Rain canceled our Saturday Pali Notches to Piliwale Ridge hike, so I tagged along with Chris and Kaimi for a Sunday hike from Makapu’u to Kamiloiki Ridge. Chris picked me up from Waioli Street and we met Kaimi at the Makapu’u lookout. Even security was there in the wee hours of the morning, in the form of Honolulu’s finest. Assured that our cars were safe as long as the donuts and coffee didn’t run out, we crossed Kalanianaole Highway around 6:14am to start our hike. 

Early Goats

We made our way up the rocky ridge following the chain link fence with danger signs plastered over them. As soon as we crested the top of the ridge, we noticed a herd of goats below us. After noticing our presence, they scampered away on their sure-footed hooves towards Sea Life Park. Now that’s what you call extreme hikers. 

Koko Crater

As we made our way along the ridgeline, views of Koko Crater and Kalama Valley opened up. 

Makapu'u Puka

The ridge soon robbed us of the elevation we had just gained, as we climbed down and took a brief break at the Puka. 

Makai Pier, Manana and Kaohikaipu Islands

We started climbing again as we made our way to Kamehame Ridge where a bird’s eye view of the Makai Pier, Rabbit and Turtle Islands greeted us. The sun also started coming out from the clouds, turning my face a bright beet red, despite the sunscreen that I had sprayed on earlier. In my opinion, this stretch of the Koolau’s is one of the hottest, rivaling those on the Waianae side.

Hang Glider Platform

No actual libation was involved in the making of this photograph at the second hang glider platform. 

Kamiloiki Stairs

We came down the steps from the second hang glider platform and made a right on the paved road which would lead us to the abandoned Nike Missile Station. Right before the locked gates, is a unlocked side gate that we went through to check out the Kamiloiki “Hidden” Stairs which like the Haiku Hidden Stairs only goes down partially towards Kamiloiki Valley.

Communication Tower

In an apparent oversight, some of the communication towers at the old Nike Missile Site are gated while others aren’t. Even the ones that are gated, can be easily circumvented as Chris ably demonstrates. 

Dead Man's Cat Walk

I have the runway, now all I need is a parachute.

Hang Glider

After waiting almost an hour at the Dead Man’s Cat Walk, one of the hang gliders took off from the second platform and put on quite an aerial show with his spins and turns. 

Waimanalo

Going down the saddle and climbing out of it, we made our way up to the grove of ironwood trees on the other side that would serve as our lunch spot.

Paragliders

As we munched on our bananas, granola bars and M&Ms; as that’s all the lunch wagon had left, a trio of paragliders circled lazily overhead. 

Panoramic view of Hawaii Kai and Waimanalo

 Click here to see the larger image.

Kamiloiki Ridge

We soon came to the summit of Kamiloiki Ridge and made our way down the ridge and came across a still smoldering campfire on the trail. Smokey says, “Only you can prevent forest fires.”

Pahua Heiau

The heat was bouncing off the clouds and rocks as we finally made our way down to the end of the trail which is marked by the Pahua Heiau. After we got into my car, we made a run for the border – Soft Taco’s and XL drinks with no ice.

This was our first hike towards completing the entire Koolau Summit from Makapu’u to Pupukea. Of course we plan on breaking it up into manageable chunks, not everybody can be Chase Norton. Mad props to that guy for hiking the entire Koolau Summit in eight days. I parked my car at the top of Kaluanui Road where the hike would end and my friend picked me up and we all met at the Makapu’u Lookout to start our hike. This was our first hike as a group that one of us called the Four Horsemen which included Glenn, Chance, Jason and myself.

Makapu'u

We made our way up the ridge following the chain link fence that had danger signs plastered over them. Looking back, we saw Makapu’u Point which means “Bulging Eye” in Hawaiian, sandwhiched in between the Makapu’u Lighthouse on the left and Pele’s Chair on the right, a natural rock formation that in Hawaiian legend, was the last place Madam Pele left on Oahu before settling on the Big Island. Speaking of fire, this part of the trail has zero shade, so it’s best to lather on the sunscreen or be prepared to be seared lobster red.

Sea Life Park

Further up the ridge, we were treated to views of Sea Life Park and the islands of Manana (Rabbit Island) and Kaohikaipu (Turtle Island). The sounds of barking seals from Sea Life Park punctuated the morning silence as we made our way up the ridge.

Early Goats

We followed the rocky ridgeline as we passed numerous interesting rock formations, some of which looked like jagged teeth protruding from the ground. We also noticed a herd of goats that were keeping an eye on us from the next hill over.

