Our original destination was changed due to impaired physical conditions, so we ended up making the most of our weekend. All good.

Poamoho Road

Driving up 2WD the whole six miles. It’s not the car, it’s the driver that makes the road.

Poamoho Trail

It was a boys trip this weekend as the other usual female suspects were not feeling well.

Poamoho Trail

Scott entering the pearly gates of Poamoho where magical views await.

Poamoho Trail

Blink and you’ll miss the bench with views of the Waianae Mountain Range.

Poamoho Trail

Stepping foot on the mostly graded trail which by the looks of it was recently cleared of overgrowth.

Poamoho Trail

The group traversing over a landslide that since been reclaimed by Mother Nature. I remember when we hiked this same path five years ago and came across the fresh mass wasting of the trail. It was wrecked and DLNR subsequently closed it that following Monday and took months before the trail was reopened back to the public. Nothing in life is permanent, everything is temporary.

Poamoho Trail

Last chance to turn back. The maintained trail ends and who knows what lies beyond this gate.

Poamoho Trail

Entering the gulch and the stream crossing.

Cline Memorial

Standing next to the rock obelisk dedicated to avid hiker, Geraldine Cline who perished in a car accident in 1975. In 1978, friends and family each carried a small rock to build this memorial in her honor.

Poamoho Summit

Group photo at the 2,520′ summit with sweeping views of Punalu’u and Kahana Valleys.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Chico and Scott entering the gates to step foot on the historic KST that originally spanned from Pupukea to Kipapa when it was first carved out of the mountains back in the 1930s.

KST

Panoramic views.

KST

The group contouring below the ridgeline.

KST

Back on the fence line.

KST

Is social distancing still a thing?

KST

Chico climbing up the hill to get away from the fence line.

KST

Back on the fence line. Theme of the day.

KST

The fence glove is getting a little long in the tooth.

KST

Brushing past the native mint that lacks the mint smell as there were no predatory animals to eat them back in the day.

KST

Group photo at the iconic boot junction. The KST sign is also getting long in the tooth.

KST

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

KST

Scott contouring around the fence line.

KST

The KST is this way!

KST

Passing a native lobelia plant that seemed on the verge of flowering.

Rabbit Hole

Group photo with the KST sign that has definitely seen better days.

Army Cabin

Cabin Sweet Cabin for the night.

Army Cabin

The face of exhaustion after lugging nine liters of water through the mountains.

Army Cabin

Cooking in the mountains. Everything tastes better in the outdoors. Especially steak!

Army Cabin

We all enjoyed watching the fiery sun setting behind the Waianae Mountains. No green flash but eye popping nevertheless.

Army Cabin

How many times can you be a shithead in one night? Some didn’t wait and find out and just went to sleep.

Sunday October 12, 2025

Army Cabin

Good morning from the Ko’olau Mountains! We cleaned up the cabin and even received two 5 gallon water bottles that was delivered by Menehune Water. Talk about commitment and dedication.

Army Cabin

Nothing like starting off your hike in early morning fog.

KST

Followed up by skin exfoliation through a cocktail of uluhe, clidemia, and fence line.

KST

Stepping in mud baths on the trail that draws out tensions and toxins as it rejuvenates the body with fermented soil and water.

KST

Nothing like cold wind on the exposed ridges to keep one chilled.

KST

The rising sun slowly burned off the morning fog revealing the valley views.

KST

We left the jungle behind us.

KST

Looking down at the snail habitat and of course, the awesome valley views.

KST

Man down! Chico seems to have a knack for finding false holes on the trail. He should have been a gravedigger.

Poamoho Trail

Descending down into the gulch as we left the summit.

Poamoho Trail

Low clearance. Luckily I washed out of the NBA tryouts.

All pau

Our cabin weekend with priceless views and a stunning sunset covered a little over 11 miles with awesome company. Aida, Mari, Roger and Tessa met us for our post hike meal at the restaurant chain (CPK) that was founded by two lawyers in 1985.

Photos taken by Akira Suzuki, Chico Cantu, Kenny Lui, Scott Peterson 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.

The cabin is calling and we must go. Met up with Akira, Chico, Mari and Tessa for another weekend adventure in the mountains.

Helemano

We dialed in the lock combination and closed the gate as we left civilization behind us.

Poamoho Trail

Group photo at the start when we are all nice and clean.

Poamoho Trail

Hugging the uluhe carpeted cliff as expansive views of the Ewa Forest Reserve opened to our right.

Poamoho Trail

Chico transferring some of his ice water to a friend in need of something more than room temperature.

Poamoho Trail

Man down!

Poamoho Trail

Traversing through the largest landslide that shut down this trail several years ago.

Poamoho Trail

Some can climb over, while others have to step over.

Poamoho Trail

Crossing the trickling stream.

Poamoho Summit

Group photo on the clear and windy 2,520′ grassy hump. What a view!

Cline Memorial

Checking our mileage before we left the summit to begin our cross-over.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Dropping down to the sheltered trail which offered us temporary refuge from the howling winds.

KST

Akira closing the gate behind us as we stepped foot on the Windward (exposed) side of the trail.

KST

Contouring our way below the ridge line.

KST

Making our way to another gate.

KST

Mari cresting a hump with commanding views of the valleys behind us.

KST

Scrambling our way up the hill to reconnect to the fence line.

KST

Joining up with the ridge fence line.

KST

Akira next to the gloved one, because it’s cool and different than just having two gloves on the fence line.

