Kalihi Saddle (Powerlines) to Pali

by kenji SAITO on January 21, 2024

Hiking Kalihi Saddle (Powerlines) to Pali

Took a couple interested people to see the saddles firsthand, as seeing is believing as they say.

Likelike Highway

Likelike Highway

Mahalo to Ferlino for dropping Aida, Aileen, Akira, Chris, Haig, Tessa, and myself off the highway named after the last heir to the Hawaiian throne prior to its overthrow in 1893.

HECO substation

HECO substation

Stretching prior to the hike to avoid leg cramps or just carry mustard.

Powerlines Trail

Powerlines Trail

Pushing our way through the overgrown trail to the lowest point between the peaks of Bowman and Lanihuli.

Ko'olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Bathroom views.

KSRT

KSRT

Climbing out of the saddle.

MIA

MIA

Aida had to donate her gold earring to the mountains in return for safe passage.

Shark Fin

Shark Fin

Making our way to the first obstacle banned in Chinese restaurants.

Shark Fin

Shark Fin

Climbing and contouring our way around the top through a thicket of trees.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The Kona winds blowing today were not strong enough to push us off towards the Windward side versus the usual trade winds which blows towards the Leeward side.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Climbing our way down on the thin strip of trail in the mountains.

Mushroom Rock

Mushroom Rock

Everybody getting their photo opportunity.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The washer bringing up the rear with panoramic views of the Windward side. I never heard of the term washer before, must be an Armenian thing.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Akira thinking “high,high” was either referring to elevation change or mood change at this moment.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

Traversing between the “silly names” of the pinnacles that Pete Clines gave to reference them on the saddle.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Chris standing on the top of the obstacle named after something that prevents a door from banging against the wall. Let’s not bang our heads going down, shall we.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Aida climbing her way down.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Akira keeping his head away from the rocks.

Pimple

Pimple

The group contouring their way around the spit of a rock.

Pimple

Pimple

Haig keeping high on the contour, referring to elevation and not mood change.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Chris guiding Aida on her climb down.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The rest of the group making their way down.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Scrambling to higher ground.

Pimple

Pimple

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Pimple

Pimple

Popped.

Pimple

Pimple

Chris clearing the loose rocks at the top.

Pimple

Pimple

360 degree view at the top.

Pimple

Pimple

Photobombing Chris as he pops the pimple.

Can Opener

Can Opener

Making our way up to the lunch spot.

Can Opener

Can Opener

Group photo in the shadow of the “Fridge.”

Can Opener

Can Opener

Contouring our way around the “little hook” that would be quite nasty, if not downright suicidal to climb it.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Tessa and Haig climbing the lower tier.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

The rest of the group moved out of harms way as an earlier dislodged rock narrowly missed Akira and would have given him a different type of high high.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Aida coming up the upper tier.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Akira watching the rest of the group making their climb up from his crumbly perch.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Climbing up the “rotten” ridge loosely held together by native woody vines, perspiration and faith.

Dirt Dragon

Dirt Dragon

This is after all, the Year of the Dragon. Take a seat Aida.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

If there’s one constant on the saddles, it’s the crumbly character accentuated by constant erosion.

KSRT

KSRT

Leaving the saddle behind us as we hiked into the clouds.

KSRT

KSRT

Chris passing along nature’s Rorschach test. What do you see?

Lanihuli Summit

Lanihuli Summit

Group photo at the 2,700′ peak named “Swirling Heavens” in Hawaiian.

KSRT

KSRT

Traversing the ridgeline as passing rain showers moisturized our epidermis.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Going down the ridgeline as it seemingly keeps the clouds at bay on the Windward side.

Anvil

Anvil

We decided to go down the more crumbly route instead of the standard contour route. WTF?

Anvil

Anvil

Stay in your lane!

W

W

Standing on the 23rd letter of the alphabet.

W

W

Akira climbing down the fifteenth most used letter in the English language.

W

W

Haig contouring around the letter that was banned in Turkey from 1928 to 2013 due to the Kurdish population.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Moss don’t hit back.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Akira contouring around the steep flank of the ridge.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

The rest of the group making their way down with what looks like more of a dentist’s nightmare than a letter in the background.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Losing elevation and gaining the muted views back.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Scooting on the narrow rocks.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Standing on the narrow rocks.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

The rope guiding us down.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Yawning is contagious in the mountains.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Aida climbing down to the toothy rock.

Incisor Rock

Incisor Rock

When climbing down is infinitely preferably to contouring down.

Incisor Rock

Incisor Rock

Spotting the rest of the group down.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Tessa going down the narrow stretch of rocks.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Haig bridging the gap.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Hiking our way to the exit point off the ridge.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Descending down the flank of the ridge dotted with roots and loose rocks.

Pali Puka

Pali Puka

Our last group photo before dropping down to the lookout.

Pali Puka Trail

Pali Puka Trail

Hiking down with the illuminated Pali Tunnels and cloud sheathed mountains in the background.

Pali Puka Trail

Pali Puka Trail

Night hikers marching down the trail. However, if you run across us, you don’t have to strip naked and lie prostrate before us. Unless that floats your boat.

All pau

All pau

Where did all the tourists go? Perhaps it was the haunted spirits of over 700 Hawaiian warriors that were either pushed or fell to their death in the Battle of Nu’uanu in 1795 that scared them away. Thanks to Haig for parking his unmolested car outside the gates.

GPS Tracks

GPS Tracks

Our introductory saddle hike covered roughly 3.27 miles with a fun group. Congratulations to Tessa for completing her fifth KST completion with this hike. Good job done by Akira and Haig on their first of many saddle hikes. Post hike meal at Tasty Korean BBQ where the soda carbonation was flat and the wait long. Should’ve waited for the other restaurant. Post hike ice cream dessert at Ferlino’s house courtesy of Haig.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Aileen Agustin, Akira Suzuki, Chris Bautista, Haig Van Roubian, Tessa Bugay, 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.

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Aida Gordon February 2, 2024 at 11:15 pm

Fun writeup! I could almost relive that day! Thanks to y9u and CB for bringing us down safely. We got a double high for days! Until the next one …but not this one! Lol PS. I thought the hook was called the Can Opener?

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kenji SAITO February 8, 2024 at 6:13 am

Aloha Aida,
Thanks. Yes, it’s called the Can Opener.
Mahalo

Reply

Wahinee01 February 3, 2024 at 5:55 am

Haha, took me so long to reach #5 KST finish. But, whatever’s I did it sooo there.. LOL
THANK YOU for keeping everyone safe.. Anxiety always kicks in whenever I’m on a saddle

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kenji SAITO February 8, 2024 at 6:14 am

Aloha Tessa,
Congrats again . Yep, never get complacent up there.
Mahalo

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