I had a free week off in between jobs, so I visited my parents on the Big Island and squeezed in a couple of fun hikes.

Kaumana Caves

My first stop was Kaumana Caves which is a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Hilo.  The place has a sheltered picnic table, restrooms and drinking water. All the comforts a hiker can ask for.

Watch your step

Steep stairs descended into a mini-rain forest sprouting out of the breach of a 25 mile long lava tube that was created by an 1881 lava flow from Mauna Loa.

The right cave

I explored the smaller cave opening to the right side first.

Come to the dark side

Making my way down into the cave, the light soon left me, to be replaced by total darkness. Pitch black. Not a speck of light. Except for my headlamp.  

Got light?

The cave narrowed considerably at times, forcing me to duck and even crawl on all fours. I bumped my head more than once. On the solid lava ceiling. Ouch. 

Drip. drip. drip.

The constant dripping of water was my only company on this hike. Lava stalactites that were formed during the 1881 lava flow.

Grafitti!

Grafitti in the cave. Didn’t see no petroglyphs. Lighting was a problem. After stumbling in the semi-darkness for half an hour, I turned around.

The batcave!

I made my way to the larger cave opening on the left side.

Going down the rabbit hole

Appearances can be deceiving. The larger opening lead to a smaller opening.

Crawling is mandatory

I crawled under a ledge to start my second cave exploration.

Follow the lava tube

It was cool, literally, to be inside a pitch black lava tube, with only a headlamp to help navigate. It’s not just a hike, it’s an adventure.

Left or right?

Unlike the cave on the right, this one had sections with ceilings that looked at least 40′ high and even split lava tubes.

Time to turn back

Soon the cave floor became a maze of jagged and jumbled lava rocks, time for me to turn around. One could probably make a day of exploring the entire length of the caves in both directions. Just make sure you have backup on top of backup lights. Without lights, it would not be safe and fun getting out of there.

No rainbow?

I drove down the road to Wailuku River State Park for the easiest hike to a waterfall yet. Can’t even call it a hike. You park and Rainbow Falls is there, literally. No rainbows were present but at least the falls were gushing. Sometimes Mother Nature turns the waterfalls off due to lack of rain.  

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is also known as Waianuenue in Hawaiian. There is a trail by the sign that will take you to the top of the falls.

Wailuku River

There are another set of falls further upstream, known as Peepee Falls which feeds the famous pools known as Boiling Pots. Another hike for another day.

Top of the falls

Checking out the 80 foot drop. Now it was off to have an early dinner with my parents at Lava Rock Café. Try their Southern Fried Chicken. Tasty.

My triple dose of hiking fun started at 3am, even the chickens were sleeping. I met up with Chris and Jasmin as we took advantage of the full moon’s illumination as made our way up Le’ahi.  

City lights

The skies were clear enough to see past the neon glow of Waikiki and reached out all the way to the Waianae Mountain Range.

Town lights

Rivers of light poured down from the Ko’olau Mountain Range. Reminded me of the Electric Parade at Disneyland for some reason.

East Oahu lights

Picking out Koko Crater and Koko Head in the distance. We could even see Maui. Wow!

Full moon

The streak of light is actually an airplane that was caught in my long exposure shot.

Best seats in the house

I’ll say it again, a 30 second timer does wonders, especially when you’re running back to the pillbox in the dark.

Sunrise

The moment everybody was waiting for.

Fish eye view of Waikiki

Group picture time.

Fish eye view of the crater

Another one.

Standing room only

After enjoying the sunrise and taking lots of pictures, we merged with the crowds going down the trail. Talk about a mass of humanity. Sheesh. That’s why I like to hike the trails less trampled. After we followed the stream of people leaving the crater, we ambled over to the KCC Farmers Market to grab a bite or two to eat. I highly recommend the Kona BBQ Abalone and Hamakua Mushroom Fries, to be washed down by a Pineapple Coconut Smoothie. Your taste buds will thank you.

Visitors welcome?

Drove back home and dozed off to the idiot box at home. A couple hours later, Chris texted me about joining David’s hike to Hamama Falls. Sluggish and sleepy, I hopped into my car and met Chris and his niece at the end of Waihe’e Road in Kahaluu. We made our way through the rather large opening on the left side of the fence to start my second hike of the day.

A nice walk through the forest

The flat gravel road winds its way through the lush tropical forest of Waihe’e Valley. Chris pointed out numerous side trails that supposedly lead to the extreme hike known as Kalahaku Teeth. Another hike for another day.