KST

Looking through the ubiquitous fence line as the group followed the man-made structure as it meandered its way through the mountains.

KST

Climbing over the fence line to the trail that has now been largely reclaimed by Mother Nature.

Boot Junction

Group photo at the iconic weathered boot that has marked this junction for at least a decade. I still am curious as to who left the boot and the backstory.

Boot Junction

Climbing over the fence to traverse the spongy meadow field.

KST

Valley views that would be better off without the fence line. I believe the fence line started to be installed in the early 2000s to protect the watershed and endemic fauna and flora from invasive critters. Several noted hikers such as Patrick Rorie were opposed for the most part to the fence line being installed as it would be a blight on the landscape among other reasons. However, it does help with navigation in the mountains, especially when the area is socked in as it is for the most part.

KST

Mari climbing up with the summit of Pu’u Ohulehule behind her.

KST

The girls climbing up a steep hill with a wrap around sign marking the way.

Army Cabin

Our destination soon sprang into our sight. Motivation.

KST

Hiking sticks are used for balance and stability. They can also be be used to measure the depth of a mud pit.

Rabbit Hole

Wandering off the reservation.

Opae’ula Trail

Some people use their legs to measure the mud depth.

Opae’ula Trail

Approaching one of the few KST cabins with a view.

Opae’ula Cabin

Cabin sweet cabin.

Opae’ula Cabin

Group photo with the sun setting in the background.

Opae’ula Cabin

Pictures don’t do it justice.

Opae’ula Cabin

Our dinner menu consisted of steak, shrimp, tempura udon, zucchini, rice and brownies for dessert. Thanks to Chefs Cantu and Suzuki for cooking the food, Sommelier Bugay for the wine and Baker Saito for the browies.

Opae’ula Cabin

Catching a last glimpse as the sun shimmered its way down the Waianae Mountain Range.

Opae’ula Cabin

Pop and vino toast.

Opae’ula Cabin

Table talk revolved around paternal origins, new words and family activities.

Opae’ula Cabin

Shithead! The preferred card game of hikers, or so I’ve been told.

Opae’ula Cabin

Day 2
We woke up to a completely different landscape, one that was soaked in clouds. Packed our bags, swept the cabin and took our leave.

Opae’ula Trail

Mari passing through the gate to get back onto the reservation.

KST

Embracing the suck. Literally.

KST

Tessa leaving the Kaluanui NAR.

KST

Which way does the wind blow? Take a wild guess.

Boot Junction

Following the fence line on our return trip as we had learned our lesson.

KST

Tessa entering the tree tunnel.

KST

Making our way down back to the fence line.

KST

Crossing over a narrow section of the trail that was a result of a prior mass wasting. The inclement weather decided for us to skip another summit visit and continue down the graded trail.

Poamoho Trail

The group working their way out of the gulch where the stream gurgled below them.

Poamoho Trail

Fauna and flora hitchhikers had attached themselves to us during the hike. One was a native Hawaiian fern and the other was a pre-escargot.

Poamoho Trail

Passing through an old landslide area where we ran into two groups of hikers making their way to the summit.

All pau

We soon arrived at the trailhead which ended our roughly 11 in and out mile hike but began our six mile ride down the bumpy and muddy jeep road amplified by aggressive driving.

Post hike meal

The best cheeseburger in the country was not open, so we had our lunch at Chicken in a Barrel. Chico making Akira work for his gummies and providing entertainment at the same time. Great camping trip with good friends.

Photos taken by Akira Suzuki, Chico Cantu, Mari Saito, 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.

It was time for another camping weekend in the mountains. Thanks to Caroline for dropping Katie, Lilyn and myself off at the trailhead where we met up with Agnes, Allison, Anne and Matt, but not before taking care of bathroom breaks and morning coffee fixes. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Poamoho Gate

A big mahalo to Lonnie and Stacy for driving us up the jeep road to the trailhead, where the weather conditions looked promising. False promises.

Trailhead

Group photo at the rainy start to our hike, left to right: Agnes, Lilyn, Matt, Allison, myself, Anne and Katie.

Poamoho Trail

Threading our way through the barricade designed to filter only two legged hikers onto the trail.

Poamoho Trail

The group traversing the graded trail which interrupted the wall of cascading uluhe ferns.

Poamoho Trail

Katie explaining where the rain comes from.

Poamoho Trail

Catching nothing but rain drops today. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Poamoho Trail

The group going up the muddy rutted trail.

Cline Memorial

Hunkered below the rock memorial from the sweeping rain storm. We all passed on visiting the scenic-less summit. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Snail Habitat

Looking for native escargot and finding none. Photo by Allison Banks.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Stepping foot on the Northern section of the KST. Keep the country country.

KST

Allison going over the land slide. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Working our way back to the fence line.

KST

The hills have fences. For daze. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Some in the group went left and some went right. We all ended up at the same place.

KST

Fast forward to a couple hours where Chris and Lee got dropped off and hiked up to meet us and were blessed with scenic mountain views. What a difference that a couple hours makes. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

Where there’s a glove, the boot can’t be far off. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Boot Junction

Group shot at the iconic boot junction. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Fence Meadows

Matt crossing the spongy meadow to get to the other fence line.

KST

Dropping down into the gully. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Matt standing near the top of the trickling waterfall. Photo by Anne Fai.

Kaluanui Reserve

Entering the first established Natural Area Reserve in the Ko’olau Mountains. Photo by Anne Fai.

Mud Pits

Clinging to the fence line to avoid the mud. An exercise in futility for the most part.

