Nu’uanu Pali Lookout to Kalihi Valley

Somebody waited five years to finish this section. Good things come to those who wait.

Thanks to Alex and Lilia for dropping Chico, Katie and myself off at our starting point today.

Inside or outside trail?

Group photo in the hole in the cliff, that was witness to the Battle of Nu’uanu in 1795 that saw Kamehameha take over the island of Oahu.

Climbing up the short and slippery slope to regain the ridgeline.

Looking back at the breaking sunrise over Olomana.

Time to put the spikes on to floss the slippery tooth.

Climbing up the crumbly ridgeline.

Making our way down the constantly changing character as erosion takes its toll. What’s here today, gone tomorrow.

Approaching the 23rd letter of the alphabet.

Pausing on the grassy hill overlooking Nu’uanu Reservoir #4 which was built in 1910 for flood control and water supply for the surrounding areas.

Katie descending down the flank of the hill to regain the ridgeline.

Contouring and climbing our way on the triple diked obstacle.

Making our way down the sliver of rock and dirt that seems a tad more slender on each visit.

Whipping winds were blowing dirt into any exposed open orifices. Anybody got Visine?

Chico pulling himself up the constantly crumbling hill that is still more preferable than the original contour route IMO. To each their own.

Our group making our way up to the hill after the long climb.

Looking back as we saw the three trail runners catching up to us.

Making our way towards the summit known as Swirling Heavens.

Adriana, Stacy and Susana soon caught up with us at the 2,700′ top and decided to join us to the finish line. The more the merrier.

Descending from the summit against the expansive backdrop of the Windward coastline.

Chico putting his ScuttleButt to good use on the grassy hill.

Sliding our way down into what some hikers argue is one of the hardest sections of the KST. I would argue it’s Diamond Head, but then again the iconic tuff cone is not part of the mountain range system.

The group riding the dusty creature that is near the brink of extinction.

Susana and the rest of the group balancing our way down the skinny and crumbly ridgeline that is seemingly held together with grass, uki and woody climbers.

Katie descending down the long drop on the flank of the ridgeline.

Waiting for the rest of the group to descend down the wall which is notorious for falling rocks, I can bear witness to that.

The girls contouring their way around the Can Opener.

Katie and Susana under the shadow of the Can Opener and what I like to call the “Bulging Fridge.” A sizeable rock that seems to jut out inch by inch every time I pay a visit to this spot. Or maybe I just have an active imagination.

Group photo at the scenic saddle spot.

Making our way down the brittle ledge.

Katie making her way down the near vertical drop.

It was too windy to pop the pimple today, despite a willing volunteer.

Climbing queue, as Adriana and Stacy wait their turn.

Stacy approaching the top of the wedge shaped obstacle.

Pete Clines the legendary hiker was the one that gave these “silly names” to these obstacles on Kalihi Saddle so as to make them less intimidating.

Katie striking a pose on the mushroom rock.

Living life on the edge. Or as skydivers would say, “If you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.”

Searching for the triangle shaped obstacle.

Thar she is!

Victory dance at the finish line. Congratulations Katie on completing the KST!

Descending down into Kalihi Valley, that are home to a colony of Australian rock wallabies, that escaped from the private zoo of Richard Trent in 1916. The last survey conducted in the 1990s pegged the marsupial population to number in the 70s.

Never let your feet touch the ground.

Walking out to the highway where we were picked up by Alex and Lilia.

Our KST completion hike covered 2.97 miles through two saddles and unexpected company. Congratulations again to Katie for a finish that was long in the making. Post hike meal at Nalu Health Bar & Cafe where I was pleasantly surprised by the menu offerings.

Photos taken by Adriana Hunter, Chico Cantu, Katie Lockerton, Stacy Paquette, Susana Escobar 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.

Tagged as: anvil, bunny ears, dirt dragon, donkey kong, doorstop, incisor rock, kalihi saddle, kalihi valley, koolau summit ridge trail, ksrt, lanihuli summit, lanihuli wall, nuuanu saddle, pali lookout, pali puka, pimple, powerlines, shark fin, w