Pupukea to Waiahole Uka

It was time to repay a visit to the Ko’olau Range. Gen, Jose and myself spent the Labor Day weekend cabin hiking in the mountains. Mahalo to Chris Hiona for dropping us off in Pupukea.

We shouldered our hefty backpacks, some were stuffed with the kitchen sink and the liquor store, as we started on the dirt road that passed the Boy Scout Camp and headed deep into the forest.

The dirt road transitioned to a paved military road where we soon passed the Kaunala trailhead on our left that winds through the Pupukea Paumala Forest Reserve. Another hike for another day.

We left the road past mile marker 19 to begin our hike on the Pupukea trail. The road actually continues its way through the lower Ko’olau Range and ends at Helemano Military Reservation.

The “official” start of the KST trail. We decided to take a short jaunt to the lookout.

Group photo left to right: Gen, myself and Jose.

Looking out towards the Waianae Range and the Kawailoa Wind Farm.

All feet on the Pupukea Summit. This is also supposed to be the junction for the old Kahuku trail.

Looking out towards Laie Point.

Jose plunging into one of the heavily overgrown sections on the trail.

Ziploc bags and plastic containers are not foolproof nor waterproof over time.

Jose walking through knee high uluhe ferns and vegetation.

Just a couple more hours to the summit. Almost there. Flashbacks to another hike.

The trail opened up, giving us a brief respite from all the overgrowth.

Wading through waist high uluhe ferns and shrubs. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Somewhere along this section, we missed the junction for the Maleakahana Trail. Another hike for another day.

The Laie summit.

Group photo at the 2,240′ summit.

The trail from the summit was initially defined and well trodden.

We passed the summit of Kawailoa on our right as we crossed the bowl shaped depression. There’s also a nearby water source that Patrick Rorie showed us on our last hike in this area.

Our first sign of the fence on the KST. It would keep us intermittent company through the following days.

Time to take a break. A break from the mud.

We resumed hiking on the mostly Windward side of the fenced trail.

A sight for sore eyes.

The best cabin on the KST.

Stuff I learned on my first cabin hike. Bring extra clothes, so you don’t have to be wet, dirty and miserable the whole day and night. Wet clothes and shoes will not dry on top of the KST. Bring a toothbrush, as dental hygiene is important when roughing it. Mountain House tastes a lot better than MREs, especially if you have a heat source. Hot chocolate is imbibed better laced with vodka. Smoking tobacco tastes better when you roll it yourself. Things that go bump in the night could be a rat or a ghost. But if you sleep soundly and snore loudly enough, things like that don’t bother you.

Click here for the larger image.

Rambling reflections of our hike so far that we left in the cabin log book, that was donated by Allison Baird.

Group photo at the cabin.

It was so hard to leave this cozy cabin in the mountains. Click here for the larger image.

The Windward side of the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

The trail also meandered on the Leeward side that was marked by heavy cover and vegetation.

The trail weaved across open meadows and back to the Windward side.

Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Stretching it on the KST. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

I always fail to get the memo. Photo by Genesaret Balladares.

Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

The trail contoured the ridgeline for the most part.

Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

No plants were harmed or molested in the making of this photograph.

Group photo.

Time to stretch and relax.

Open country. Photo by Genesaret Balladares

Hello. Which one of 5,000 species are you?

Just when we thought we lost the fence.

A junction and cabin for another day. Time and weather was not on our side.

Looking out at all the ridges and valleys.

The Papali section is feet down, the muddiest section of the KST.

We needed a Kit Kat break, not a mud break.

Gen being badged the Wawae’iole club moss. The order of mud splatter was automatically awarded.

Jose going through a typical muddy section of the trail.

Get ready. Set. Go! Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

The fence made some sections of the trail a little tight for space.

Hiking in mud all day can do strange things to a person.

We saw a stream meandering its way down to the valley below us.

Hiking in the mountains all day can do strange things to a person.

