Kalihi Saddle (Powerlines) to Kapalama Trail

by kenji SAITO on December 31, 2022

Our last hike of the year was spent climbing and scrambling on an eroded ridge. The abbreviated version.

Kalihi Valley

Kalihi Valley

Thanks to Alexis and Lilia for dropping Aileen, Aya, Chico and myself off on the side of the dark highway where we apparently interrupted a couple in progress. I’ll leave it to your imagination as to what was interrupted.

Powerlines Trail

Powerlines Trail

Looking back into the valley of introduced marsupials and interrupted intimacy couples.

Powerlines

Powerlines

Chico pointing in the direction that we will be hiking today. It pays to have somebody with good navigational skills in your group.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Scrambling up the hill and leaving the power grid behind us.

Shark Fin

Shark Fin

Catching the breaking sunrise over the dorsal shaped rock.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Aya with the peak of Bowman behind her.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Hiking on the edge. Literally.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The group making their way up the grassy hill.

Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears

Making our way towards the first of the not so fluffy pinna shaped rocks.

Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears

First rule of falling. Don’t. But, if you have to fall, fall on the Leeward side and not the Windward side. The reasons should be quite obvious.

Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears

Climbing our way up after we passed the first rule.

Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears

The group descending down the other side.

Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears

Traversing between the two pinna shaped rocks.

Bunny Ears

Bunny Ears

Aya leaving the Bunny Ears behind her as she climbed up the back of the doorstop.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Pointing out the steep climb ahead of us to the group. It looks more impressive than when you actually climb it.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Aileen climbing her way down the 40′ plus slab of rock.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Aya making short work of the climb down. Noticed that a lot of rocks have dislodged since my last visit.

Pimple

Pimple

Contouring our way around the blister of a rock.

Pimple

Pimple

Chico staying high and close.

Pimple

Pimple

Climbing my way down the crumbly sliver of rocks held loosely together by compacted dirt.

Pimple

Pimple

The rest of the group climbing down, one crumbly rock at a time.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Aileen watching Chico climb his way up.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Chico making his way to the Can Opener.

Can Opener

Can Opener

Checking out the bulging fridge on top. One day.

Can Opener

Can Opener

The group scrambling their way up through loose dirt and rocks.

Can Opener

Can Opener

Group photo at the oft-photographed background of Kalihi Saddle.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Chico’s friend doing a fly-by. No free tour?

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Contouring our way below the Can Opener.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Climbing up the grassy slope.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

The rest of the group making their way up the lower tier.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

View from the upper tier of the wall looking down. One at a time going up.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Chico testing the webbing and watching for falling rocks before he begins his nearly vertical climb.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

The group climbing their way back to the ridge line.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

We only had roughly 700′ more of elevation gain before the summit.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The group going up the steady climb of eroded sections and woody climbers.

Dirt Dragon

Dirt Dragon

I guess the dragon was hungry. Poor bird.

Dirt Dragon

Dirt Dragon

Crawl or sit. Take your poison.

Dirt Dragon

Dirt Dragon

Leaving the severely eroded legendary creature behind us.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Chico with a commanding view. Remember the first rule.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Making our way up the seemingly serpentine ridge line.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Panoramic view of the Windward coastline behind us.

Ko'olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

The group making their way through the overgrown trail to the summit.

Lanihuli Summit

Lanihuli Summit

Group photo at the 2,700′ summit that lived up to its name. Swirling Heavens.

Kapalama Trail

Kapalama Trail

It was decided that the group was not ready for the full tour, so we made our way down a trail favored by Kamehameha students.

Kapalama Trail

Kapalama Trail

Looking back at Kalihi Saddle in its entirety.

Kapalama Trail

Kapalama Trail

Chico pretending to be a hot dog as he sucks down the mustard packets.

Kapalama Trail

Kapalama Trail

Enjoying the city views on our way down before we lost them when we descended down into the tree line and made our way to the park.

All pau

All pau

Ringing in the New Year with my last saddle tour hike. It will be hard to keep prices down to a wooden nickel. Inflation and all.

GPS Tracks

GPS Tracks

Fun times with a great group on our 5.5 miles hike. Mahalo to Lilia for picking us up. Happy New Year to all and to all a peaceful night.

Photos taken by Aileen Agustin, Aya Asanuma, Chico Cantu 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.

Leave a Comment

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Sunshine January 13, 2023 at 7:03 pm

Is it easier to go to the Pali Puka rather than the Kapalama trail?

Reply

kenji SAITO January 20, 2023 at 11:49 am

Aloha Sunshine,
I think so. However, it’s more narrow ridges vs a relatively safe trail albeit longer.
Mahalo

Reply

Charles Carlos Cantu March 2, 2023 at 9:00 pm

One of the best experiences I’ve had in my life. Thanks Kenji for your experience, guidance and friendship!

Reply

kenji SAITO March 5, 2023 at 10:02 pm

Aloha Chico,
Glad you fun. Thanks for your fun company and friendship as well.
Mahalo

Reply

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