoho Trail

Heading off on the graded trail as the summit in the distance looked somewhat promising for spectacular views.

Poamoho Trail

The distinction between maintained and unmaintained has become somewhat blurred over the passing years due to recent trail maintenance.

Poamoho Trail

Meeting up with the fence as the clouds started to roll in at the top. Looking a lot less promising. Photo by Anne Fai.

Poamoho Trail

Analyn and Anne heading into the gulch, where the now socked in summit was a mere 15 minutes away! Photo by Sean Bingham

Cline Memorial

Seeking temporary shelter from the battering rain and wind. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Poamoho Summit

Our soggy group photo by Ferlino Carinio at the no view summit.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Board walking our way to the cabin. Photo by Chris Bautista

KST

Fencing our way to the cabin.

Poamoho Cabin

Our temporary respite from the rain showers that were sweeping the Ko’olau Mountains.

Cheap Eats

What stays at the cabin, gets eaten at the cabin. Thanks to Analyn, Anne, Chris and Ferlino for bringing the grinds and drinks. All that were missing was Guy Hagi and Augie T.

Poamoho Cabin

Our last group photo together as Aaron, Brian, Glenn and Naomi returned back down the Poamoho trail. Photo by Ferlino Carinio

KST

Setting foot on the trail mainly built for pig hunters to access the mountains.

KST

Anne jumping for joy at the gate that briefly detoured to the Leeward side. Photo by Chris Bautista

KST

Contouring on the carved trail through a copse of native loulu palm trees. Photo by Chris Bautista

Pauao Junction

Pausing briefly at the junction that goes steeply down into Kahana Valley.

KST

Looking back at the backdrop of Kahana and Ka’a’awa Valleys.

KST

The trail slowly lost some elevation as we hiked on the flank of the Ko’olau Mountain Range.

KST

We saw several of these lobelia gaudichaudii? on the lower slopes of the trail. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

Gaining back some of that elevation. Photo by Sean Bingham.

KST

Looking back as we soon met up with the fence against the backdrop of the cloud suspended valley views. Photo by Lopaka Hipperson.

KST

Hikers can thank the hard work of the Civilian Conservation Corps that built these trails back in the 1930’s that we still use to this day. Photo by Lopaka Hipperson.

KST

Anne about to round the bend in the fenced trail.

KST

Well, we have been hiking a little more than four hours, so perhaps it’s time to see a doctor. Perhaps he can also prescribe something for that green moss at the tip. Photo by Sean Bingham

KST

A pink ribbon on the hiking sign. Double reinforcement.

KST

Chris and Dale coming around the bend in the trail. Photo by Sean Bingham

KST

Following the trail to the next junction. Photo by Chris Bautista

Schofield-Waikane Junction

Dale fleeing from a highly invasive species that we ran across on the KST. Don’t worry Dale, he could barely get it up. Photo by Sean Bingham

Schofield-Waikane Junction

Say Orange Peel. For some, it was more than a mouthful than they could handle.

KST

Our last fleeting valley views …

KST

… before resuming our hike into the clouds.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

Leaving the Ko’olau Summit Trail, where …

KST

… the trail soon took on a more noticeably overgrown nature. Photo by Sean Bingham

Waikane Trail

Crossing over one of the major landslides that constantly changes the trails out here.

Waikane Trail

Passing through hanging tree roots dripping with condensation.

Waikane Trail

Making our way over another major landslide. Photo by Sean Bingham

Waikane Trail

White capped mushrooms on a bed of sea green moss. Sounds like something off a menu. Now I’m hungry.

Waikane Trail

Going over another smaller landslide. Photo by Anne Fai

Waikane Trail

Picking our way through several blow downs that made us lose the trail temporarily.

Waikane Valley

Crossing the gushing Waikane Stream that once fed taro terraces.

Waikane Valley

Passing underneath another blow down.

Waikane Valley

Chris, Dale and Sean went off the beaten trail to investigate the source of the rushing water and were rewarded with this waterfall. Photo by Dale Yoshizu

Waikane Valley

Looking for pigs in all the wrong places.

Waikane Valley

How many ways can you say danger? Apparently four on this trail. The military’s legacy to this valley that condemned hundreds of acres of land due to unexploded munitions that lie scattered in the terrain.

All pau

Shake a tree and catch a papaya. Mahalo to Ritchie for picking us up in the neighborhood of barking dogs. Photo by Anne Fai

GPS Tracks

Our fun group outing covered 11.6 miles through ridges, valleys and cloud and rain soaked views; excluding the six-mile road. Post hike meal at Chao Phya Thai where the salmon melts in your mouth.

