Waimano Ridge

Today's TM outing was Waimano Ridge, a 7.5 mile trail that starts in the hills above Pearl City and ends at a Ko'olau summit overlook of Waihe'e Valley. I didn't get a head count but there were between 20 to 30 of us on hand to work. As is usually the case when we bear down on this trail, some folks blitz to the summit and then work from the top-down. Others begin working as soon as intruding brush is encountered, usually about the 2-mile mark. Some hike in a bit further and then begin clearing. Nobody is assigned a particular section; instead, folks do what needs to be done to complete the job the best way. The trail was moderately overgrown but by day's end it was cleared to club standards. Based on a small notebook in a bottle that serves as a summit register, many hikers make it to the summit of Waimano Ridge. And based on the folks signing the register, the majority are island visitors or military personnel. During our outing today, we saw four other hikers on the trail. One, a woman hiking solo, said she was only hiking it partway. Three others were summit bound. Today's weather was great, with a mainland-like chill in the air. The summit was cloudfree to the north and south. A fine day for hiking and doing trail work it was. Next Sunday's TM outing will be Manana Ditch, a rugged rollercoaster affair that always tests our leg and lung power. Meeting time is 8 a.m. atop Pacific Palisades at the end of Komo Mai Drive. --dkt