[x] Makapu'u Tom Tom Trail, May 2013
Perhaps the breeziest hike I've been on. Jiahong and I went on an overcast day, which was perfect since this trail is 98% exposed. Hiking along the top of the mountain to views of Sea Life Park and Waimanalo to one side and Hawaii Kai to the other made this a very enjoyable hike. We did get lost twice on this trail, the second time pushing us back for about an hour, but we eventually found our way (thanks to the hikers we met along the way who pointed us in the right direction). Ended with some friendly neighbors of the area we came out of in Waimanalo asking us how the hike went.
Came back on this hike again in May 2014. Unfortunately, it was not so overcast on this day so it was HOT. Did this trail with the intent to get to the famous catwalk of Kamehame Ridge since that route is now blocked due to vandalism, as well as see the hidden Kamehame Stairs. Glad to report success (see photos under "Kamehame Ridge").
Came back on this hike again in May 2014. Unfortunately, it was not so overcast on this day so it was HOT. Did this trail with the intent to get to the famous catwalk of Kamehame Ridge since that route is now blocked due to vandalism, as well as see the hidden Kamehame Stairs. Glad to report success (see photos under "Kamehame Ridge").
Kalanianaole Highway from the trail
View of Sea Life Park
At the puka
Climbing up one of the towers to get an even better overhead view
At the top of the tower
[x] Makapu'u Lighthouse, a bunch of times
This
is probably the easiest hike on Oahu because it consists of a paved
road that slowly winds up the side of a mountain until you get to a
lighthouse overlook. I've done this countless times, with family, friends, and once at night. It's a really
family-friendly hike and still a good workout since the trail goes
uphill.
With the AgDiscovery chaperones, June 2012
[x] Makapu'u Tidepools, October 2012
For
Tracyn's 22nd birthday, Reid and I took her to a pumpkin patch and then
to the tidepools. Heading up towards the lighthouse, a trail that veers off to the side near the whale watching sign will become visible. Follow the path down to reach the tidepools. The day we went, the
water was quite strong. Tracyn's and Reid's phones got wet because of
the waves crashing down, which ended our birthday celebration. Luckily
their phones got fixed.
[x] Pele's Chair, sometime in 2011/2012
Yet
another trail that breaks off the main trail up to the lighthouse. This
time, towards the start of the trail. Meander across a flat expanse of
land to a rock formation in the distance called Pele's Chair. The Allen Davis Beach is also accessible from here. Did this with my sister.
[x] Hanauma Bay, May 2014
[x] Hanauma Bay, May 2014
Looking
towards Hanauma Bay, the ridge surrounding the bay
looks like a gecko. The "spine" of the gecko makes a distinct loop
trail. To get to it, look for an access road that leads above the
ridge near the turnoff to go down to Hanauma Bay. Although it looks
relatively flat from afar, the trail was actually steeper than I
anticipated. Still, it's not a difficult trail and has nice, sweeping
views of Diamond Head, as well as to Hanauma Bay below. Go on a Tuesday
when the bay is closed and the beach won't be dotted with tourists when looking below. The best time to do this trail is in the late
afternoon/early evening when there's still enough light out yet the sun
is going down but it's not beating, as there's no overhead
coverage on this trail. Some people use the paved road part as a running
route, but not as many take the trek off the paved path to complete the loop route. My fourth time on this trail is the official complete date, since the secretive rock bridge location had eluded me for a while. Thanks to GoogleMaps satellite overview, I was able to determine the exact location of the bridge.
Talking Mom and Dad on the trail for the first time
At the rock bridge!
Not the best jumping picture
This
is my go-to hike. The trail is basically a
rail track up the side of a mountain that's 1,048 steps to the top. The
incline is slight at the beginning, but it only increases from there
(and quite drastically towards the end when you're really tired from
climbing uphill). Since it's a relatively short hike and easy to access,
it's quite a versatile trail. It can be done in a group or solo,
day or night, and you can push yourself as hard as you are willing by
the number of times you go up and down.
Scooting method during the early days of hiking when I was scared of crossing the bridge portion
Night view from the top (if you choose to do it during this time, bring a jacket!)
[x] Koko Head East Rim, December 2012
In celebration of my 24th birthday, Reid and Tracyn took me on an outing that combined all these places I've wanted to go to for quite some time. The morning started off with this hike, which begins from somewhere near the blowhole up along the ridge to the top of Koko Head. My research has shown this classified as an intermediate hike, but it felt advanced to me. Some portions of the trail seemed almost vertical and called for technical rock-climbing skills, which I am not equipped with. Fortunately, all three of us made it to the top of the trail (Tracyn didn't fall this time!). Luckily the whipping wind was in the direction of the mountain, which was safer. Definitely a hike to remember and ended nicely with an acai bowl from Diamond Head Health Cove Bar and lunch at Greens and Vines :)
Before the trek up the steep incline (known as the "Arch")
After making it up the scary Arch
Candid shot after a short rest
Group picture at the top; we survived!