Swimming hole

We left Chris’s niece at this popular local watering hole on the way to the falls. I heard there are little fishes in the water that will nibble at your dead skin. Who needs those fancy nail salons?

Hamama Falls

The gravel road became more of an incline towards the end as we arrived at the falls to meet up with David and his friend, Phillip. David said these falls are always flowing, whether it’s rain or shine.

Tap water anyone?

Chris said on his last hike up here, another hiker had a faucet spigot that he attached to one of these water pipes in front of the falls. Talk about drinking directly from the source!

Down the banyan tree grove

Chris took his leave of us as he had to return back to the swimming hole to collect his niece. I joined David and Phillip for my third hike of the day, a side trip to Waihe’e Falls. We went back down the gravel road until we came upon a large banyan tree and made our way down to the stream and crossed over to the bank to pick up the ribboned trail.

Upstream

As we made our way to the falls, Phillip pointed out the numerous mamaki plants growing on the trail. Hawaiians boil it in water to make tea. We had the plants and the water, just no container and heat source.

Waihe’e Falls

The falls were raging compared to Hamama.

Trying not to get wet

Phillip and David decided to climb up the waterfall. I was tired from being up all night and stayed put at the bottom of the falls, enjoying the misty waters.

GPS Tracks

The 4.05 mile hike capped off a long fun filled day that started with enjoying the night lights and ended with two waterfalls. What more could a hiker ask for? I know, a nice steak and lobster dinner at Ruby Tuesdays!

I’ve visited Japan 16 times but had never gotten around to climbing the iconic symbol of Japan – Mount Fuji. 17th time was the charm. Rewind seven month earlier as my wife, Mari, planned everything from the gear rental, hotel and hut reservations and bus rides down to the last detail. Details such as getting canned oxygen (never used) and oxygen tablets to give one an extra boost of oxygen at the higher altitudes (only Mari took these). Just before our trip to Japan, we learned that UNESCO had bestowed World Heritage status on Mount Fuji. Great for Japan. Bad for us – crowds. Getting off the two hour bus ride from Shinjuku, we arrived halfway up Mount Fuji at the Kawaguchiko 5th Station. Crowds of day tourists, students and hikers were milling around. A lot of students and day tourists just go to the 5th station to gawk and say they went to Mount Fuji and get back on their bus. Mount Fuji’s summit was covered in clouds. The weather report had predicted rain for today. Too late to cancel our plans, it was Fuji or bust! I just prayed that the weather reporter was related to Guy Hagi. The air at 7,562 feet did not seem thin to me at all, but it’s recommended to acclimate yourself for an hour before hiking. So we bought a $5 hiking stick, paid 50 cents to use the toilet and looked at the various tourist trinkets until it was time to go.

Ride or walk?

We pushed off from the trailhead at 10:45AM as we joined others making the climb and returning from the summit. Mari walking next to a horse drawn cart, that will take one all the way to the 7th station for a small fee. Climbing season runs from July to August. I was pleasantly surprised to find the trails not as crowded, probably because we were doing it on a weekday. Expect madness and gridlock on weekends and holidays.

Izumigataki junction

The downward slope of the trail led us to Izumigataki junction at 11:08AM and we took the right fork up to the climbing trail.

Walking sticks come in handy

The slope of the trail now started to pitch upward. Notice the trees, they would soon be gone as we got higher.

Mt. Fuji Safety Guidance Center aka 6th Station

We reached the 6th station at 11:37AM and were handed maps, that they have in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. At the time, we didn’t even know it was the 6th station. No more trees to be seen.

Switchbacks

Mari coming up the switchbacks which are safely shored up by massive fences to prevent erosion. We saw a string of huts perched on the slope of the mountain as we made our way up.

7th Station – Hana-goya hut

At 12:43PM, we reached the 7th station, first of many huts on the trail. Mari was so happy as we didn’t know we had passed the 6th station earlier at 11:37AM, and now we were at the 7th station!

First stamp – 200 Yen

Shelling out 200 Yen or roughly two bucks for the first of many stamps on my hiking stick. Every hut that we passed sells water, snacks and of course a stamp to put on your stick.

Mari rock climbing

Mari climbing up the rockier part of the trail. Fun, fun, fun!

7th Station – Hinode-kan hut

Reaching another 7th station hut.

