A spooky hike up Wiliwili Nui Ridge

Theme song for hike – “You Better Hope You’re Not Alone”

Wiliwili Nui is a Koolau ridge hike that parallels the other ridge trails, including Waahila Ridge (Mt. Olympus), Lanipo, Hawaii Loa, and Kuliouou. From the top of the trail you could hang a left to Lanipo or a right to Hawaii Loa. Overall, this is the easiest of the ridge hikes, but the last small portion to the summit is eroded and kind of scrambly. There are some old ropes for assistance. It’s a good hike for the novice with a little challenge at the end to make them feel proud of themselves.

Just before the peak is a large antennae installation. Just when you start thinking you are out in nature… The great thing about it (that I discovered over the days after the hike) is that the tallest antenna visually marks where you stood from far away – like from a kayak off Kahala. Everytime I look up now I see that antenna.

We met a solitary old man on the lower dirt road portion with a really big back pack. He said he only went as far as the steps. So why did he need that big bag?? We were glad we weren’t alone… The wind howled in the trees and the bamboo creaked…. And then we rounded a corner and suddenly there was a dark mysterious figure in a billowing black and blue track suit with dark hair covering his/her face, doing something in the trees at the edge of the path. Better hope you’re not alone…

We made it back safely and chowed down at California Pizza Kitchen.

Righteous waterfall hike up Ka’au Crater

Theme for hike – “Right on righteous.”

The drive up Palolo Valley to the Ka’au Crater trailhead feels like a trip off of Oahu. You could easily be on Kauai or Big Island. Probably a good idea to park a block or two below the trailhead. We left my little red car, Bindi, to meditate at the Zen Center while we hiked.

There are two ways to get up to the rim of the crater and two ways to traverse the crater rim to the highest point overlooking the windward side. As with many things in life, each has an easy way and a hard way. We took the more difficult way up to the crater rim, the waterfall climb. (Follow the excellent directions at backyardoahu.com.) The first and second waterfalls are beautiful, as promised, but what they don’t tell you is that the entire rest of the climb is along waterfall! It just keeps going and going! As cool as that is, it isn’t even the best part of the hike – the best part is that for long portions of the climb you can see almost no signs of civilization, no houses, no cars. It was absolutely quiet except for the water and the birds.

At the top of the crater rim, you can follow the ridge to either the right or left. We took the shorter and steeper right path. The trail is mostly very narrow here, but there’s a great place to stop and rest in a shady clearing under a random tuft of ironwood trees. Near the peak, the trail is significantly eroded and a bit treacherous. We returned to the crater rim the same way, but took the easier path down the valley to avoid repeating the waterfall climb in reverse on slippery ropes (of questionable age and strength). To reach the easier path, do not descend at all along the water. As soon as you return to the water, cross straight over and ascend steeply again on the opposite bank. As soon as you start thinking you must have missed the path, you’ll see a trail on your left that descends the valley at a gentle slope.

I have no idea how long this hike is, but we were out there for almost 6 hours… earning our later carbo-loading at Romano’s Macaroni Grill.

It’s an Easter double header – Hawaii Loa and Pu’u Pia

Started the morning with the Hawaii Loa trail.  Conditions were perfect – it threatened to rain but held off the whole time, keeping it grey and little cool.  The trail was damp, but not slippery.  Parts of Hawaii Loa (mainly the last steep quarter of the hike) really need the attached ropes when it is raining or very dry and dusty.  We got a little bit of the Windward view from the top before the mist rolled in.

If you are hiking HL, be sure to remember that you need a Hawaii driver’s license to sign in at the guard shack.  And they are very particular about not using any of the “community” facilities at the top, like the picnic shelter and the bathroom.  I’ve used that bathroom plenty of times, but you have to be kind of low key about it.  If I lived there, I would prefer that hikers use the bathroom rather than the alternative, but they don’t seem to think like that.

Hawaii Loa usually takes around 3 hours at a leisurely but continuous pace, but to make it down for yet another hike in the afternoon, I left my friends at the top and made it back in a little less than 2 1/2 hours.

In the afternoon, Conrad, Moksha and I joined Chris and the Hawaii Hikers for a picnic on Pu’u Pia.  It was drizzly and at times frankly raining, so I didn’t get any pics, but I hear there will be a video at hawaiihikers.com.  We ate (and drank) ridiculously well, including stilton, cheezewiz, pecans, fruit, olives, easter eggs, and a chilled bottle of chardonnay, and sipped mimosas on the way back down.

Hike Club on the West Siiiiiiiiiiiiide

As you drive past Nanakuli toward Waianae, there’s a big rocky hump on the right side of the road, topped with some old concrete bunkers. This is Pu’u o Hulu. When I used to drive past this to work in Waianae, it never occurred to me that I would be on top of it looking down.

To get up to the bunkers, one takes a steep rocky scramble starting on the right side of Kaukama Road. This part isn’t particularly difficult, but there are a few spots where you have to rock climb. The bunkers command an unobstructed view from Barber’s Point to Kaena Point. And they are surprisingly clean and don’t stink. Either someone maintains them or the climb keeps away the casual beer drinker.

You can return the way you came or follow the ridge onward. The ridge trail has a few narrow hairy spots and a little rock climbing. The trail ribbons are ancient (pink faded to white) and far between. At the water tower, stay to the right along the fence and start to switchback downward. You should see some more recent green ribbons placed by the Hawaii Trail and Mountain Club.

At the bottom, follow the fence to the right to get out. You emerge into a strange cookie-cutter new neighborhood called Sea Country. Seems to be largely occupied by military types. From here, head back to Kaukama and your car. Be warned that at least one hiker has had his car spray painted here. And be sure to bring plenty of water – enough to last hours on an exposed ridge in Waianae. Nuff said. Overall, a very cool hike. Supposedly the loop is about 4 miles. Not the most difficult, but certainly challenging enough to be interesting, especially on the ridge.

Finished the day by welcoming a new Hike Club member and roommate, Jennifer, at the always fabulous Green Door.  We tried the oyster mushroom sea bass for the first time and it was a revelation.  My mouth waters just thinking about it.

Moksha does Koko Head stairs

No major hike for us this weekend, but Moksha earned his stripes on Koko Head stairs. He did about 3/4 of the stairs on his own. And was still running circles around us.

Checked out the new Nordstrom’s wing at Ala Moana later and hit the opening party for the slick new Blue Hawaii Lifestyles store.

Movie Magic on Mo’o Kapu o Haloa Loop

The scenic green ridge above Kualoa Ranch is Mo’o Kapu o Haloa, one of the most sacred sites on Oahu.  The Ranch owns this piece of legend, and the absurdly beautiful valley behind it, Ka’a'awa, which has been the scene of Jurrasic Park, Godzilla, Pearl Harbor and Lost.

We hiked an 8-mile loop up to the ridge and back down through the Ka’a'awa valley.  Most was on rutted dirt 4WD roads, with interconnecting portions of narrow trail.  This was basically an easy hike, although I could see how it could have been more challenging if conditions had been wet.

The view from halfway up the ridge:

Coming back down Ka’a'awa Valley.

I have no idea what movie this was in.  There was also a weird pyramid thing.

An old bunker (a real one, not a set) used in Pearl Harbor (the movie).

Cows.

Here we are after pigging out on yummy Vietnamese food at Green Papaya in Kaimuki.  Get the Tom Ka soup.