Sock Stake

Is that a dirty sock on the stake or are you just glad to see me? Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Mud Pits

Plunging through the shin deep mud, at least it wasn’t waist deep like a couple years ago. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Mud Pits

Allison embracing the mud. Nowhere to run. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Trail

The goat skull says to go that way. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Opae’ula Cabin

Allison approaching the only cabin on the KST with mountain views. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Wash Day

Draining the water from the 55 gallon catchment to wash our muddy shoes and pants. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Green Mangoes and Bagoong

Everybody except one liked the green mangoes with fish sauce. Guess who?

Slippah Repair

It is true. Duct tape can fix anything! Photo by Katie Bingham.

Mountain Yoga

Limbering our bodies up for what was to come.

Opae’ula Cabin

Synchronized shaka’s. Harder than it sounds. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Opae’ula Cabin

Drone photos by Matt Vidaurri.

Opae’ula Cabin

Group photo as we decided what to do next with all the time we had on our hands. My return to childhood memories was dashed when Katie tossed the recently found squirt gun in the bushes. Killjoy and stick in the mud. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Stupid Human Tricks

Finding our 15 minutes of meaningless fame in the mountains.

Standing Broom Challenge

It works without the handle too. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Army Cabin

I hear you knocking but you can’t come in. Chris and Lee crashing the cabin party.

Wash Day

Clothes and shoes hanging out to dry. Wet dry. Photo by Allison Banks.

Cabin Cuisine

Carrying the oxtail soup up the mountains paid off with a delicious hot dinner. Sides of rice, eggs, mountain house, tuna and ramen. Washed down with hard liquor, soda and water.

Sunset

Enjoying the twinkling city lights before turning in to the snoring sounds from the animal zoo. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Sunrise

Waking up to the cloud soaked hills in the distance with a slight chill in the air. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Opae’ula Cabin

Group photo as we left our cabin lodgings, left to right: Lilyn, Katie, Matt, Anne, Allison, Agnes, myself, Lee and Chris.

Mud Pits

Chris enjoying his early morning mud bath. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST Junction

The wooden sign was back where it rightfully belonged, thanks to Chris for zip tying it to the post. Photo by Katie Bingham.

KST Junction

Crossing the mud soaked trail that was interrupted by the gated fence line. Photo by Katie Bingham.

KST

Following the fence line as it cut through the mountains. Photo by Anne Fai.

Papali Summit

We took a short break at the sign-less summit.

KST

Enjoying the scenic view of the Waianae Mountains. Photo by Katie Bingham.

Little Red Riding Hiker

And what big hands you have! The better to shaka you with! Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Meandering in the mountains. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

The group passing through one of many meadows in the mountains. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Brokeback Mountain

When the overgrowth is so thick and punishing, that you need the combined weight of two bodies to push through. Photo by Katie Bingham.

KST

Agnes against the backdrop of the slowly rotating windmills. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST

Time for a photo break. Sponsored by Akamai Services. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KST

She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes.

Lechon

When pigs fly. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Mountain Gym

Chris sparring with the mossy double end bag. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Making our way through the convoluted terrain of the KST. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Holding hands and singing Kumbaya on the scenic rock. I don’t know about the singing part. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

KST

Lilyn climbing her way back to the trail after she took a slight detour.

KST

Colorful hikers spread out on the trail.

KST

The group climbing in and out of the notch.

KST

We’re almost there! Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST

The group meeting up with the fence again.

KST

Taking the short cut to the cabin. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Koloa Cabin

Dropping down to the cabin.

Koloa Cabin

A short stay at the most spacious cabin on the KST.

Koloa Cabin

Group photo by Agnes Bryant on the cabin porch deck.

KST

Leaving the cabin for muddier trails.

Mud Pits

When you just can’t get enough of the mud, you go back for a second helping. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

KST

Going down the steep hill where the fence came in handy. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KST

Enjoying the scenic views on our way down. Photo by Allison Banks.

KST

Leaving the fence line behind us. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KST

Where’s that fence when you need it?

KST

The group crossing the bowl shaped depression. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

KST

Following the trail to the summit. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Chris-in-the-box

Agnes and Allison getting scared on the way to the 2,240′ summit. Photo by Matt Vidaurri.

Summit Shenanigans

Stupid Human Tricks Day 2. We needed more than our allocated 15 minutes of fame.

Laie Summit

The group showing their “L” for the mountains. Anybody’s guess as to what “L” represents? Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Laie Trail

Leaving the summit as we started down the six mile trail.

Laie Trail

Katie at a scenic spot overlooking the towns of Kahuku and Laie.

Laie Trail

Falling head over heels off the trail. The main thing is not losing the two phones in my pocket. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Laie Trail

We are hangry. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Trail snacks

Chris fired up his Jet Boil to cook up the remaining ramen packs. When you don’t have a fork to slurp down the noodles, a toothbrush will do. And you can brush your teeth right after eating. Killing two bird with one stone.

Laie Trail

Allison making her way down the mostly graded trail. Photo by Agnes Bryant.

Laie Falls Junction

No side visit to the refreshing pool today.

Laie Trail

Ducking our way underneath one of several blowdowns on the trail.

Laie Trail

Passing through the grove of pine trees. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Laie Trail

Making our way down the eroded red dirt road.

All pau

Walking out to Matt’s staged truck and other rides that had come to collect the group. Our 23 plus mile hike was filled with mud, overgrowth and fun times with good friends. Memories to last a lifetime or at least for the weekend. Post hike meal at Haleiwa Joe’s where we were promised prime rib and had to settle for steak instead. Life is hard. Photo by Lilyn Avendano.

