Waiahole Ridge

In the summer of '99, a handful of us tried to gain the summit of the
Koolaus from Waiahole Valley (see the OHE posts for June '99 for
write-ups).  We climbed up a ridge christened Kipapa Windward.  I was
so confident we'd reach the crest, I made a bold prediction success
would be ours.  Well, success wasn't to be had and it was humble pie
eating time.

I mention this because today I, along with the TM crew from the club,
returned to Waiahole, not for a summit attempt, but to work on the
Kuolani-Waianu trail for a 2/11, Sunday club hike.  There was something
out of the ordinary that happened, and I'll get to that later in the
write-up.

We, about two dozen of us, met at 8 by the Waiahole Poi factory just off
of Kam Hwy.  Along with the usual gang, we had three newbies out with
us.  It's interesting to have new faces in the crowd and observe how the
vets act and interact with them.  There's an intriguing dynamic that
transpires and a definite variance in behavior patterns.  I won't go into
specifics, for if you reflect on what happens when a new person appears
amongst a group of people who have a long association with one another,
you'll understand what I mean.

Okay, enough observational mumbo jumbo. Mabel gave us our hiking orders
and off we carpooled--some heading up the left fork of the valley road and
most heading to the right.  I caught a ride with Charlotte Yamane and her husband Volker 
to the end of the left fork, and hiked with Jason Sunada, Grant Oka, and
Georgina Oka.  After about 15 minutes, we caught up to Dusty and Sandy Klein.  Right
at that point, Jason and I bailed on the usual club route and began
climbing up the brushy but still doable lower segment of Kipapa
Windward.  I mentioned to Jason that it'd be good if Wing would come back
to re-clear the uluhe in the beginning, for it was Wing who reopened this
trail back in May '99 (www2.hawaii.edu/~turner/ohe/May99/5-29b.html).

But the uluhe was manageable and we were soon above it and climbing in
more unhindered conditions underfoot.  In less than 30 minutes, we emerged
on the Waiahole Ditch Trail, where we headed right (or north).  Neither I
nor Jason had ever hiked this segment of the ditch trail.  And, based on 
its overgrown, landslidish state, it appeared few, if any, folks hike it
nowadays.  But there's something about being able to say, "Yes, I've hiked
that trail."  And Jason and I can say that about this segment of
the ditch trail though it's unlikely I will be hiking it again
soon, for I can take only so much of weeds in my face and fallen logs to
crawl over & under.

After 90 minutes of moving slowly along the overgrown ditch trail, we
finally arrived at the improved section the club uses on its
outings.  Dusty was standing at the junction when we arrived and we found
out from him that most of the group had gone the other way around the loop
and were working toward us.  

This segment of the ditch trail didn't need much work aside from rocks and
branches that we tossed or kicked off the path. At one point, we passed an
outflow of the ditch, with water gushing out forming a noisy
cascade.  Not far past that, we explored a tunnel on the left.  Assisted
by Jason and his photon light, we stooped and shuffled through the tunnel
for 40 meters, stopping at a 4-foot  retaining wall.  Fifteen feet beyond
the wall was the Waiahole ditch.  Jason said something like, "With some
inner tubes away we'd go." No tubes, no go, however.

We exited the tunnel and continued north along the ditch trail.  I tried
to raise various members of the crew via walkie-talkie but had no
luck.  With all the intervening side ridges and a thick canopy of trees
overhead, negative radio contact was expected.  

I pushed a little ahead of Jason and Dusty and when I came to place along
the trail with ironwoods and an open uluhe slope on the left, I decided to
climb up the slope to try to gain a vantage point where I could
A) Sit down to eat lunch with a good view of the valley and
B) See further upridge to determin if I could find a way to try and climb
up toward the summit of the Koolaus.

As I climbed, I saw Jason and Dusty hiking along the ditch trail, and I
called out so they'd see where I was and follow me if they wanted.  Jason
waded up the slope after me.  Dusty, with trail marking duties to tend to,
declined. When Jason caught up to me, I pointed out an octopus tree 100
meters ahead of us that would be a good place to accomplish goals A &
B.  He was agreeable to that, and after huffing, puffing, and swapping the
uluhe-crashing lead position, we arrived at our lunchspot right around
noontime.  We each had altimeter watches that put us at the ~900-foot
level.

We had a nice lunch and jabbered about a variety of things, including
the merits of various new and used cars, the material composition of
gaiters, and the equitable dispursement of gifts for multiple
siblings.  And we also talked about the likelihood of summiting via the
spur ridge we were on.  From our lunchspot, it was clear we'd have to have
our ridge join up with an even larger one just to the north of us.  Humps
in our ridge kept us from seeing if it indeed connected with the bigger
ridge, so we made the decision to keep climbing to find out what would
happen.