I felt so accomplished after doing this hike not only because it was the official 50th hike but also because it had eluded me for such a long time. I tried to look for directions to the trailhead, but this was not easy. I thought I had found instructions on Yelp, only to find that it was just another way to get to the start of the east rim, which I did some time ago. After watching videos and trying to figure out the trailhead from the few blog posts about this trail that I could find, the group I went with just kind of chanced it and happened to be correct. When you park at the Koko Head Botanical Garden, basically head up the slope that is right in front of you and turn left up toward the crater. There were some parts that were narrower than I was comfortable with, but it wasn't as difficult or scary as posts made it out to be. Completed the entire rim in a little over three hours. Bring lots of water since there's not much shade on this trail.
Resting at one of the few shady areas on the trail
Atop on the larger boulder formations
On another narrow part of the trail
[x] Kamehame Ridge, July 2013
Very short trail along a private road to a hang glider launch pad. Intersects with the Tom-Tom trail. Technical difficulty similar to the Lighthouse trail. Wasn't sure where to turn for the hang glider pad from the main trail; first went towards a teen leadership academy. Figured out that the correct way was up some stairs carved into the mountain. Beautiful view at the top. When we were about to head out, a guy with a hang glider was making his way up, so we backtracked to watch him take off. After about 15 minutes of set up and some small talk, he finally launched. Was pretty awesome to watch. Really give props to the guy who's like his spotter. At takeoff, he had to stand on the edge of the launch pad without any type of restraint to save him if he were to be bumped into by the guy hang gliding. Must have been a really good friend or been paid really well. Guy in the hang glider swooped around the group of spectators as we "oohed" and "aahed" before heading down to the designated land area across from Sea Life Park.
Went again with Jiahong to get to the Dead Man's Catwalk since I missed it the time I came with Mary and the first time I did the Tom Tom trail with Jiahong. Successfully found the catwalk (despite it being an illegal trail to trespass, there were many visitors on this day who didn't come up the Tom Tom route). Also found some hidden stairs in the area.
Went again with Jiahong to get to the Dead Man's Catwalk since I missed it the time I came with Mary and the first time I did the Tom Tom trail with Jiahong. Successfully found the catwalk (despite it being an illegal trail to trespass, there were many visitors on this day who didn't come up the Tom Tom route). Also found some hidden stairs in the area.
Chilling on the edge of the mountainside
Watching guy take off. See the man on the edge?
Soaring into the sunset...a few hours in advance
Finally at the dead man's catwalk after waiting for 15 other people to take their pictures here
Couple shot
Couple shot
Kamehame hidden (wooden) stairs
Kamehame hidden (concrete) stairs, which you can't really see because so overgrown
Short trail in Hawaii Kai that is not as well traversed as other trails I've done in this region. Not that difficult to complete; and easy enough to follow the trail. I was able to do it myself and not get lost, which is saying a lot since I have such a poor sense of direction. This trail can connect to the Tom Tom trail. The view I saw at the end was very reminiscent of the one from Mariner's Ridge (I later came to learn that this trail can connect to Mariner's Ridge).
[x] Kaluanui Ridge (Mariner's Ridge), July 2011
Relatively short hike that is usually recommended for beginners. Can pretty much go any time of the day since there's enough overhead coverage where the worry of getting sunburnt is almost nonexistent. Many people travel on this trail, from young children to the elderly. Though it is classified as a beginner's trail, there are some parts that require such cardio so it's not like a stroll in the park. Can be done in about 1.5 hours round-trip, so definitely a doable trail with a great reward at the end. Update: This trail is now closed to the public.
Gingerbread-looking house at the trail head
View at the end
Steep drop
[x] Hahaione Ridge, November 2015
This ridge is to the right of Kuli'ou'ou. The trail Jack and I took is longer than the typical loop between Hahaione and Kuli'ou'ou. We turned left at the first fork, and then right at the second junction. We followed a fenceline up towards the summit, which was a steep climb. We crossed one ridge before we got to Kuli'ou'ou. Thank goodness for pink and orange trail markers because we for sure would have been lost. We traveled down Kuli'ou'ou and walked the residential streets back to our car parked at this trailhead.