7th Station – Tomoe-kan hut

The trail from the 7th station to the 8th station is on very rocky terrain, lot of climbing involved. Luckily, huts are spaced out every 15 minutes or so to take breaks or shelter if needed.

More rock climbing

203 minutes to go. At whose pace? The trail was dotted with informational signs that tell you how much distance and time until the summit.

In the company of Buddhist monks

This section of the trail we shared with a stream of white clad chanting Buddhist monks. One of the monks actually fell in front of me, and another monk and myself helped him back up. Hopefully I will get good karma for my actions. Fat chance.

First Torii

 Reaching the first of multiple torii’s or Shinto gates that marked the trail.

Climbing continues…

More climbing on the rocky trail, only one way to go – up.

Climbing out of the clouds

Mari popping out of the clouds.

8th Station – Taishi-kan hut

After passing multiple 7th station huts, we made it to the first 8th station hut at 2:37PM. Air was getting thinner at 3,100 meters or 10,171 feet.

Taking a break

Every now and then, the cloud cover would give us a peak at the scenery below. The rain started as we approached the top.

8th Station – Hakuun-so hut

Another 8th station hut.

8th Station – Ganso-muro hut

Matthew from New York took our photo at this 8th station that we reached at 4:00PM. He was doing it in regular street clothes, those tough New Yorkers! Matthew had actually started the climb to Mount Fuji at the bottom, so he can actually say he climbed the whole mountain. Whereas, we were only climbing half the mountain. Hey, we got to start from somewhere. I want to hike from the bottom next time, Mari not so much.

Original 8th Station

 We reached the original 8th station at 4:32PM. The temperature dropped to 8 degrees Celsius or 46 degrees Fahrenheit at an altitude of 3,400 meters or 11,155 feet.

Home for the night – Tomoe-kan hut

We got to “our” hut at 4:50PM. Reservations for Saito? Cost was about $65 per person and they throw in a free meal. It’s best to make reservations ahead of time, otherwise you might literally be left out in the cold. It was such a relief to get inside and away from the cold wind and rain. Dinner was served at 5:29PM and consisted of a cup of hot green tea, beef curry, hamburger steak and rice. After downing the Japanese TV meal, we retired to our “spacious” sleeping quarters upstairs. It was basically 12 futons sectioned off. We were supposed to keep quiet so as not to bother the other hikers that had retired early. But people walking up and down the hallway, chatting away and the PA blaring out names for dinner kept us up until around 9:30PM.

Heading into the storm

After groggily waking up at 1:00AM to the rain pounding the roof and the winds shaking the walls, we got ready to climb the last stretch to the summit and see the sunrise. One of the selling points for this hut was that they allowed you to leave your pack behind, so that you can climb to the summit relatively unencumbered. Guess who got to be the pack mule? We left the relative warmth of the hut at 2:01AM to head outside and resume our climb. There is usually a line of people waiting to make the final push to the summit. The weekday and the storm combined to cut the usual crowds to dozens instead of hundreds.

8.5 Station – Goraikou-kan hut

We met up again with Matthew at the 8.5 station hut. Too early to get a stamp, was running out of room on my stick anyway.

9th Station

The wind and rain seemed to get stronger as we got to the 9th station at 2:50AM. At an altitude of 11,811 feet, we only had 656 feet left to the summit. The Gore-Tex jackets and pants helped us to stay dry despite the pounding rain and freezing wind. The only thing we were missing was Gore-Tex gloves, as our hands were wet and freezing the whole way up.

One of two dog statues

I almost missed the two stone guardian dog statues at the summit entrance due to the storm, luckily a fellow hiker pointed it out.

What is that?

We could barely make out the summit torii as it was being washed over by the rain storm.

Hot cocoa at the summit

We made the summit at 3:29AM to be greeted by the twin neon glow of vending machines! On top of Mount Fuji! How odd and Japanese at the same time. The temperature must have been close to freezing at the top, so we all tried to find scant shelter from the wind and rain wherever it could be found. A couple minutes later, the outside lights came on and we were attracted like moths to a flame. Everybody was chomping at the bit to get inside and away from the cold. We had to wait a couple of minutes until they got everything ready. We all streamed inside, cold and shaking. At least a couple foreigners were wet and freezing as they had not come prepared and were close to hypothermia. The hut owners were charging $5 for a small cup of hot cocoa and $7 for a cup of noodles. But when you’re cold and wet, you would pay black market prices to get something warm in your tummy.