Video by Matt Vidaurri of our fun weekend hike.

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.

We spent the weekend in the mountains where the country is still country.

Poamoho Road

Thanks to Lopaka for taking Charlie, Chris, Ferlino and myself up the dark and bumpy road.

Poamoho Trail

Halfway to the summit, we kept moving as the clear summit was slowly turning cloudy.

Poamoho Trail

Looking at the line of clouds across the skyline.

Poamoho Trail

Heading into the misty gulch. Photo by Charlie Antonio.

Poamoho Stream

Jumping the stream, which signaled that the summit was a mere 10 minutes away. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Cline Memorial

Only 12.7 miles more to go! Photo by Chris Bautista.

Poamoho Summit

We had to use our imagination to visualize the jaw dropping scenery behind us.

Poamoho Summit

No views at the 2,520′ summit, so we had to keep ourselves easily amused. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Leaving the fun and games behind us. We had more fun and games ahead of us, otherwise known as mud. Deep mud.

KST

Charlie and Ferlino making their way down the outer fence that soon joined up with the inner fence.

Boot Junction

Arriving at the iconic boot and sign, which begs the question. Who left it here?

Fence Meadow

Crossing the cloud soaked meadows where somebody’s house was not in order.

KST

Hugging the edge of the fenced cliff.

Kaluanui

Paying close attention to the fence and not so much the sign.

Mud trail

Did I mention fun and games were involved?

Junction

Chris took Charlie and followed the fence line to the cabin, while Ferlino and myself took leave of the fence and went down the rabbit hole.

Opae’ula Cabin

The cabin with the best views on this side of the range. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

Ferlino coming out of the rabbit hole and crossing over to another fence line.

Rabbit Hole

Follow the arrow. Photo by Charlie Antonio.

Piggy Smalls

What big teeth you have.

Papali Junction

Group photo left to right: Ferlino, Charlie, Chris and myself.

KST

We left the fence line for a spell as we headed out into the open country. Keep the country country.

Deja vu

Let’s not see this again shall we?

KST

Hanging out with the suspended roots.

KST

Standing on the rock that normally offers expansive views of the WST. It was closed today. Instead we checked out the stack of rat traps. No fresh catches. Thankfully we weren’t hungry at the time. Photo by Charlie Antonio.

KST

Charlie and Ferlino climbing in and out of the deep hole on the trail.

KST

Back on the fence line. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Koloa Cabin

We discovered with baited breath that the cabin was back open for business.

Koloa Cabin

Luckily Plan B was just for show and not for real.

Koloa Cabin

The cabin log was back. Free facials by Ferlino. Pedicure by fire and sharp edges. Playing Pepito. Eating hot food. Cabin life doesn’t get much better than this.

Koloa Cabin

Trying to catch the sunrise before turning in for the night. No such luck. Photo by Chris Bautista

Koloa Cabin

Thank you for the hospitality. May you remain open for many more years to come.

Koloa Outhouse

Some of us had our morning constitutionals before our departure. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Fence line

It’s always good to see a familiar face in the morning.

KST

Dashing through the mud in a clean pair of shoes, o’er the trails we go, laughing all the way. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

The fence soon gave way to chest high overgrowth, while the mud decided to stick around.

KST

Making our way across the bowl shaped depression. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Laie Summit

360 degree views at the 2,240′ foxhole summit.

KST

We were initially elated as it appeared that the trail was freshly cut from the summit.

KST

The elation soon evaporated as we realized it was too good to last.

KST

Can you spot the hiker for the forest?

KST

Passing through a stand of trees that were densely packed with moss. It was quite inviting to sit on. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

It would seem that this busy bee took a shine to my glove, perhaps mistaking it for a source of pollen.

Malaekahana Junction

Maybe in time, Chris’s glove will prove to be just as enduring as the boot.

KST

Seemingly making our way towards the churning windmills in Kahuku. Optical illusion. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Looking back at the coastal town of Laie. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Winding our way through the mountains.

KST

Popping in and out of the overgrowth. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Pushing our way through the overgrowth.

KST

Halfway there. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Hey, wait a minute! Didn’t you say that was bad for your teeth? Photo by Charlie Antonio.

KST

Chris getting lost in the bushes.

KST

Getting constantly whacked by the bony branches was not high on the fun list. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Much to our surprise, the last push to the summit was surprisingly cleared.

Pu’u Hina

Taking a well deserved break after the bruising battle with all the overgrowth.

KST

Leaving the summit with a last view of the Waianae Mountain Range. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

Charlie and Ferlino making their way down the highway of a trail.

Black Junction

Group photo at the end of the most overgrown and muddiest section of the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

KST

This must be the way home. It can’t come soon enough.

KST

Going down the graded and downhill trail. What a treat.

KST

I’m guessing circumcised. Fresh cut. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Leaving the trail for the road; that was strewn with rubble, trees and suffering severe erosion.

Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road

Where was this curbing during the muddy sections of the trail? Photo by Chris Bautista.

All pau

Thanks to Jasmin for picking us up at the end of Pupukea and bringing us cold cans of Pepsi. Post hike meal at Haleiwa Joe’s where the wait was so long that the turf ran out and I ended up eating the surf. Great weekend spent with a bunch of good guys. Photo by Charlie Antonio.

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.

Met up with Ferlino, Mia and Shirley to salvage what we could from the originally planned camping weekend.