Rock climbing the Makapu'u Puka - Not

We also started dropping altitude as the ridgeline gradually dipped towards the Makapu’u Puka. Hawaiian legend has it that a warrior named Kaulanaakaiole threw either a spear or shot an arrow at a rat that created this hole or puka.

Three monkeys on a platform

After passing the puka, the ridgeline started to climb again as we gained elevation and reached the top. We passed some old Army barracks atop Kamehame Ridge that is now home to a teen program called Winner’s Camp. We then passed a rickety looking platform used by hang gliders and then came across another one where we clowned for the camera. 

Robin's Nest

The trail turned left from the second hang glider platform and we followed the stairs down and hung a right onto a paved road that led to the old Nike Missile Site, which was last used in the mid-60’s. Eventually a locked gate blocked us from continuing further up the road, but a hole in the fence on the left side allowed us to continue. From one of the abandoned towers that we climbed, we peered directly down into the Anderson Estate, which became famous for being used as “Robin’s Nest” in the popular 80’s TV show, Magnum PI.

Down in the saddle

After poking around the old Nike Missile Site, we picked up the somewhat indistinct trail masked in heavy bushes behind the last building and eventually went down a saddle that dropped several hundred feet in elevation. We then climbed out of the saddle up towards a clump of ironwood trees that provided much needed shade to have our lunch and enjoyed the views of Waimanalo.

Kamiloiki Ridge

We stopped briefly at Kamiloiki Ridge to see Mount Olomana and tried to locate Bumpy Kanahele’s 45 acre sanctuary, otherwise known as Pu’uhonua o Waimanalo.

Headed down the ridge towards the Tom-Tom trail

It is very easy to miss the right turn, ribboned branches and all, that will keep you on the Koolau Summit Trail and headed towards Mariner’s Ridge. We found this out as we continued to walk straight on the trail from Kamiloiki Ridge, luckily we figured it out pretty early and backtracked to the right turn. The trail rollercoasters until you reach the top of a hill where there are three poles, this marks the spot where the Tom-Tom trail descends down into Waimanalo.

Mariner's Ridge

As we pushed on past the Tom-Tom trail, the ridge went down and up a couple more times until we reached the top of Mariner’s Ridge. After that, it was a short and sweet stroll back down the trail towards our car on Kaluanui Road and next stop – Zippys.

This was my fourth hike with the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, and my first as a member. Good thing, as this hike was only open to members. We all met at the club’s house in Waimanalo and carpooled to the Makapu’u lookout. We crossed the road and gradually made our way up the rocky slope, basically following the fenceline. If you follow the ridgeline, you can’t go wrong or get lost.

Sea Life Park

We quickly gained elevation at 700+ feet and was looking down at Sea Life Park and the waves crashing down on Makapu’u Beach from a bird’s eye view.

Makapu'u Point

We soon left Makapu’u point and it’s lighthouse in the distance.

Kaulanaaka'iole Puka

At this hilltop of around 900 feet, we came across this puka in the rocks which can be seen from down below. Legend has it that the archer, Pikoiaka’alala, spotted a rat where this puka is and killed it with his arrow. That is why this place is called Kaulanaaka’iole or the “resting place of the rat.”

Hang Glider Launch Pad

After climbing another 1,200+ hill, we descended to a flat area that has some former Kamehameha School buildings and this launch pad that is used by hang gliders and para gliders.

Waimanalo coastline

After passing an abandoned Nike missile site, we regained the ridgeline and descended down the ridge which became somewhat steep for about 100 feet or so, but is quite manageable as there is also a rope to help you out. As I was walking down towards the saddle, I tripped on a root and banged my head on a rock. Luckily, I didn’t fall off the ridge, just lost a little blood.

Makapu'u Ridge

After figuring out that the cut wasn’t that serious, I resumed climbing up the ridge to the clump of Ironwood trees where everyone else was hanging out and eating their lunch.

Lunch Spot

Luckily, there was a kind nurse with a handy first aid kit in the hiking group, who cleaned up my cut. No stitches needed.

Koolau Summit Trail

After resting a bit, we eventually left the nice and cool shady tree covered spot and made our way down towards the Kamiloiki ridge, where it dropped to a saddle and then to the powerlines, in the middle of the photo, which marks the start of the TomTom trail.

TomTom Trail

The TomTom trail was named after Tom McGuire and Tom Cadle that “discovered” this old trail used by Hawaiian runners in the past. The trail descends somewhat steeply towards the town of Waimanalo where we popped out into a neighborhood inhabited by a lot of large and hopefully not loose dogs. We walked the rest of the way back to the clubhouse. The hike took approximately four hours and was moderate in difficulty.