Inside or outside?

As the sunrise time came closer, I decided to venture out into the storm to try and get a picture of the sunrise. Key word – try.

Sunrise?

We made it to the top of a 12,172 foot mountain to get buffeted and pelted by a freezing rain storm, all to see a magnificent sunrise. Instead we caught a brief flash of light at 4:46am, before the clouds quickly swallowed it back up. Such is life.

Where’s the view?

Photo opportunity. At least we got a sign to take our picture with, but we would rather have the sunrise. Pretty please.

Final stamp at Kusushi shrine

Getting the final stamp on my stick. I collected a total of 22 stamps on my stick, which cost about $36. We forgot to pray at the shrine.

Safe to go down?

No chance of walking around the crater in this weather. We had to pay one of the shop owners to get our postcards mailed from the summit, as it was out of the question to walk to the post office on the crater in this storm. We also paid $8 for a bowl of pork miso soup to help keep warm. At 6:45AM, the storm was still raging but at somewhat reduced strength, so we decided to make our way down. The trail is not the same as the one coming up. It connects to the 8th Station and then switchbacks all the way down to the 6th Station, bypassing all the huts and along with that the snacks, water and benjo (toilet). 

Windy trail down

The wind was literally pushing us around as we made our way down the Yoshida trail. We hugged the mountain side going down, as this trail section didn’t have any fencing to prevent us from being blown off the trail. It was that windy!

Snow in July!

We came across a patch of snow. Not enough to make a snowman, but enough for a snowball fight.

Going back to Tomoe-kan hut

Making our way back to the 8th station hut.

Picture taking time

As we got lower, the clouds started to clear up. Prompting almost everybody to stop and take out their cameras as it was a no view hike until now.

Clouds clearing

The cloud deck started opening up to reveal the mountains and lakes.

Fuji-san’s slope

Taking a small detour to get back to our hut to retrieve Mari’s backpack.

Slip and slide

Coming down the pitched volcanic ash trail tripped Mari going down. Luckily only her ego was bruised.

Go left, not right

Here the trail continues to the left on a narrow trail that continues down the mountain.

Extreme hiker?

We saw this one hiker that was not doing the switchbacks. He just ran down the side of the mountain using walking sticks as support and brakes. Not smart and safe for other hikers. As he was running down, he was dislodging rocks onto the trail and almost fell off. Mount Fuji is not a technical hike and can be done by most people of all ages in reasonable good physical condition. Now if you want to make this hike an extreme one, check out this link!

Nice view

A nice view of the scenery below us.

Bulldozer has the right of way

We saw numerous bulldozers coming up the trail as work crews started working on excavating new trails. This is how sick people get down the mountain.

Best anpan?

We took an anpan break at sign #42 at 9:05AM. The hut we bought it from said it was the best anpan, when you are hungry, your stomach will agree with anything. It was actually pretty tasty.

Views are getting better

As we kept dropping in altitude, the clouds starting to clear up along with great views. Too bad it wasn’t like this at the top!

Scenic viewpoint #1

Mari with Lake Yamanaka in the cloudy background.

Scenic viewpoint #2

The town of Fujikawaguchiko in the cloudy background.

Coming down

We passed the last set of tunnels that are supposed to protect hikers from falling rocks.

Need a ride back?

As we made our way back down, there were a couple of oji-sans (older men) with horses calling out to hikers if they wanted a ride back. For a small fee of course.

We made it!

We made it back down to the 5th station at 11:14am. The round trip was a total of 13.8 km or 8.57 miles. We gained 1,405 meters or 4,610 feet in elevation. We were both so happy to have completed the hike to Fuji-san. As the Japanese say, a wise man climbs Fuji once, and a fool twice. Call us fools as we will be back for our sunrise!

Taking a break from ridge hiking, I joined Nate, J, Tom and Glenn for some waterfall hiking in Nuuanu today.

I know that marker

We parked at the Pali Hunter’s Check-In Station and crossed the Pali Highway to enter an un-locked gate that took us into the lush forest. As we started on the trail, I recognized dirt ninja aka Chris’s tag tied on a tree, we eventually caught up with him before the irrigation tunnel.

Irrigation Tunnel

Soon we found ourselves at the entrance to the irrigation tunnel. Time to break out the head lamps, if you’re claustrophobic and don’t like stooping a lot, this tunnel is not for you. I heard there is a contour trail that goes around and above the tunnel.