Poamoho Road

Ferlino opening the gate to where the cows sometimes stray from their barbed wire pastures and hunters roam the land looking for smaller sized ungulates.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Thanks to Brian for the tailgate ride to the top and the impromptu social mixer with the hunters. Always awkward to meet irate individuals with guns and dogs. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Trailhead

Starting at the trail that prohibits two wheeled modes of transportation, but permits two legged means of transportation.

Poamoho Trail

Heading up the graded trail that cut a swath through the vegetation cascading down the mountain. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Poamoho Trail

The summit beckoned us with clear and inviting skies as we picked up the pace to make it there in under 90 minutes.

Poamoho Trail

Hiking in unmaintained territory, with nothing but the fence line to keep us on track.

Short people problems

Wait, don’t push me yet! Photo by Shirley.

Poamoho Trail

Heading into the gully. Almost there.

Poamoho Trail

Looking at this photo, would one think: a) Mia was asking Shirley for a hand to cross the dry streambed or b) passing her iPhone to get that perfect shot? Choose wisely, grasshopper. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Poamoho Trail

Heading to the summit where it’s usually a hit or miss in regards to the views. Today was going to be a home run.

Poamoho Summit

Stunningly clear day at the 2,520′ summit with panoramic views of Punalu’u and Kahana Valleys. Words can’t describe it and pictures just scratch the surface.

Poamoho Summit

Ferlino got arm blocked in our group photo.

Poamoho Summit

Some of us tried to look heroic …

Poamoho Summit

… while others could stand to lose seven pounds. Wait, did I get my captions mixed up? Photo and pose credit by Shirley.

Cline Memorial

We ended the photoshoot as we had squandered our early lead at the scenic swept summit and headed out to fenced pastures.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Leaving the fenced trail as we set foot on the historic trail carved out of the mountains back in the 1930’s. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Contouring our way around the ridge line and the small pockets of land slides.

KST

Ferlino climbing over the locked gate. We are not illegals.

KST

Working our way back to the fence line, an ubiquitous sight in the mountains.

KST

Hiking our way across the rugged Northern Ko’olau Mountains.

KST

Shirley attempting to prove that her head is not that big. The fence failed to validate her claim.

KST

Looking out towards the strikingly clear Waianae Mountain Range.

Shoefie

We are not turning simple, well most of us that is. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Boot Junction

Leaving one side of the fence for another side of the fence.

Fence meadows

Crossing the spongy ground. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Fence meadows

Synchronized fence climbing against the valley backdrop.

KST

We can see the cabin for the mountains.

KST

Following the fence line as it wrapped around the valley.

Ko’olau Clinic

When you have to let your 7,126 followers know of your sprained ankle that was compressed with medical tape and webbing. Photo by Mia Garrison.

KST

Somebody was blocking the stunning views. Photo by Mia Garrison.

Kaluanui

Paying too much attention to the sign and not the fence. The other fence.

Kaluanui

Hiking across the 376 acres of mountains and valleys that are home to 29 endemic fauna and flora found nowhere else.

LifeCall

Shirley doing her best impersonation of “Mrs. Fletcher.” I’ve fallen and I can’t get up. All that was missing was the pendant.

Waterfall

Something new on the trail. Wait, this isn’t the trail. Well, at least we got to see a waterfall on the hike, which you usually don’t see on the KST.

KST

Back on the right trail after we spent an hour exploring, which is hiking jargon for getting lost.

Sock Junction

Just wondering if the sock fits the boot?

KST Junction

We took a slight detour off the KST to experience …

Mud Trail

… knee deep mud …Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Ko’olau Mountains

… and stunning views of the Waianae Mountains. Photo by Mia Garrison.

Opae’ula Cabin

Group photo of the cabin with the Waianae Mountains in the backdrop, left to right: Ferlino, Shirley, Mia and myself.

Army Cabin

What happened in the cabin got etched very deeply into our photographic memories. Indelible.

Opae’ula Cabin

Time to leave as we had squandered our few remaining daylight hours for the cabin experience. I think the group thought it was worth it.

Mud Trail

Ferlino stepping to the side to avoid taking a mud bath.

KST Junction

Going down the rabbit hole.

KST

It was a hop, skip and a jump across the short muddy section before exiting the gate. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

KST

Some of us embraced the mud more readily than the others as we passed the sun bleached pig jawbone.

Papali Junction

Our last group photo of the day as rain would keep us company the rest of the way down.

Papali Ridge

Descending down from the Ko’olau Summit Trail.

Papali Ridge

The rain blended in and drowned out the sound from nearby Castle Falls as we made our way down the fence. Besides, we already saw a waterfall today.

Papali Ridge

What goes down, must come back up. Something you learn very quickly in the mountains.

Castle Junction

Paying too much attention to the gate that drops one down into Kaluanui Stream and Punalu’u Valley. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Ko’olau Mountains

Exploring the rain soaked fenced ridge line for a few hours before the curtain of darkness fell upon us.

Papali Ridge

Illuminating our way down the blackened ridge with a motley assortment of iPhone flashlights and headlamps. Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

Papali Ridge

The city lights looked so close and yet was so far away. Photo by Shirley.

All pau

Our 12.4 mile hike covered spectacular valley and rugged mountain views through sunny, cloudy and rainy weather. Our ordeal finally came to an end that was filled with graffiti and barking dogs. Great company made the all day adventure bearable and fun. A hearty shout out to Analyn and Clayton for picking us up in the dead of night bearing pizza, wings, banana lumpia and cold drinks. Post hike meal in the SUV. Much Mahaloz! Photo by Ferlino Carinio.