Approaching a scenic point overlooking Kahana Valley.

Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Clinging onto the fence as the trail traversed a narrow section of the ridgeline.

Click here for the larger image. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Why did the hikers cross the fence? To get to the other fence.

The iconic landmark on the KST. Some believe this is the junction for the Pe’ahinai’a Trail, another trail that has fallen out of use.

We followed the contour trail on the Leeward side.

The fence picked the trail back to the Windward side.

We left the fence line to continue following the ridge down to Poamoho.

Hiking on the Windward side of the trail.

The gate was a sign that we were close to the Poamoho summit.

Soaked to the bone with mud and water.

One of the best views on the island. When it’s not socked in. Like today.

There was no view at the summit to be had, so we pushed onto the cabin. The fence had extended its reach since my last visit.

Let’s get out of this rain, but let’s take a group photo first.

Our cabin for the night.

Poamoho cabin is the oldest extant cabin on the KST and is beginning to show its age. Especially after staying in the newer and roomier Koloa Cabin, but at least it wasn’t locked. We had a roof over our heads and all the rain water we wanted at our disposal.

Good morning! Time to put our wet clothes and shoes back on.

Even robots just want to have fun.

Our final day hiking on the KST, as we pushed towards our destination which was Waiahole Uka.

These trails were blasted and carved out of the mountains by the CCC gangs back in the 1930s.

Another new sight on the KST. What’s next? Lunch wagons?

Can you see us? Photo by Jose Luis Delaki

The long hike down to Kahana Valley. Another hike for another day.

Hiking the Windward side of the trail.

Watching out for the numerous false steps on the trail. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

The mountainside was dotted with assorted shapes and sizes of native loulou palm trees.

The trail had numerous short up and downs. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Every now and then, the clouds would part to tease us with a view.

The long ridge down to Wahiawa. Another hike for another day.

We came to the Waikane junction where we took the higher trail to continue our hike.

The trail contoured on the Windward side below the ridgeline.

Cloudy and socked in conditions makes it easy for hikers to get confused and lost navigating the trails.

This section was counter-intuitive as one does not continue straight but heads up and turns left to maintain track on the KST.

Contour for days.

Perched above us was the largest known tree of the myrtle family on the Ko’olaus according to Dave Fahrenwald.

Fenced ridgeline.

The mountain meadow photo booth. Where do all those memos go?

Uluhe was growing rampant in some sections. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Gen going through the notch.

Pushing up the last hill to the summit of Waiahole Uka.

One of the few groves of Japanese Sugi Pine Trees to be found on the island. Other than at your friendly neighborhood nursery.

Socked in and raining. Typical Windward ridge.

Making our way down the cloud covered ridge.

Can you hear me now?

One at a time.

Abundant moss covered most of the trees at the higher elevation.

Waiahole is known for its dense and interlocking uluhe ferns. Loads of fun. Not really.

Taking a respite from the uluhe, enjoying limited views of Mokolii.

Coming to the last major hump before the final descent off the ridge.

Once we dragged ourselves off the uluhe infested mountain, we turned right onto the Kuolani-Waianu trail and crossed over several large landslides with huge trees blocking the trail.

Big mahalos to Chris Bautista for picking us up in the dark and pouring rain. No sign of Scuba, the self proclaimed guardian of the valley.

The laborious three day hike covered 27.92 miles through the Northern Ko’olaus with stunning scenery, convoluted terrain and not another soul in sight. Good times with great friends. Post hike meal at Haleiwa Joe’s. Gen ran into the restaurant to secure our table before the last seating. I got the most eye popping, belt busting piece of prime rib that my stomach has seen. All that was missing were the horns and the tail.

Tagged as: black junction, castle junction, kaunala trail, koloa cabin, koolau summit trail, kst, kuolani-waianu trail, laie, paalaa uka pupukea road, papali ridge, poamoho cabin, poamoho summit, pupukea, pupukea paumalu forest reserve, waiahole uka