Headlamps lead the way

Walking through the tunnel, we could feel the moisture above our heads and muddy puddles underneath our feet. This was a good sign. If the tunnel is bone dry, might as well turn around.

In Mo’ole Valley

After about 5 minutes, we emerged out of the tunnel and into Mo’ole Valley or Hillebrand Glen.

Waterfall #1

The first waterfall.

Tom the Swinger

Tom swinging on some tree roots.

Waterfall #2

The second waterfall is the largest and most impressive of the waterfalls to be found in Mo’ole Valley.

Waterfall #3

We had to backtrack a bit from the second waterfall and climbed down a trail to see the third waterfall.

Waterfall #4

The fourth waterfall had a lot of tree branches obscuring the view. A short while later, we came upon the fifth waterfall which was a footnote compared to the others.

Waterfall #6

The sixth waterfall.

A little climbing

We contoured and climbed to the right to continue to the next waterfall.

Going upstream

Walking upstream on sometimes slippery rocks. If you’re not sure-footed, it would be good to invest in a pair of tabi’s or reef walkers that provide a solid grip on wet rocks.

Waterfall #7

The seventh waterfall. I heard that there was an eight waterfall further ahead, but it was mentioned that it was nothing to look at. If one is feeling more adventurous, you can actually climb all the way to Lanihuli. Not today.

Back into the tunnel

Going back into the tunnel and coming out on the other side, we met Chris again who had stopped at the second waterfall before turning back.

GPS tracks of Mo’ole Falls

The entire hike was a little over 3 miles that was done in 3 hours.

Off the Pali Drive

We were not done yet! Still had another waterfall to explore – Waipuhia Falls. Armed with GPS tracks and information, since none of us had ever done this hike, we drove up to the Pali Lookout and parked on the road going to town.

Back in the forest

We followed the trail deep into the forest.

Today is Sunday

A leftover from this past Easter? I don’t know if somebody was trying to drag this huge cross to the falls, gave up and left it here?

Under trees, over trees

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Waipuhia Falls

We arrived at the barely moist Waipuhia Falls or Upside Down Falls. It would have been something to see, if the falls were flowing and the wind was catching it and tossing it back upwards. Not today.

Going up…

We climbed up the hill to our right to check out more of the scenery.

…Going down

It’s always neat to see the contrast in terrain, the hill we had just gone up was carpeted with grass and low lying plants. The other side of the hill going down was mostly barren of grass but heavily forested with trees.

Upside down falls … not today

Being in the company of extreme hikers, the talk naturally turned into ” Is climbing up these waterfalls doable?”

What’s for dinner tonight?

Coming back, Tom under the expert advice of Nate, picked some wild mushrooms from the forest for his stir-fry dinner later tonight.

GPS tracks of Waipuhia Falls

The entire hike was under a mile and took us a little over an hour to complete. We had Thai for lunch and was going to cap the day with a short hike up the Pali Notches. Mother Nature decided otherwise as rain started falling on us as we parked at the Pali Lookout. It was still a good day.

Chris and Kevin joined me today on a short and fun exploratory hike around the affluent Portlock area. I picked them up from the small dirt lot by the Hanauma Bay bus stop and drove past McMansions to park on Hanapepe Loop.

China Walls

Walking down the grassy slope of Koko Kai Beach Park and making our way through the trees, revealed a scene of high tides lapping at the base of the rocks. I had mis-read the tide table and had should have started the hike several hours later instead of at 9:30am. Oh well, time to get our feet wet.

Cave exploring

Kevin and myself exploring one of the numerous caves that dotted the coastline. Photo by Chris Hiona.

The other side

We briefly considered trying going through the cave, but decided to contour around the rocks instead. There is even some kind of bizarre goat skulls lookout on top of these rocks!

Jumbled rocks

There was one rock formation jutting out into the ocean that forced us to time the waves so that we could safely pass around it. It would also help to have tabi’s or reef walkers while walking on these slippery slabs of rocks, we just had to take it slow and safe.

Wave action

The waves were pounding the rocks today. Never turn your back on the ocean as the waves and currents can drag you out in the blink of an eye. On top of that, we were hiking during high tide!

Hello there!

The waves over countless and repeated poundings gave this area it’s unique carved look.

Spitting Caves

No spitting today. Didn’t see any jumpers willing to take the plunge from where Chris and Kevin are standing at. I heard you have to time it just right. There have been drownings in this area and China Walls over the years.

