Oahu Hike Tales

Tragedy was averted at yesterday's Olomana TM (12 Dec 2004). Two of our group fell, in one case 150 feet and in another 125. Both were able to hike out. Mel Yoshiokia was the first to fall, doing so while descending from Peak 2 to the saddle between 2 & 3. He fell to the mauka side of the mountain, "taking out four trees" as he careened down the mountainside, according to Mike, who was ahead of Mel on the descent at the time. At that moment, the group I was with, which included my wife Jacque, was making the final approach to the summit of Peak 3, having just made our way past the hole-in-the-rock section and climbed the steep roped section just past that. As were making our way carefully along, I stopped when I heard loud crashing thru the trees behind me back toward Peak 2. At first, I thought it was a boulder someone had dislodged. I'd heard the sobering sound before. It was different this time, though. Interspersed with the sounds of impact on trees and ...

After yesterday's long hike up Halawa Ridge and back, I didn't have loads of energy for another marathon trek, so I thought a circumnavigation of Diamond Head crater (about 2.5 miles) would fit the bill. Pat Rorie, who also did Halawa, agreed to join me. We met at the pulloff area on the left just before the entrance tunnel and after usual preps started off at 9:40 under clear skies. In addition to the heavily used traditional route inside the crater, there are many exterior trails available to climb to the rim of Diamond Head and the one we chose starts at the turnoff area beneath a sign that states, "No camping. No blah, blah, blah." Laughing to ourselves, we hiked by the sign. Many tourists had congregated at the turnoff area for picture taking and undoubtedly some probably wondered where we were off to. The semi-steep climb to the rim, initially through haole koa and then over a rocky, crumbly path, took about 10 minutes. Once at the top we enjoyed views of ...

One of Hawaii's most famous landmarks is Diamond Head, whose slopes have graced thousands of postcards, magazine ads, and TV backdrops. This much ballyhooed Oahu point of interest is also home to a heavily travelled trail, which I have only hiked once despite living in Hawaii all my life. If you're looking for a more strenuous workout, begin your hike from parking lot fronting the Waikiki Shell. Every Saturday, the Hawaii Clean Air team organizes a hike with the Shell as a starting point. If, on the other hand, you are pressed for time or don't want to overwork yourself, you can drive into the crater via an access tunnel and begin your hike from there. That option will save you about 45 minutes to an hour of road walking. As I mentioned earlier, the trail up Diamond Head is used extensively. Consequently, if you're looking for solitude and being one with nature, look elsewhere. The hike to the top will take about 30 minutes or so. Be prepared for ...

One of the Waimano tunnels We had a pretty big turnout for today's HTMC outing (29 May 2004), which I coordinated, over 60 folks in all. The weather was mixed, with sunny skies most of the way and a few drizzle showers now and then. We did the hike as a loop of about five miles, using the rough trail that skirts along the fenceline of the Waimano Home grounds, then continuing mauka along the dirt road behind the Home (maintained by HECO for powerline maintenance, methinks), then descending the not oft traversed (but quite lovely) switchback trail to Little Waimano Stream and the tunnels. Since these sections were new to most, it was interesting and enjoyable, at least based on the comments I heard. Also enjoyed was the traverse thru the two long tunnels (each about 100 meters). Personally, I dislike the tunnels and in fact did not follow the big group through them. Not to worry, though, since there were ample HTMC vets on hand to make sure all went well with the hunched over, ...

I coordinated this hike for the club this yesterday (4/3/2004). There were 22 of us on the outing, which was a good turnout given the rainy conditions that prevailed when we gathered by Laie Park at 9:15 a.m. Fortunately, the ua abated by 9:30 and with spots of blue skies offshore, I figured better weather would come about by midday. That forecast was correct and we enjoyed warm sunny conditions as the day progressed. From the park, we walked along the usual route to the Laie and Malaekahana trails. Before reaching the head of the latter, just past where the dirt road crossed Kahawainui Stream (thanks to Tom Yoza for the reference), we headed off onto an old, seldom used jeep road, heading mauka on the north side of the stream. Jacque (my wife-to-be) and I had scouted out the route earlier in the week and we had found that the TM crew had done a fine job clearing and marking the trail a few weeks back. Jacque also joined me yesterday, and it was great to have her with me, for she h...

Twenty years ago, on 6/20/1998, Patrick Rorie and I led an outing dubbed a "Super Hike," the first of its kind for the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club. Completing the by-invitation, members-only hike were Hiroshi Sakae, Ken Suzuki, Carole K. Moon, Lita Komura, Mike Algiers, Rob Geer, Wing Ng, Steve Poor, and Carl Crimbring. Dr. Torrey Goodman, a non-member (she plans to join soon) hiking on an unofficial status, was an energetic and welcome addition to our group. Ken, Carole, Lita and Wing wanted to begin a little earlier than the rest so they met me at the Waimano trailhead at 6:30 a.m. and I transported them to the head of the Manana trail where they began hiking at 6:45. It was raining in the mountains when they departed but skies were blue over Pearl City and further makai so we had hopes the weather bureau's prediction of brief morning showers followed by mostly sunny conditions would be correct. After seeing them off, I headed down Palisades and back to the en...

Of the craters on the island of Oahu, the most familiar to residents and visitors are Diamond Head and Koko Head. Fewer know about Ka'au, a small crater tucked against the spine of the Koolaus. Early on this late-October morning, I had the good fortune to join 42 energetic nature trekkers on a Sierra Club-sponsored hike to this beautiful geological landmark in the upper reaches of Palolo Valley. According to Hawaiian legend, Ka'au was formed as a result of an unsuccessful island-unification effort by the demigod Maui. While attempting to consolidate Oahu and Kauai into a single land mass, Maui saw his efforts end when the magic fishing line he had been using suddenly snapped. The huge hook affixed to his line sailed skyward, landing in upper Palolo and forming Ka'au Crater. Geologists tell a different story. In the scientific version of the genesis of Ka'au, the crater was formed from an explosive upswelling of volcanic material from deep within the earth's c...