[x] Kuli'ou'ou Ridge, July 2011
One of the many ridge trails in the Hawaii Kai area. The first time I did this trail was with Justin. Both of us have a poor sense of direction that led us on a different trail (see Kuli'ou'ou Valley). By the time we finished this correct trail, we were quite pooped. Also took some student ambassadors on this trail for a hiking social; they hated me on our way up because of some of the portions of steeper incline, but loved me by the end because of the views :)
Can't tell, but totally working the glutes at this part
Ambassadors like to stop and take pictures
Jumping pose at the end, look how happy everyone is to be at the top
Group pose in the trees
[x] Kuli'ou'ou Valley...and then some, July 2011
The first time I tried to do this trail, Stacy and I went past it and instead happened upon another trail that led straight up the mountain. There were portions of steep ascent, which we later found out was part of a trail called Pu'u o Kona. We should have caught on earlier with the discreet trail head or that we were heading up a mountain instead of into the valley. Oh well, the other trail wasn't that bad.
If you connect the following 8 photos together from left to right,
you'll get the panoramic view
of what we saw at the middle point
of the Pu'u o Kona trail
since we don't own
a fancy camera that can take
a panoramic shot in one go.
Lol, sorry no pictures of the actual Kuli'ou'ou Valley trail
And then the time when I intended to hike the ridge trail with Justin, we went past the fork that led up the ridge hike and instead completed the valley hike. Nothing really eventful, but we think we might have gone off the trail a little since we were somewhere off the trail when we figured out our position with Justin's iPhone's GPS. How is it I failed multiple times in finding the correct trail I wanted to go on in this area?
[x] Pu'u O Kona, April 2015
The first time I attempted the Kuli'ou'ou Valley trail, I went past the trailhead and instead went up the mountain via this trail, but turned back when we realized we were on the wrong trail. Years later, I attempted this trail again (intentionally) with Jack and his friend, and finished! I remember the almost vertical climb in the beginning of the trail from before, but that was during a time when I was in better shape. This time, I remember huffing and puffing along and taking way longer on the trail (a total of 5 hours) than I thought it would take. The trail was a good workout. Just be prepared for lots of ferns scratching your legs, or wear long pants.
[x] Hawai'iloa Ridge, August 2011
[x] Pu'u O Kona, April 2015
The first time I attempted the Kuli'ou'ou Valley trail, I went past the trailhead and instead went up the mountain via this trail, but turned back when we realized we were on the wrong trail. Years later, I attempted this trail again (intentionally) with Jack and his friend, and finished! I remember the almost vertical climb in the beginning of the trail from before, but that was during a time when I was in better shape. This time, I remember huffing and puffing along and taking way longer on the trail (a total of 5 hours) than I thought it would take. The trail was a good workout. Just be prepared for lots of ferns scratching your legs, or wear long pants.
[x] Kulepeamoa Ridge, November 2015
Intended to hike up Kulepeamoa and down Hawaiiloa Ridge, but ended up doing the reverse loop connecting to Hawaiiloa Ridge and then walked over to Kulepeamoa before heading back down. Because we did this loop, we weren't sure where to turn to get back to Kulepeamoa. Luckily we found a hiker blog that mapped the route and could use it to compare to our GPS to make it back down on the correct ridge. Yelp reviews marked this as a 5.5 mile loop trail, but our GPS recorded it as 8 miles. This trail not well maintained, especially towards the top, so be ready for lots and lots of ferns. Like over a mile of them.
[x] Hawai'iloa Ridge, August 2011
Yet another ridge hike that I completed during that summer of hikes. I went on my own, figuring that I had many hikes under my belt and that the guard who I left my personal information with would have record that I was on the trail. Well, the trail wasn't too bad, except for the part where rain just poured on the way down. It was not fun hiking down in runny mud by myself. It was actually very, very lonely up there at the top of a mountain in the rain.
Very Alice-in-Wonderland-esque here
Look how overcast, not a good sign when I was at the top
At least it cleared enough for me to take a quick shot of the view before pouring
Another hike completed with Justin. I'd say the level of difficulty and length was somewhat in between Kuli'ou'ou and Hawaii'loa. Nothing particularly special about this trail as compared to the other Hawaii Kai ridge trails. I think we were high enough that we were in the clouds on this trail though and that there's a bench at the end. Oh, and I think to check in to this trail, this can only be done at the beginning of the trail and not at the end. That was amusing to me.
Wearing long pants because of the thorny ferns Yelpers warned about,
but wasn't really that bad so wear shorts if desired.
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