Leaving civilization behind

Leaving behind the million dollar homes with the million dollar views as we ascended up Koko Head.

Headed up Koko Head

As we were climbing up, there was a commotion in the water behind us. It turned out to be several whales breaching the water, quite the show.

Paraglider

We saw several paragliders catching thermals off the rocky skin of Koko Head and circling and skimming above  our heads.

Circle of LIfe?

Top of Koko Head.

Makai bound

Walking down the clearly marked trail and leaving the communication towers behind us.

Honeycombed rocks

As we made our way down towards the ocean, we met a mountain biker who was coming up! Talk about making your own trails.

Land Bridge

Three of us sitting on this often photographed land bridge with the water churning like a washing machine below us. It seems to have become quite the spot to get your picture taken at lately. We were no different.

Koko Head Marker

Taking a pose next to this weather beaten obelisk with Koko Crater and Makapu’u in the background.

No charge for locals

Chris showing us the “back door” to get into Hanauma Bay.

Forgot our snorkels!

Here we are in the clear and cool waters of Hanauma Bay and no snorkels!

Coned off

As we walked up towards the parking lot, we noticed an Hawaiian monk seal sunbathing on the sand, oblivious to all the attention it was gathering from the beachgoers.

GPS Tracks

The 4.24 mile hike was a fun little excursion. Time well spent.

Walking back down from Waianae Valley after our failed attempt to hike Bolohead ridge was called off due to rainy conditions which made it unsafe to continue, we decided to end the day by exploring Upper Makua Cave.

Where is the trail?

We drove past Kaneana Cave, which I kick for myself for not stopping by and checking it out as I have never been to that cave as well. Several hundred yards after the cave, we parked on the side of Farrington Highway. There seemed to be several indistinct trails going up to the grassy gully, Scott and I and Jay and Marcus took two separate routes up to the cave.

Going up the gully

Going up the gradually increasing slope that was littered with loose rocks that constantly shifted under our weight, made it seem harder than it actually was.

Goat trails

Eventually we contoured to the right using what seemed like goat trails through the grassy incline.

Upper Makua Cave

Jay, Scott and myself standing in Upper Makua Cave. It took us about 30 minutes to reach the cave from the road.

Cave view

The cave is roughly 450 feet above sea level and affords one stunning views from Makua Beach to Kaena Point.

Cave-less view

Jay mentioned that other hikers have started from this point to continue on towards Ohikilolo. That would make for an interesting hike one day. After checking out the great views, we made our way back down and had a tasty lunch at Tacos & More in Waianae.

Ever since I met Ted and his crew coming up from Piliwale ridge to Lulumahu Falls when we were coming down that same ridge, I have always wanted to follow in his footsteps so to speak. But having no knowledge of the route down to the falls, that hike was shelved for awhile. Today Ted was nice enough to lead ten of us up the ridge and to the falls.

Ted briefing us on the hike

We all met at the Pali Hunter’s check-in, left a couple cars there and carpooled to Maunawili where we parked on Lopaka Place. Going this way is a more direct route than starting from the Pali Lookout.

Sunrise breaking over Olomana

Walking up the slightly graded trail and catching the sun break over Olomana and Maunawili was a nice way to start the morning.

Piliwale Ridge trailhead

Half an hour later, we found ourselves at the start of the trailhead going up Piliwale Ridge. Now the real cardio workout began, well at least for me it did.

Waiting our turn to go up past the notch

When we got to the notch in the ridge, Ted decided to break us into two groups of five each. This was for safety reasons as this is the part where the ridge got steeper, crumbly and prone to loose rocks being dislodged by people climbing on them. Luckily, this section is heavily roped which comes in mighty handy when you’re searching for some kind of handhold to pull yourself up.

Watching and waiting

Glenn, Jay, Matt, LyZel and myself waiting on the notch. Photo by Jim McKown.

Admiring the intermittent view

Having been down this ridge before, I can say it was much easier going up. I’d rather climb up a steep ridge, than come down it and fight gravity.

Looking back towards Maunawili

This was one of our last clear views we got before the clouds swallowed us up, as we climbed higher towards the summit of Konahuanui or K1.

I’ve got you!

Jason illustrated how the vegetation can sometimes mask the narrowness of the ridge, as he slipped and was hanging on the edge when LyZel came from behind and pulled him up to safety. Another good reason not to hike solo and not to be spaced too far apart, in case assistance is needed. Photo by Jim McKown.