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.

Chris and I spent the Labor Day weekend backpacking in the mountains. Thanks to Daryl for dropping us off.

Hau’ula Valley

Passing the revolving wall of graffiti.

Ma’akua Ridge Trail

Leaving the road behind us.

Bench

Views of the Hau’ula coastline and Laie Point to our left.

Papali Ridge

We left the loop trail to continue the climb up the ridge.

Papali Ridge

Gaining elevation through the uluhe ferns, which were surprisingly trimmed back. We found out later that some fellow hiking friends had cleared it earlier for their upcoming backpacking hike. Lucky us.

Papali Ridge

Humping up the rollercoaster ridge.

Papali Ridge

We followed the ridge line as it curved to the left towards the mountains.

Papali Ridge

Looking ahead to the saddle crossing.

Papali Ridge

Even our boonie hats took a break in the field of flowers.

Papali Ridge

Looking back at the sweeping views of the Windward coastline.

Papali Ridge

Our first contact with the sprawling fence line.

Castle Junction

The trail down to Kaluanui Stream. Not today.

Papali Ridge

Hiking through the wide open swath made possible by the recently installed fence line.

Castle Falls

We hopped over the fence to take in a brief look at this waterfall nestled back in the valley.

Papali Ridge

Passing a moss-ified ohia tree on the trail.

Papali Ridge

Strolling to the summit.

Papali Junction

Standing on the Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST).

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

We meet again. Last time we saw this particular pua’a (pig), it had recently passed and was lying next to a tree on the other side of the fence. Somebody staked its skull to the fence post.

Trail

Going off the reservation. The KST reservation.

Mud pits

Trying my (un)successful best to avoid sinking into the mud. At least I didn’t sink waist deep, like on one of our last visits. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Trail

Chris pausing to soak in the views of the Waianae Mountains.

Opae’ula Cabin

We arrived at the recently painted cabin shortly before 3pm. What time is check in?

Opae’ula Cabin

It was one of the best feelings to exchange our mud soaked shoes for slippers, that I just had to jump for joy. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Opae’ula Cabin

Watching the sun rays poking through the clouds and dancing across the land.

Opae’ula Cabin

Fiery sunset on the North Shore.

Opae’ula Cabin

Cabin life lit by a flickering candle that needs to be replaced soon.

Opae’ula Cabin

Morning bowel movement view.

Opae’ula Cabin

We checked out at 8am. Mahalo for the hospitality!

Trail

Extreme hula hooping. Forget plastic hoops, hikers do it with metal hoops.

Trail

Following the fence back to the gate.

Ko’olau Summit Trail (KST)

Back on the KST. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

The rugged peaks of Manamana, Kanehoalani and Ohulehule poking out above the ridge line.

KST

Chris passing through another gate.

KST

It was a beautiful day to be in the mountains.

KST

Chris dropped down the fence line to follow the barely moist stream bed.

Trail

Standing on top of a trickling waterfall. Photo by Chris Bautista.

KST

Jaw dropping views of the valleys kept us company.

Fence Meadows

Crossing the fence to get to the other fence.

Peahinaia Trail

Talks of exploring the overgrown and presumably lost trail soon fizzled out.

Boot Junction

Seated and waiting to try on a pair of boots. Make that singular. Shoelaces not included.

KST

Heading back into the jungle of uluhell ferns and assorted shrubs and trees.

KST

The fence line soon split into two forks. Which one to take?

KST

Outside the fence line.

KST

Inside the fence line.

KST

The contour below the ridge line is now fenced off. The gate is there if you look hard enough, otherwise climb over the fence.

KST

Hikers version of the fidget spinner.

KST

Chris getting off the ridge and fence line.

Poamoho Summit

Pitching tent at the summit for strictly photographic purposes.

Poamoho Summit

Chris climbed the hill to catch a better perspective.

Poamoho Summit

Clear day at the 2,520′ summit.

Poamoho Summit

Chris standing on one of the spur ridges looking down into the stunning valley views.

Cline Memorial

Leaving the breathtaking summit. I think over two hours was enough.

Poamoho Trail

Passing the gulch on our right.

Poamoho Trail

Transitioning from the unmaintained to the maintained trail.

Poamoho Trail

The trail going down was surprisingly bone dry. No complaints here.

Trailhead

Is that our ride? Wishful thinking.

Plantation Road

I switched to auto pilot going down the mentally and physically numbing road. One foot in front of the other. Repeat until needed.

Plantation Road

Our forward progress was momentarily halted by a rather large black cow that had planted herself squarely in the middle of the road and wasn’t budging. I waited for Chris to catch up as he had shed his red shirt as some cows were following him. We soon edged around the cow to resume walking down the road and thought we had saw the last of that heifer. We were sadly mistaken. Taking a break at the second gate, we heard loud bellowing and saw the same black cow had followed us! We climbed through the barbed wire to the other road and the cow soon lost interest.

All pau

No sign of the black cow. The red ninja hiker kept us safe. Mahalo to Dale and Kamalani for picking us up on short notice.

GPS Tracks

Our two day hike through some of the most scenic trails on the island covered 16.72 miles. Not a bad way to spend the weekend with good company. Post hike meal at Outback Steakhouse. Prime rib is what’s for dinner. Moooo!

Note: I have been made aware the 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.

I had a free weekend and decided to spend it in the mountains. How do you spell fun in the Ko’olaus? M – U – D.