Faced with overhead uluhe and no trail, we traded off in the lead
with the front man plowing through and the trailer doing some
chopping and uluhe stomping.  Our ridge narrowed a bit but never
approached a razor-like state.  To provide some perspective, it was like
climbing to Pu'u o Kila in Kahana but today's ridge wasn't as steep nor as
narrow.  We eventually climbed above the uluhe and had an easier go in
a section of  native forest (lama, ohia, akia, maile).  The ridge became
rockier on the final ascent but the climbing wasn't that difficult. At
around 1:15, we reached the place where our ridge joined the bigger ridge
to the north.  The bigger ridge had a faint (pig?) trail on it and from
the look of things, it appeared we could have continued on up and perhaps
even summited.  Jason, one of the few to climb Piliwale ridge to
Konahuanui,  was game for a summit go, but I had had enough climbing and
excitement for the day.  An altimeter check put us at the ~1500-foot
level, about 1000 feet from the top. A topo map review gave us an idea
what ridge we were on and where it would hit the summit.  

Based on all this, I'm cautiously optimistic we can acquire the
summit with this route and do so without great peril.  Keep in mind I
made a similar prediction before and was very wrong.  Although I'm not
sure when we will make a try for it, it'll likely be before the end of
February. 

Jason and I returned the same way we'd climbed, and on the way down we did
additional uluhe stomping to further establish the swath we'd created.  We
needed about half an hour to descend back to the ditch trail and another
hour to hike out to the end of the right fork of the valley road.  Tom
Yoza was waiting for us there and provided a ride back out to the
highway.  Mahalo, Tom.

Refreshments aplenty were being had at Waiahole Beach Park, and in
addition to consumption of cold drinks and snacks, I did more observation
of vet/newcomer dynamics and interaction. Interesting, indeed.

Next Sunday's TM outing will be Waimano.  Meeting time is 8 a.m. at the
top of Waimano Home Road next to the Waimano Home guard
checkpoint.  Newcomers are certainly welcome.  See you there.

--dkt

Moanalua Saddle to Halawa Ridge

What a difference a swath makes.  That's a thought that popped into my
head a bunch of times today while I hiked.  Joining me was fellow
swath-buckler Ed Gilman, who needs no introduction since he's been
mentioned on the list quite a bit.

The swath we were glad to have in front of us was on the west (aka
north) ridge of Moanalua Valley.  A small group of us did this ridge a
couple weeks ago, and in my write-up of that hike I belabored the point
that we had a pretty tough go of it because no trail existed up there.

But there is a trail on Moanalua west now as a result of the push-through
we did two weeks ago and some chopping Ed and I did today.  Mabel tells me
she will lobby the HTMC schedule committee to include a hike on this
route, so club members stay tuned.  And for non-club members, new hikes
like this might be incentive for joining the ranks of the HTMC.  We're a
pretty good bunch of folks.

My motivation for doing what we did today was two-fold.  First, the club's
trail maintenance crew would be working on Halawa Ridge--the
sequel.  Since I had taken part in the original flick last Sunday, I
wasn't brimming with enthusiasm for Part Deux today.  Second, I wanted to
hike a section of the crest between Moanalua and Halawa, the
penultimate hikeable segment of the Koolau summit I have yet to traverse
(Aiea to Waimalu will complete it).  

It would be good if I had some company, so I through out a line to OHE on
Friday night to see if I'd get any bites.  While there were some nibbles,
only Ed swallowed the hook.  The plan was to meet this morning at 7:30 at
the Halawa trailhead on Iwaena Street, and Ed was there to meet me at that
time.

We had planned to use either Ed's or my vehicle to drive over to Moanalua
Valley, but we didn't have to since Deetsie Chave, an early arriver for
Halawa trail clearing, offered us a ride. Thanks, Deetsie.

We were dropped off at the Moanalua community park at about ten to eight,
and as Ed and I tied our boots and checked our packs, we saw an off-duty
soldier with a big ruck sack checking his gear in front of the park's
restroom.  From his sweaty, disheveled disposition, he appeared to have
spent the night camping somewhere up mauka.  Either that or he'd hiked up
the valley and returned. Give him credit.

Ed and I began hiking up the valley road a couple minutes before eight,
and we moved along at a steady pace, talking story to help pass the 45
minutes we needed to reach the place where we'd leave the road to start
the valley trail.  Ed's an interesting and pleasant gentleman, and I found
out, via questions I asked, about his background in photography, his
fondness for sailing, his reasons for moving to Hawaii (he's originally
from the east coast), and other things.  We had a pleasant chat.

The chatting diminished in the next 45 minutes, which is what we needed to
reach the crest of Moanalua west ridge. We had an easier time today thanks
to the trail work of Mabel Kekina, Deetsie, and Charlotte Yamane a couple of Sundays
ago.  Like I said at the beginning, what a difference a swath makes.