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.

It was time for another camping weekend. I’m glad we didn’t listen to the weather forecast of rain and gloom. Met up with Chris, Ethan and Shirley in the wee hours of the morning. Somebody needed more packing time. That’s why it pays to start early. Have to adjust for Hawaiian time.

Poamoho Road

Thanks to Ethan’s friend, Kevin, for giving us a ride. Shirley trying to shed some light on the lock. Not very successful I might add. Photo by Chris.

Poamoho Road

We ran across this fool who thought he could outrun a Tacoma. Photo by Shirley.

Trailhead

Group photo left to right: Shirley, Ethan, myself and Chris.

Poamoho Trail

We shouldered our packs, some heavier than others, and began making our way on the mostly graded trail.

Poamoho Trail

Synchronized photo taking of the Waianae Mountain Range.

Helemano Stream

Looking down at the longest stream on the island and clear summits in the distance.

Poamoho Trail

Enjoying the maintained trail before it ends. Photo by Ethan Clavecillas.

Poamoho Trail

Pausing before we start hiking on the un-maintained trail. Fraught with overgrowth, uneven terrain and …

Poamoho Trail

… fence lines.

Poamoho Trail

Chris and Shirley crossing over the landslide section of the trail.

Clines Memorial

Shirley getting the contrast, exposure, framing, and lighting just right. Otherwise Chris may come out darky.

Poamoho Summit

Group photo by Chris at the 2,520′ summit, that overlooks Punalu’u and Kahana Valleys.

Koolau Summit Trail (KST)

We took our leave of the summit and made our way to the cabin.

Koolau Summit Trail (KST)

Passing the Private (PVT) junction. No cover. No salute.

Koolau Summit Trail (KST)

Shirley weeping with joy after seeing her first cabin on the KST or maybe she was just wiping her snot. I don’t recall.

Koolau Summit Trail (KST)

The trail briefly popped back onto the Windward side, affording more Jurassic views of the valley.

Koolau Summit Trail (KST)

Morning dew drops on the ubiquitous uki grass. Photo by Shirley.

Poamoho Cabin

The fence workers had gone home for the weekend. We had the cabin all to ourselves and the other 25 hikers coming up the trail.

Poamoho Cabin

What happens at the cabin, stays at the cabin. Choosy hikers choose JIF.

KST

Following the fence on the Leeward side until we …

KST

… temporarily lost the fence and crossed over to the stunning Windward side of the trail.

KST

Looking back at the contoured trail carved into the side of the mountain. Photo by Chris.

KST

Making our way towards the man-made notch.

KST

Shirley passing through the last fenced gate on the trail. For now. Photo by Chris.

Pauao Junction

Chris looking into the valley. So many ridges and saddles to explore. Photo by Shirley.

KST

The fence workers have been busy.

KST

Panoramic view.

KST

Enjoying the cleared and relatively wide open fenced trail for now. Photo by Chris.

KST

The fence soon left the KST again and continued to follow the ridgeline above us.

IG Photo bombers

We just want our 15 minutes of social media fame too!

Schofield-Waikane Junction

Somebody needs to get with the program.

KST

We left the junction to resume our hike on the windswept ridgeline.

KST

Shirley plowing through the thick brush on the Leeward side.

KST

We contoured back to the ridgeline and saw the Waikane-Waiahole junction ahead of us.

Waikane-Waiahole Junction

One leads to the valley. One leads to the mountains.

KST

Chris taking the higher road.

KST

Making our way through the convoluted topography of the Northern Ko’olaus. Photo by Chris.

KST

We were blessed with an overcast day tempered with gentle winds on our hike.

KST

Passing “HMK’s” rock. Which begs the question. Who is HMK?

Waianae Mountain Range

Looking out towards the West side. Both ranges had clear views.

KST

Panoramic view of the rotating view of the valley as we continued to traverse the KST.

KST

A serendipitous encounter with two fellow hikers on the trail, Cisco and Justin. Congratulations to Cisco for completing the Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST) today. Photo by Ethan Clavecillas.

KST

Back on the ridgeline, not for long, as we contoured to the Leeward side.

KST

Build the fences and they will climb over them.

KST

The “rolling hills” of the Northern Ko’olaus have a different and distinct flavor than the trails found on the Southern end of the mountain range.

KST

The fence continued to follow the ridgeline, while we followed the trail that contoured below it.