Trailhead

My mirrors were folded in. The dogs were barking. The blue skies were smiling at me.

Wahiawa Hills

Time to get swallowed in the hills of Wahiawa.

Wahiawa Hills

My first stream crossing. Didn’t even get my feet wet. Just yet.

Wahiawa Hills

The rolling down hills.

Wahiawa Hills

Brightly colored float tubes as trail markers. Why didn’t I think of that?

Kaukonahua Stream

The longest river on the island. 33 miles. Got wet. Not deep enough for tubing.

Wahiawa Hills

The rolling up hills.

Wahiawa Hills

The vegetation has returned with a vengeance since it was burned out over a year ago.

Wahiawa Hills

Panoramic view of the vast Ewa Forest Reserve.

Wahiawa Hills

More rolling down hills.

Wahiawa Hills

Got wet again.

Wahiawa Hills

The hills have hills.

Wahiawa Hills

Leaving the hills behind.

Wahiawa Hills

Soon you will be able to read the bullet holes instead.

Wahiawa Hills

A freshly cut trail. Relatively speaking. Looks like the work of the HTMC trail clearing crew.

Wahiawa Hills

Pink ribbons fluttering from the branches that marked the trail. I miss the float tubes.

Poamoho Road

Time to transition from trail to road. All it took was a hop. No skip. No jump.

Poamoho Trail

No sign of bees. No honey either. I had my nuts too.

Poamoho Trail

Bench with a view. Warm bench.

Poamoho Trail

Something new. Time to edumucate myself.

Poamoho Trail

Well, at least it’s not imploring me to turn back.

Poamoho Trail

We meet again. A familiar but necessary eyesore in the mountains.

Poamoho Trail

The last stream crossing. Didn’t get my wet shoes wet.

Poamoho Trail

Memorial in sight.

Poamoho Summit

Not a bad spot to have lunch.

Poamoho Summit

Looking out towards the Waianae Range.

KST

The gate is open. The Ko’olau Summit Trail beckons.

KST

Still working on my plant identification skills. Lack of.

KST

Landslide. I’ve been seeing more of these on the trails lately.

KST

The trail for the most part contoured on the Windward side.

KST

Stacked fences. Assembly included.

Pritchardia

Native loulu palm trees dotting the sides of the mountain.

KST

Following the fence line.

KST

I spotted something wooden and rectangular off in the distance. What could it be?

KST

The iconic boot junction.

KST

Traversing the undulating fenced trail.

KST

Passing by a notch in the mountains that the clouds filled in.

KST

The clouds started to slowly drift and diffuse over the jungled landscape.

KST

The sock stake. Someone has a good sense of humor.

Trail

How do you spell fun again?

Opaeula Cabin

I’ll take the room with mountain views please.

Opaeula Cabin

Cabin life. Kitchen sink included. Night views not included.

Opaeula Cabin

Wakey wakey eggs and bakey. No eggs. No bacon. A bowl of hot beef pho will have to do.

Trail

Down into the rabbit hole.

KST

A lehua papa tree? sticking out like the proverbial veined thumb. Still working on those skills.

KST

Spider web catching morning dew drops.

KST

The trail soon met up with the fence again.

KST

Hiking through the cloudy, twisted topography of the Northern Ko’olau can be confusing and clarifying at the same time.

KST

Corridor of moss hanging trees sheltering a river of mud.

Papali Junction

The junction has been cleared and fenced. No stopping the fence migration.

KST

The cotton candy clouds seemed to slowly dissolve as they drifted over the mountains and out to the ocean.

KST

The overgrowth relented somewhat as the trail continued to contour on the Windward side.

KST

Spoke too soon.

KST

Curtain of hanging roots obscuring pungent and cloying rivers of mud.

KST

What hike wouldn’t be complete without wading through pockets of chest high uluhe ferns? Exactly.

KST

Temporary relief.

Trail snacks

Thimbleberry. Many berries to make a big berry.

Koloa Cabin

I guess the rats are all gone.

Koloa Cabin

Leaving the outhouse behind, no deposits left.

KST

The uneven fencing reflected the convoluted trail.

KST

Leaving the fence behind.

Kawailoa Summit

Stunning end to end views of the Waianae Mountain Range from the 2,360′ top.

KST

Crossing the bowl shaped depression to climb back up to the Windward side of the trail.

Laie Summit

Panoramic view from the 2,240′ top.

Laie Summit

The winds were biting cold as I took my hurried leave of the summit.

Laie Trail

Only six miles left. All downhill.

Laie Trail

The elevation hourglass seemed to drop slower than usual, as the trail descended through native forest and invasive strawberry guava trees.

Laie Trail

I soon ran across the grove of Norfolk Pines. Halfway there. Keep on going. Almost there.

All pau

My two day hike across and through the mud, overgrowth and stunning scenery of the Ko’olau Mountains covered over 24 miles. I was beaten like a rented mule at the end of the trail. Euphorically exhausted. Thanks to Dale for picking me up. Post hike meal at Outback. Eyes were bigger than my stomach. Doggy bag.

Note: I have been made aware the 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.

Rainy weather diverted us from one section of the Ko’olaus to another section. That’s how Gen, Jose, Justin, Thessa and myself found ourselves in Laie. Thanks to Matt who woke up early to ferry us to the other side. For naught. Back to sleep.

Morning yoga

We had some time to join together as we waited for Thessa.