At 9:30, Ed and I began heading mauka on Moanalua west after making
walkie-talkie contact with the HTM crew coming up Halawa.  I talked with
Tom Yoza, who was in the eucalyptus section at the time.  I radioed Tom
several other times that morning, usually to report our status.

And our status was always quite good, mostly because of the swath created
by our gang of six two weeks ago.  Feeling energetic, Ed and I fished out
machetes from our packs and did some cutting as we made our way
up the ridge.  Guava branches and i'e i'e tangles were chopped.  Ditto for
uluhe.  Hopefully, the swath will hold until the next time we go up the
ridge, perhaps with the TM crew.

At 10:30, we had completed the ascent of the steepest part of the ridge (a
rope is situated there) and we stopped to rest at the pu'u where we'd
eaten lunch two weeks ago.  We were over an hour ahead of the pace from
that ordeal.  The faster (and easier) progress was very encouraging.

Mushing on along the swath stamped down a fortnight ago, we dropped into
an intermediate saddle, ascended to a large pu'u (false summit), dipped
down into a significant saddle, and completed the final curving climb to
the Koolau summit.  We arrived at 11:15, two hours ahead of the top-out
time two weeks ago.

We rested for five minutes at the summit clearing (there's a metal pipe in
the ground there) and soaked up the clear views down in Haiku Valley and
beyond to Kaneohe and Kaneohe Bay.  A light, cool wind lifted up and over
the crest, and I found this very pleasant.

I radioed Tom Yoza to let him know we'd reached the top and that we were
commencing the crossover to the Halawa summit.  A pretty decent trail
exists on the crest and I spotted several areas rooted out by
summit-loving pigs.  There was one substantial nob to climb enroute to
Halawa, with severe dropoffs to windward much of the way.  The footing was
quite reliable and there was virtually no mud.  We needed about 30 minutes
to reach the Halawa terminus.

I again radioed Tom to let him know we had finished the crossover and that
we'd be eating lunch.  Tom reported that the group he was with was nearing
the Halawa crossover and that others had pushed ahead and were heading for
the summit.

Around noon, Nathan was the first member of the crew to arrive at the
summit.  He joined Ed and me for lunch.  After our repast, we spent a
couple minutes clearing the summit area lunchspot for club hikers,
and as we did, Inger and her friend arrived.  

We left them to have the summit clearing to themselves, and Ed, Nathan,
and I began heading down Halawa. "It's possible to be back at Iwaena in
two hours," I announced to my colleagues, who chuckled and nodded to humor
me.  Picturing a 2:15 arrival at my car, I set off at a konk-head pace
(and, yup, I did konk my head when I misjudged a duck under a branch). As
we wound our way down the switchbacks, we enjoyed the good hedge trimmer
work done by Pat two weeks ago.  We also passed other members of the crew
heading for the top--Arnold Fukioka, Reuben Mateo, Mike Algiers, Helene

Sroat, Lynn Agena, Kris Corliss, Larry Oswald (weedwhacker in hand), Jason Sunada, 

among others. Mike did some nice gradingwork on a couple trouble spots.  Ken Suzuki

also did some nice grading of a lower section of the trail. Awesome stuff.

The planned two-hour outbound leg of Halawa never materialized.  I
ended up hiking out with Mabel, Georgina Oka, and Michael Valentino (Ralph's
son).  Mabel told me she had hot dogs for the post-outing feast, and as an
avowed meat-lover, I was eager to scarf some 'dogs.  I also realized I'd
have no hot dogs until Mabel arrived back at Iwaena, so there was no
reason to blitz down the trail.

I have to give Mabel her due.  Now in her early 70s, she can still hoof
it at a good pace.  She'll probably still be hiking in her 80s.  I forget
what time we arrived back at Iwaena--it might have been 3:30.  What really
mattered was that Mabel was there with her butane stove, pot, and boiled
hot dogs.  I ate my share, plus the share of any/all vegetarians in
attendance (and even a couple who were not (wave to Jay and Jim).  In
exchange, I offered any takers my share of cupcakes, cookies, chips, and
other miscellaneous available carby-fare

We had one injury casualty today: Deetsie, who dislocated her shoulder
in a fall and had to be driven to the hospital.  Let's hope for a
quick, painless recovery.

Next Sunday's (1/28) clearing outing will be Kuolani-Waianu.  Meeting
place is by the poi factory along Waiahole Valley Road at 8 a.m.  This is
one of the less strenuous work days and will give the crew a chance to
recover for a couple of upcoming toughies--Waimano on 2/4 and Manana Ditch
on 2/11.