Socked in at the top of K1

The highest point on the Koolau mountains was totally socked in, affording us zero views. Top row left to right: myself, Ted, Matt, Glenn, Jim, Will and Jason. Bottom row left to right: LyZel, Tom and Jay.

Slippery slope down

Going down from K1 was literally by the seat of my pants, due to to the steepness, wetness and mud lubricated trail.

Breaking views

As the steepness gradually leveled to a walkable grade, we started making our way down below the clouds.

Panoramic town view

Click here for the larger image.

Nuuanu Reservoir

Eventually we went down the side of the ridge towards the reservoir. As we got lower, it became a jumbled maze of pig and eroded trails. It seemed that somebody had removed the prior ribbons that clearly marked the trail. Without the ribbons and an experienced guide, one could find themselves bushwhacking for quite a spell. Jay put up a bunch of pink ribbons to mark the key junctions on the trail, hopefully nobody will remove them for future hikers.

Lulumahu Falls

Once we got down to the bottom, we followed the rock strewn stream up to Lulumahu Falls. These falls are fed from the top of K1 and cascade all the way down into Nuuanu Valley.

K1 still capped in clouds

After taking a short break at the falls, we followed the stream out into a clearing that surrounds the Nuuanu reservoir. There is a cleared trail through the bamboo forest that leads back to the hunter check-in station on the Pali.  

GPS Tracks

The 4.5 mile hike took us about 6.5 hours to complete. But the day was not yet done! I had always wanted to check out the summer palace ruins of King Kamehameha III.

Tree tunnel

We drove to Nuuanu Pali Road and parked on the side along with a bunch of other cars that were already there. Walking down the road, we found the trail that lead us into a bamboo forest.

Summer Palace Ruins

A short 5 minutes later, we were standing among the ruins of Kaniakapupu, which was King Kamehameha III’s Summer Palace.

Kaniakapupu

According to the informational plaque, it was built in 1845 and was host to a number of celebrations involving locals and foreign guests.

King Kamehameha III’s Summer Palace

Walking around the ruins, one can feel the “history” of the place.

Singing of the Land Shell

Kaniakapupu means “Singing of the Land Shell” and was a place of rest and refuge for King Kamehameha III. Apparently it soon fell into neglect, as an 1874 map pegged the summer palace as an “old ruin.” We didn’t have time as we were hungry for lunch, but Luakaha Falls is a short hike away from the ruins. Another hike for another day.

Taking advantage of Island Air’s discounted fares, I hopped on a plane to Maui to see an old buddy, Everett, and hike into Haleakala Crater. On the way up, we stopped at Komoda Store and Bakery in Makawao, famous for their stick donuts, but they were on vacation!

Leaving the clouds behind

Going up the winding road to the summit, we gradually started to climb above the clouds as we passed scores of bicyclists going back down.

Pu'u Ula'ula

Standing at the top of Haleakala or Pu’u Ula’ula (Red Hill) at 10,023 feet. The skies were remarkably clear and the thin air was nice and crisp, didn’t even need my windbreaker. You can see the tops of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa of the Big Island poking up from the clouds in the distance.

Panoramic view from the summit

Click here to see the larger image.

Keonehe'ehe'e Trailhead

We drove down to the parking area where the trailhead was located at. There are restrooms to use before you start heading out on the trail, but be warned as the air is quite chilly up there and the seats are not heated!

Haleakala Crater

As we started down the trail into the crater, we could see the clouds slowly spilling into the rim.

Haleakala Silversword

We came across a bunch of Silversword plants that looked like they had just flowered and they were on their last buds, so to speak.

Haleakala - House of the Sun

In Hawaiian legend, this is where a local fisherman, Maui captured the sun and forced it to have longer days in the summer and shorter days in the winter.

Cinder cones

There are numerous cinder cones scattered on the crater floor, most of them are several hundred feet high.

Paniolo Nazi

“What are you doing?” This rhetorical question was repeated ad nauseum at two Australian tourists that had wandered off the trail by this paniolo (cowboy) guide that was leading a group of tourists down into the crater. He followed it up with threatening statements that it was a $500 fine, even though he is not a park ranger. The horse droppings do far more damage, as they have introduced alien grass and vegetation into the crater. After descending almost 2,000 feet into the crater, we turned around and started to head back up. The thin air and loose volcanic dirt, hence the name “Sliding Sands”, made one work a little harder on the return trip.

