Chris B and myself joined the HTMC on their hike to a sharp peak on a rugged ridge in Kahana Valley. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Trailhead

We met up with the group and were briefed by Grant, the hike leader and then moved our cars to the visitor parking inside the valley to begin our hike.

Trail

Single file shuffle.

Dam crossing

The group crossing Kahawainui Stream.

Nakoa trail

Which way guys? Straight?

Uphill

The group walking through a stand of lauhala trees.

Uluhell

HTMC had cleared the lower portion of the trail earlier, but the remaining part to the top was steep and heavily overgrown.

Looking back

Looking out towards Kahana Valley, the former playground for the US Army during WW2.

Short, steep and sweet

Looking ahead to the summit of Pu’u O Kila. It took us only 90 minutes to get to the top. Huffing and puffing 90 minutes. Still only an hour and a half.

Steep

Who needs rope where we’re going?

Puu O Kila

Click here for the larger image. The 1,520′ summit was quite sparse in terms of space and views.

Bushwhacking

I had asked earlier about the possibility of breaking away from the group and doing the connector ridge from the summit to Ohulehule. Word was that it was probably not doable anymore. Key word on probably. We separated from the group and forged ahead on the connector ridge. Rain clouds looked promising.

Fiddlehead

Toss them in a pan with butter and sea salt. Drizzle with lemon juice. Serve.

Trail

The ridge started to get overgrown as we pushed forward.

Kahana Valley

Click here for the larger image.

Ridge

We had some rock climbing to break the monotony of the heavy overgrowth.

Ridge

Chris swinging around a tree to get back on the ridge.

Ridge

This rocky section reminded me of the second peak of Paku’i.

Looking back

Leaving Pu’u O Kila behind us. Photo by Chris Bautista.

Ridge

Typical ridge hike filled with multiple short ups and downs. Some sections were narrow and crumbly.

Pu’u Koile

Group photo at the 1,660′ summit. There was another connector ridge to the KST. Another hike for another day.

Ridge

We were within striking distance of Pu’u Ohulehule. Or was that hiking distance?

Ridge

Chris “Machete” Bautista hacking away at the overgrowth.

Uluhell

The struggle was real. Steep and heavily overgrown climb to the junction.

Junction

We took a breather after battling through all that overgrowth.

Pu’u Ohulehule

Talk about summiting Ohulehule was dispelled by the rapidly accumulating cloud cover at the top.

Ridge

We turned left and started our descent down the Northwest ridge.

True Manamana and Two Apes Talking

A possible loop hike for another day?

Stream crossing

We dropped down from the ridge and started making our way through the valley.

Looking back

The rugged ridge we had just traversed behind us.

Hidden dragon

Where was the crouching tiger?

Trail

Chris walking next to the gurgling stream.

Stream crossing

No flash flood conditions today.

Nakoa trail

We meet again.

That dam crossing

No swinging or swimming in the water for us today.

All pau

We walked back to the trailhead and the barking dogs. Leashed.

GPS Tracks

The scenic hike covered a scant 7 miles through sometimes steep, narrow and overgrown ridges. Post hike meal at Waiahole Poi Factory. Scratch that. Closed. Next stop. Zippy’s.

After a three-week hiatus from hiking, I hooked up with Marcus again, along with Scott, Francis, KiLei, and Pete. Having hiked Pu’u Manamana and Pu’u Kahekili, I jumped at the chance to hike True Manamana with an experienced guide like Marcus. I had heard a lot about this hike, how it was quite challenging and that it was no joke. We all met at Swanzy Beach Park at 7:45am and piled into Scott’s truck, who then drove us to Trout Farm Road where we parked.

Kahana Bay

We pushed off at 8:05am and made our way up Cemetery Ridge from the old graveyard that sits at the foot of the trail. Right off the bat, the going up is a slow and steep climb up  a ridge that alternated between dirt, green moss and tree roots holding everything together. Within 20 minutes, we already had commanding views of Kahana Bay and Kahana Valley.

Ka'a'awa Valley

We reached Turnover, which is the highest point on Manamana at an elevation of 2,027 feet, at 10:10am. Mother Nature was graciously giving us excellent weather as we could see spectacular views of Ka’a’awa Valley and the Kualoa Mountains. Despite the sunny weather, the trail near the top of Turnover to the Lookout was extremely muddy, the type of mud that can suck your shoe(s) off your foot if not careful.

Lookout

Twenty minutes later, we found ourselves at the 1,900 foot point known as Lookout. We could clearly see our objective dead ahead, True Manamana, with Pu’u Ohulehule squarely behind it. To lighten our loads a bit, we stashed our extra water at this point. It was best to carry light as possible hiking this narrow and crumbly ridge.

Rockface

Half and hour later, we climbed down what is probably the hardest part of the trail, an approximately 50′ rockface. If you’re confident in your climbing skills, you can “no rope” it going down, I elected to use the ropes to help me going down. Better safe than sorry.

Narrow ridge

We dropped nearly 600 feet going into the saddle between the Lookout and True Manamana. In between, the ridge was a combination of up and down climbs that provided crumbly and rocky footing and trees that would provide support as often as blocking the ridge, where we would have to swing to the side to get back on the ridge.

Approaching the Puka

Scattered on the ridge, were also numerous rockfaces and formations that we either climbed around, over or simply contoured around them.

Puka shot

Marcus suggested we all take a group photo in this puka (hole) formation. But most of the group had already passed this on the way to the summit. We were supposed to have taken it on the way back, but I guess everybody forget except Scott and myself.

More narrow ridge

The ridge seemed to get a little more narrower and crumblier as we approached the summit. It could have been my imagination.

Scramble to the summit

Making the final uphill push to reach the summit. I was already winded, and we had still had to reverse hike going back. Time to hit those elliptical machines to build up my cardio!

True Manamana Summit

We reached the summit of True Manamana at 1,650 feet at 12:30pm. The views were outstanding as we could see Pu’u Manamana, Ka’a’awa Valley, Kualoa Mountains, Pu’u Ohulehule, Waimanalo to Kahana.

Panoramic view from the top of True Manamana

Click here to see the larger image.

Going back down

No rest for the weary, after a short break, we all headed back down the same way we came up.

Headed back to the Lookout

Took us exactly 8 hours to finish this four mile hike. But what a four mile hike it was! We called it a day by having something to eat at Uncle Bobo’s, which is right across Swanzy Beach Park, BYOB!