Today’s hike was to wrap up an unfinished trail. Met up with Bob, Gary, Gen and Glenn deep in Moanalua Valley.
Trailhead
We were here two weeks ago but had to abort the hike due to an alleged fallen hiker. Long story short. He didn’t fall. He was lost. Recovered.
Seven bridges
Crossing the storied arched bridges that harked back to a time when missionary families ruled the land.
Kamananui Valley Trail
Walking into the blinding sun.
Pop-Tart?
Crazy good. Not that crazy. Not that good. Not biting. Leave me alone.
Deep in the valley
We passed the valley and ridge junctions and plunged deeper into the valley to continue our hike.
Marker 17
The flat part was over. Now it was all uphill.
Steady climb
The trail cut a swath through the uluhe ferns. No bushwhacking needed.
Steeper
Bob scrambling up the mountain. Some trail sections required four points of contact.
Looking ahead
Clouds spilling over the Ko’olaus. A harbinger of rain or just cotton candy for the eyes?
Humming
The trail was once used by Hawaiian Electric to service the power lines back in the day.
Waianae Mountains
Looking into Moanalua Valley with the Waianae Mountains in the backdrop.
Bottle capped stakes
The trail soon intersected with the Tripler ridge.
Excuse me
A small group of hikers passed us going the other way. We also saw and yelled at some caveman hikers on the middle ridge going down. Running late.
Ohia lehua
Red lehua flowers populated the ridge going up. Don’t pick them. Too late.
Cloudy
Topped out at the 2,760′ socked in summit. No view. Move along.
HECO trail
Making our way down the somewhat steep and narrow ridge. Look! A view.
Panoramic view
Click here for the larger image.
More power lines
The ridge leveled and expanded as we made our way underneath another power line tower.
Area 51
Bob climbing up towards the defunct radar station.
Jungle gym
Posing with the undertaker. Photo by Genesaret Balladares.
Top of the world
Look at the camera. Everybody.
Last scramble
Climbing up the last hill.
Which way?
Group photo at the Moanalua Middle Ridge junction, left to right: myself, Glenn, Bob, Gen and Gary. Photo by Chris Bautista who we ran into at the junction.
Need a hand?
Gen making her way down past the 2,820′ summit of Pu’u Keahi a Kahoe. Look ma, only one hand!
Calling Tokyo Bay
We arrived at the CCL building just in time. Rain.
Don’t forget Old Glory
The original route was to go down Moanalua Middle Ridge. However, Gen’s injured thumb and rain dictated that we seek the shortest way down. All 3,922 steps.
Slippery when wet
Bob and Glenn descending into the clouds.
Hitchhikers
Several hikers, Chuan and the two Eric’s, took our invitation to follow us down the stairs as the rain changed their mind about returning back down the middle ridge. And they had both thumbs.
Hoist house
Stuck in a building with no roof and rain pouring in. Might as well wait outside.
Windward view
The rain soon stopped and we broke below the cloud deck.
Smile, you’re on Candid Camera
Getting used to my picture being taken. At the bottom. Photo by Bob Tyson.
Platform
One of five landings that breaks the continuity of the stairs.
Tagging
Not OK.
H3
The H3 highway generated just as much, if not more controversy than today’s HART when it was being built in the late 1980s.
Valentine’s Day Massacre
The landslide sent trees, dirt and rocks cascading into a small section of the stairs resulting in twisted steps and handrails.
Landslide
The death of the stairs was greatly exaggerated.
Honk if you’re hiking
We could see the cars on the highway and they could see us.
Coming down
The group making their way down to the bottom section of the stairs, only to be greeted by…
Mr. Anderson I presume?
…the guard who was giving us an earful until we let him know that we had an injured person in our party that necessitated coming down the stairs. Note: Stairways to Heaven or Haiku Stairs is considered private property and the no trespassing rule is strictly enforced with round the clock guards and punitive measures being dished out.
School is in session
The gate was wide open. We simply walked out. The gate is normally closed and laced with barbed wire, sharp stakes and holes meant to deter hikers from accessing the trail.
One day
The other stairway. From hell.
1942 – ?
When will the obituary be published?
GPS Tracks
The valley to the mountain to the stair hike covered 7.57 miles. Post hike meal at Ruby Tuesday. What’s in the dip? Bet you can’t eat just one.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Great shots Kenji! Fun day despite the rain!
Aloha Chuan,
Nice running into you and your friends. Yup fun day! Hope to run into you on the trails again one day!
Mahalo
Hi is this the moanalua ridge trail? It looks rather different compared to any other pictures I’ve seen. Other pictures did not include any electrical poles or lines and instead had hard cliffs that one needed to get on all fours grabbing dirt and brush to get up. Are these different trailed? If so what is in your opinion the best way to get to the top of the haiku stairs? Thanks!
Aloha
No this is not the Moanalua middle ridge. This is the powerlines trail that starts all the way back in the valley. In my opinion, the middle ridge will get you to the stairs faster, as the powerlines trail takes longer to get to the stairs. The middle ridge is more exposed at some parts than the powerlines trail, but it seems to be heavily trafficked as the trail of choice by most hikers. Also if you have never done the middle ridge, keep in mind you need to find the correct trailhead. When you see the signs that says kulana’ahane trail, that is NOT the trail to the middle ridge. That will take you to the saddle which is considered an extreme hike. The trailhead to the middle ridge is not marked and is located roughly 20 feet past the signs, last time I was there, it was cleared and a trail could be seen across the stream. Hope this helps. Have fun and be safe!
Mahalo
Hi Kenji,
This entire website is so awesome and I always have a good time reading about your hikes. I was just wondering. I’m planning on doing the Haiku Stairs, but I don’t want to do the illegal way. Which trail would be the easiest/fastest to reach the stairs?
Thank you!
Aloha Blake,
Thanks. I would suggest go up Moanalua Middle Ridge, make sure you pass the Kulana’ahane Trail Sign about 30′, where you will see the trail to the middle ridge. I would also highly suggest do not go earlier than 7am as that is when the park opens. Some inconsiderate hikers have been going earlier and making a lot of noise and commotion on their way to the park which has irked a lot of the neighbors. Stay safe and have fun.
Mahalo