All pau

As we got back to the top of the trail, we could look back and see that the clouds had advanced further into the crater. On some days, the entire crater floor is covered in clouds, now that must make for an interesting hike. The next time I make it over here, I plan on hiking the other trail, Halemau’u and spending a night in one of the cabins which would give more time to explore the crater and the lava tubes.

The last day of my vacation in Japan, I decided to do one more hike before I flew back home. If you have ever been to Tokyo Disneyland, I would call Mount Takao the Tokyo Disneyland of hikes. It has a cable car, amusement in the form of temples and wall to wall people. One quick tip – if the weather has been rainy the prior week and you go on a sunny weekend, expect major crowds!

Trail 1

There are eight trails to reach the summit. I took the most popular and paved one – trail 1. Besides the wait for the funicular was easily over an hour just to get on the cable car.

Move to the side - ambulance coming down!

As I was trying to thread myself into the crowds making their way up the trail, I heard booming voices amplified by loudspeakers which were followed shortly by motorcycle cops and a mini-ambulance taking somebody to the hospital. That ambulance that came down gave new meaning to the word compact.

Tokyo

Twenty minutes later, I reached one of the scenic points where I saw the sprawling city of Tokyo.

Gate to Yakuoin Temple

I soon came across the Yakuoin Temple which was originally built back in 744. On the temple grounds, it was like a zoo as people of all ages thronged at the different shrines to pray for good luck.

Tengu

Mount Takao is closely associated with Tengu, which are mythical bird-men that can either help or hinder people.

One Yen Deposits

There are tons of these praying Buddhas or monks scattered throughout Mount Takao. Some of them have red “beanies” and “bibs”, I kid you not. People leave one yen coins on these statues to make their wishes or prayers come true.

Party time at the summit

At the top of Mount Takao, groups of people were camped out beneath the red maple leaf trees and having a great time courtesy of the vending machines at the top that supplied the beer. It reminded me of the cherry blossom viewing parties they have in March.

Now what is 599 meters in feet?

The view at the top was somewhat disappointing as the clouds had started to roll in, obscuring most of the view and Mount Fuji, which can be seen on a clear day.

Santa is that you?

Going back down, I saw one hiker dressed as Santa Claus, a very skinny Santa Claus. Yes, Virginia, Christmas is a big deal in Japan. The wait for the funicular going down was terrible, we had to wait over an hour. I would highly recommend doing this hike during a weekday, where you will experience less crowds and more time and opportunities to explore all that Mount Takao has to offer.

Pop trivia question. What is the highest mountain in the world? If you answered Mount Everest, try again. It’s Mauna Kea located on the Big Island in the Hawaiian Island chain. If you measure Mauna Kea from the bottom of the ocean, it rises a staggering 33,500 feet which towers over Mount Everest’s 29,029 feet. Yes, only 13,796 feet of the volcano protrudes from the Pacific Ocean; but it still holds the title. We flew into Hilo and piled into my father’s friends 4×4 which would take us to the top. We went over Saddle Road, once notorious for it’s bad conditions, now suprisingly smooth and straight in most places.

Onizuka Visitor Center

We got to the Onizuka Visitor Center which is located on the slopes at an elevation of 9,199 feet. After about 30 minutes of getting acclimatized to the high altitude, we set out for the summit.

Mauna Loa

Looking back at Mauna Loa, which is the world’s largest shield volcano and tops out at 13,679 feet. One day, I plan on hiking the historic Ainapo Trail to the summit of Mokuaweoweo.

Bringing home Xmas

We passed local residents shoveling snow into the back of their pickups to take home for the keiki ( children ) to play in, a holiday Hawaiian treat.

Mauna Kea Observatories

As we drove up the road, some of the observatories popped into sight. I believe they are from left to right; Maxwell, Gemini, Subaru and the Keck Observatories.

Submillimeter Arrays

We saw several snowboarders trudging up the snow covered slopes in search of that perfect “pineapple snow.” I believe there are several areas to ski/snowboard with colorful names such as Poi Bowl, Pele’s Parlor, Warrior’s Run, Alii Run and the King Kamehameha Run.

Panoramic view from the top

Click here to see the larger image taken from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

Snowball fight?

The snow at the top of Mauna Kea was not fine like Matsumoto’s Shave Ice, but rather coarse and granular ice. The only things I forgot to do when I was up there was make a snowman and snow angel.