KST

We regained the fenced ridgeline and followed it down …

Meadow

… and dropped into the inviting meadow that usually funnels the air currents, inducing a wind tunnel effect on past visits. No such conditions today.

Meadow

Meadow life. Failed headstands. Photobombers. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Chilling with Kikaida.

Meadow

Tree huggers.

Meadow

Leaving the meadow to gain the contour trail. Photo by Ethan Clavecillas.

KST

Shirley crossing over the Selfie Stick Junction. I guess we are going to be here for awhile.

KST

Passing through a cascading carpet of uluhe ferns.

KST

Shirley making her way to the notch. IG photo shoot time.

KST

Mountain yoga. One was more successful than the other.

Campsite

We decided to camp for the night between the summits of Kipapa and Waiahole, nestled and sheltered amongst the Sugi pine tree grove.

Campsite

Camp life. Pitching our tents on the rusted remains of the army cabin. Watching sunbeams shooting through the Waianae Mountains. Eating reconstituted meals and drinking hot coffee. Glow sticking without the ecstasy. Not a bad way to end the day.

Campsite

Honey whiskey and Tylenol makes the tent go round and round and facilitates drunk ranting and texting. Farting and snoring cut through the rustling wind and pelting rain showers throughout the night. Somebody had earplugs. Somebody wished they had earplugs.

Campsite

Good morning from the Ko’olaus. Hot coffee, steaming pho and pop tarts for breakfast. Flooded tent. Somebody needed a demonstration on how to tie her shoelaces. Early morning bowel movement. Pushing and pulling Chris’s tent. Does this look wrong in any way?

KST

Making our way out of the Sugi pine tree grove.

KST

Crossing a narrow ravine to get up the ridge.

KST

Our sunrise for the morning. We couldn’t catch it from the campsite due to the early morning rain. I’m glad the rain went away for our hike.

KST

Climbing out of the campsite.

Kipapa Summit

Group photo at the windswept 2,786′ summit.

KSRT

We transitioned from the Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST) to the Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT) after passing the Kipapa Summit.

KSRT

Ethan checking out the views.

KSRT

Checking out a ridge for a future hike.

KSRT

Making our way to the Waiawa Gap.

Waiawa Gap

Descending into the heavily overgrown gap.

Waiawa Gap

Group photo in the notch. Somebody had to mark their territory.

Waiawa Gap

Climbing out of the gap.

KSRT

Grams equals Ounces. Ounces equal Pounds. Pounds equals Pain. A lesson that Shirley would take to heart and her lower back as well. Photo by Ethan Clavecillas.

KSRT

The glove junction with the summit of Waiahole behind us. Photo by Chris.

KSRT

The weather forecast got something right. The winds were blowing hard on the ridgeline.

KSRT

Enjoying a relatively flat lull between the hilly ridge.

KSRT

Crossing over from the ridgeline. Photo by Ethan Clavecillas.

KSRT

Stopping at the scenic spot for a pic … Photo by Shirley.

KSRT

… and assisted bowel movement.

KSRT

Are we there yet?

KSRT

We dropped down into this meadow and found a surprising flowing stream. Somewhat of a trickle, but enough to refill our water supply.

KSRT

Hot coffee and pho in the meadow. Life was good. Photo by Chris.

KST

Leaving our last meadow on the hike.

KSRT

Tree hugger. Photo by Shirley.

KSRT

Looking at the twin “sisters” of Eleao Windward and Kalahaku Teeth that borders Waihee Valley.

KSRT

Almost there.

Manana Summit

Triple views ranging from Kahana Valley to Makapu’u at the 2,660′ summit.

Manana Summit

The “face” of Manana. Photo by Shirley.

Manana Trail

We still had to hike down close to six miles of the ungraded roller coasting ridge.

Manana Trail

Looking back at the Ko’olau Mountain Range and the points we had traversed. Ethan was speeding down the trail to take a shower. Chris was flapping around like Superman. Shirley was making her story. I was just plum tired.

Manana Trail

Lady in the tree.

Manana Trail

Racing the sun down to the bottom. The sun would win.

Manana Trail

Too tired to rest on the bench.

All pau

Sunset silhouettes. We made it back to our cars under the cover of twilight.

GPS Tracks

Our two day fun filled hike covered almost 20 miles with awesome adventure buddies. It was one of my best camping hikes. Blessed with good weather and company. Post hike meal at Buzz’s Original Steakhouse. Unlimited soda and soup. Not a bad deal.

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.