Trailhead

Bodily functions taken care of. Alcohol transferred. Ready to hike. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Panoramic view

Click here for the larger image.

Pine trees

Norfolk or Cook Pine – Which is it?

Strawberry guava trees

Leaving the shaded corridors of pine and strawberry guava trees and mud behind.

Laie Falls

Passing the swimming hole and twin waterfalls fed by Kahawainui Stream.

Trail

The rest of the hike to the summit was on a graded trail through native forest.

Fire in the hole

These trenches were dug back in WW2 and were to be filled with explosives to block the trail, in case of a Japanese land invasion.

Laie trail

The Wahiawa Camp of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) finished Wailele Trail in 1935. After WW2, the trail became known as the Laie Trail.

Laie Summit

Group photo by Justin Hirako, left to right: Thessa, Gen, myself, Justin and Jose.

Laie Summit

Another group photo at the windy 2,240′ top looking out towards the Waianae Mountain Range.

Big Island Boy

I don’t smoke … ( pause ) … tobacco.

Trail

Talk of past and desired relationships forced us off the summit and back on the trail.

Trail

The crew climbing out of the bowl shaped depression.

Fence line

Our first contact with the infamous KST fence. Love it or hate it.

Fence line

The fence soon lead us straight to the cabin. Just like bread crumbs.

Outhouse

I smell no sh*t. I see no sh*t. It was pretty nasty. Photo by Jose Luis Delaki.

Koloa Cabin

Justin opening the door to his first cabin visit. His cabin cherry was broken.

Cabin life

Our original plan was to push towards the Army Cabin and overnight there. Given the distance left and the looming rain clouds, we decided to stay put. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Cabin fever

Birthday cupcake. Is that a spam musubi in your underwear or are you just glad to see me? Abused animated characters. Well at least one was abused.

Cabin idol

Somebody please take Kikaida and Mickey Mouse away from them! Just blame the alcohol laced hot chocolate.

Cabin mouse

“Twas the rainy and windy night on the Ko’olaus, when all through the cabin; rustling space blankets were stirring under snug and restless hikers; when there arose such a calamitous clatter, as our collective slumber was pierced by riotous screaming and a body falling; I struggled from my bunk to see what was the matter; a f*cking mouse pitter – pattered by my face was the colorful expletive that was offered.

Goodbye cabin

Group photo of us checking out from the best KST cabin.

Hello sunrise

It was a chilly morning to catch the cloudy sunrise. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Trail

Making our way on the Windward side of the trail.

Scenic rock

Sometimes you just have to stop and soak in the Leeward views. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Trail

Switching back to the Windward side.

Mud circle

Taking stock of our muddy footwear. The worst was yet to come.

Trail

Crossing over to the sheltered and overgrown Leeward side.

Trail

Switching back to the Windward side. Back and forth. Up and down.

Koolau Range lobelia

Glimpse of a rare native plant in bloom.

Trail

Passing through a small stand of native loulou palm trees.

Trail

Burrowing through some overgrowth.

Papali junction

Let’s take a break, shall we?

Spartan Mud Race II

When push comes to shove. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Trail

Back on the fence line again.

Mud

Knee deep. Not that bad.

Junction

Left? Right? Photo by Justin Hirako.

Mud

Waist deep. Seriously? Photo by Genesaret Balladares.

Trail

We soon approached the wooden cabin, that had mountain views and a kitchen sink!

Cabin life

Hello and goodbye. Photos by Justin Hirako.

Opaeula Cabin

We left the cabin behind along with Gen and Jose who decided to stay another night in the mountains.

Mud

Justin wanted to see for himself if the mud was really that deep. It was.

Trail

Back on the KST.

Trail

Goodwill was alive and well in the mountains. Need a spare glove?

Trail

Justin and Thessa making their way along the fence line.

Trail

Looking ahead as the fence line wrapped around the ridge and disappeared into the clouds.

Trail

Justin and Thessa making their way across the open field to re-connect to the KST.

Boot Junction

Watching the clouds rolling into the mountains. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Trail

Pu’u Ohulehule rising from the floor of Kahana Valley.

KST

Looking out towards the contour trail carved below the ridgeline of the Ko’olau Mountains.

Shaka

Sharing some aloha on the trail. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Trail

Are we there yet? Not quite.

Cabin interruptus

We met Dave Fahrenwald who had hiked in from Poamoho and was headed towards the Army Cabin. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Wind gauge

Passing the wind gauge station. We picked up our pace as we knew the summit was close.

Poamoho Summit

Group photo by Justin Hirako at the 2,520′ summit. Hey, we actually got a view!

Trail

Time and weather did not look favorable for a cabin visit, so we headed down the muddy trail.

Got mail?

No mail for hikers, just hunters.

End of unmaintained trail

All smiles now. The rest of the trail was graded and downhill. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Trail

Justin trotting down the trail.

Sunset

Photo by Justin Hirako.

Poamoho trailhead

Trail meets road. Photo by Justin Hirako.

Ribbit

If I kiss you, will you turn into a 4×4?

Rainy road

What’s better than walking down a six mile jeep road? In the dark. In pouring rain. Yeah. That’s the ticket. The one way ticket.

All pau

Shout out to Chris Bautista who picked us up and drove us to Laie and Moanalua Valley to retrieve our cars. Post hike meal at Zippy’s. Justin appreciated the extra wait for his food. Made it more tasty.

GPS Tracks

The two day cabin hike covered 23.05 miles over and through the rugged and wild Northern Ko’olaus. Fantastic fun filled weekend with great friends.