Kalihi Valley to Pali Puka

by kenji SAITO on July 11, 2021

We returned to the saddles for unfinished business and trail maintenance. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Kalihi Valley

Kalihi Valley

Thanks to Quan for dropping Art, Lilyn, Narissa and myself off in the land of wallabies.

Powerlines

Powerlines

We gained the ridge where the wind almost drowned out the snap, crackle and pop of the power lines above us. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Shark Fin

Shark Fin

Approaching the dorsal shaped rockface that Pete Clines “gave silly names to these menacing pinnacles.” Photo by Art Young.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Somebody was drowning in the Windward views. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Narissa contouring off the ridge line and gaining a brief respite from the howling winds.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The winds had seemingly cranked up a couple notches from our last weekend visit. Photo by Art Young.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Somebody got stung. Watch out for the bees Art!

Beehive

Beehive

What bees? Photo by Art Young.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Hiking on the edge.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

Sitting on the edge. Photo by Art Young.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

The group climbing up the second “silly” pinnacle.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

Going up one crumbly rock at a time. Luckily the gusting winds kept us from overheating. Photo by Art Young.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

The group scooting their way down the backside or frontside. Perspectives.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

In between the ears. No coverage. Just a lot of wind passing through. Photo by Art Young.

Bunny Ear

Bunny Ear

Going up the last of the upright and relaxed pinnacle.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Narissa making her way down one of the harder pinnacles on the saddle. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Doorstop

Doorstop

Art climbing his way down the wedge shaped pinnacle. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Pimple

Pimple

Contouring our way around a rather thin piece of real estate. Photo by Art Young.

Pimple

Pimple

Looking back as we left the Doorstop behind us.

Pimple

Pimple

Elevator service is alive and well in these mountains. Photo by Art Young.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

The group making their way out of the notch.

Can Opener

Can Opener

Climbing up the “terraced” steps to our lunch spot. Photo by Art Young.

Can Opener

Can Opener

Group photo with the backdrop of all those “silly” pinnacles we had climbed. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Contouring below the Can Opener with the menacing sofa sized block of rock just waiting to fall out.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Going up the grassy slope scattered with rocks of assorted sizes. Photo by Art Young.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Narissa coming up the lower tier with the backdrop of the saddle behind her.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

Lilyn pulling herself up the steepest part of the wall. Photo by Art Young.

Lanihuli Wall

Lanihuli Wall

The group contouring their way back to the ridge line.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

With a little help from my friends. Photo by Art Young.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Battling the fierce winds as we climbed up the ridge.

Dirt Dragon

Dirt Dragon

The group straddling the sliver of its former dusty self.

Kalihi Saddle

Kalihi Saddle

Climbing out of the saddle. One down. One more to go.

Ko'olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Ko’olau Summit Ridge Trail (KSRT)

Time to take a panoramic photo of the Windward views. Photo by Art Young.

KSRT

KSRT

How many false peaks to the summit? Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Lanihuli Summit

Lanihuli Summit

Greg ran into our group as he was coming up behind us on the saddle and went down the Kapalama Trail.

KSRT

KSRT

Ready to drop into the next saddle. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

The group resisting the urge of gravity to just go with the flow on their descent. Photo by Art Young.

Anvil

Anvil

Nobody captured my “action movie” move. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Anvil

Anvil

Narissa didn’t need any action moves and simply stepped over to begin her climb.

W

W

Climbing up the sliver of a rockface. Photo by Art Young.

W

W

The group climbing and contouring their way around the triple dike obstacle.

W

W

Going up the Leeward side offered us brief shelter from the battering winds. Photo by Art Young.

W

W

Art waving at us to come back so we can re-take the action movie.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Narissa making her way up the eroded and crumbly ridge line. Photo by Art Young.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Lilyn trying not to get tangled in a web of her own making.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

The group descending down the narrow ridge line. Photo by Art Young.

Incisor Rock

Incisor Rock

Lilyn watching Narissa making her way down.

Incisor Rock

Incisor Rock

No climbing. Just contouring. Photo by Art Young.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Narissa climbing down from one of many rocks on the saddle.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Trying to be one with the tree. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Climbing up the last hill on the saddle. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Nu'uanu Saddle

Nu’uanu Saddle

Narissa going down the slippery slope. Photo by Art Young.

Pali Puka

Pali Puka

Final group photo of the day.

Pali Puka Trail

Pali Puka Trail

Looking down at the historical pali (cliff) where over 700 warriors were either pushed or jumped to their deaths after being defeated by King Kamehameha’s army.

Pali Lookout

Pali Lookout

Mahalo to Quan for bringing us frozen cokes and picking us up. Super windy hike that saw everybody having a good time and finishing safely. Post hike meal at Easy Que where we were joined by Aida and Quan. Taste wasn’t up to snuff according to a certain picky eater. Photo by Quan Haberstroh.

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.

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