I'd also like to encourage anyone and everyone to turn out for the Halawa
Ridge hike on Sunday 2/4.  The trail is in wonderful shape.  Though long,
the route offers a gentle way to reach the summit.  And like Stuart Ball
says about Waimano, "the miles will fly by."

--dkt

Halawa Ridge

Nine months have passed since we last cleared the 7-mile Halawa Ridge 
Trail. And after yesterday's HTMC TM outing I can attest that the
vegetation we chopped last April has made a large-scale growback in
3/4s of a year.  The top prize for fastest regeneration went to
Setaria palmifolia (palm grass), a reedy pest that seems to have
multiplied and thickened ten-fold (for a pic, see
http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/images/seta_pa1.jpg ).  Additionally,
there was no shortage of thick uluhe along the trail.


The good thing is that we had a good-sized turnout of about 30
yesterday.  Even at that, the crew still needs to return to Halawa this
coming Sunday to complete the job.

An energetic and enthusiastic bunch, we were armed with machetes, sickles,
and loppers.  We even had heavier artillery, namely a chainsaw and two
gas-powered hedge trimmers, one which crapped out early on.  But we still
couldn't finish clearing the trail up to usual club standards.  So this
Sunday again to Halawa it will be.

Notes:

Mabel directed the crew to clear no further than the crossover and to save
the upper section of the trail for next Sunday.

A small handful of the crew were insubordinate and hiked to the summit
to cleared from the top to the crossover point. The guilty parties know
who they are.  At the summit, visual and walkie contact was made with
members participating in the club hike at the Moanalua Saddle.

The eucalyptus section is now wide-open and a few small blowdowns were
cleared away with handsaws and the chainsaw.

About 2/3 of the section from the end of the eucalyptus forest to the
crossover is well-cleared, in many cases to the wall.  Some badly
overgrown segments remain.

Weatherwise, it was a high overcast day with light breezes. It never
rained.

Afterward, Ken Suzuki made available to us copies of his pamphlet, "Plants
Found on the Coastline and in the Mountains of O'ahu".  A great resource.

Roll call:  Jim W, Jason Sunada, Cera Sunada, Pat Rorie, Roger Breton, Ed Gilman, Kost Pankiwsky, Mabel Kekina, Ken Suzuki, Ralph Valentino, Jay Feldman, Carole K. Moon, June Miyasato, Tom Yoza, Lynn Agena, Georgina Oka, Inger Lidman, Inger's friend, Mel Yoshioka, Connie Muschek, Gordon Muschek, John Hall, Charlotte Yamane,  Bill Gorst, Nathan Yuen,
Carmen Craig, Mike Algiers, Helene Sroat, DKT.

--dkt

Godek-Jaskulski Ridge, Moanalua Saddle

To OHE this past April, Stuart Ball posted a tribute to the late Chuck
Godek (see http://www2.hawaii.edu/~turner/ohe/April00/4-3b.html to read the
post).  In his write-up, Stuart mentioned a "hair-raising loop" using the
left (north) ridge of Moanalua Valley.  The loop was pioneered by Godek
and his hiking contemporary Erwin "Ski Poles" Jaskulski.  Intrigued about
the route, I made a mental note to give it a go at some point.   Today, a
handful of us--after a bunch of sweating, scrambling, clawing, slipping,
and swearing-- completed the challenging circuit.

My companions today, for better or worse, were Dusty Klein, Jay
Feldman, Ed Gilman, Jim Wilburn, and Jason Sunada.  Four of the five who'd
join me showed up at Moanalua Valley Park at 8 a.m. for HTMC trail
maintenance of the Moanalua Valley Trail and had no idea what the day
really had in store for them.  The day before, Jason and I had talked
about the possibility of trying the loop.  After checking out the route on
a topo map, I was encouraged that it was makeable in a reasonable amount
of time and suffering.  So when I showed up at the park this a.m., I told
Jason of my plan.  He was in.  Dusty, Jay, Ed, and young Jim also
expressed interest, so our small hui was set.

The six of us pushed ahead of the main pack of a couple dozen HTM trail
clearers during the 45-minute walk up the valley dirt road.  After a short
regrouping at the junction where the valley trail begins, our sixsome set
off for the unknown.  Just past the gaging station, we crossed the stream
and almost immediately veered left through a small hau tangle to climb up
the start of a little spur ridge.

We followed old ribbons that led us into a ravine between two significant
spurs.  We knew we'd eventually have to climb one of the two spurs, but
which one?  Continuing up the ravine, we found that the ribbons petered
out.  Based on what I remembered from the topo map, I suggested we try to
gain the crest of the spur on the right.  And we were able to do that
after some steep climbing, scrambling, and pushing and clawing through
uluhe.

Once atop the spur, we saw signs, mostly old cuts of branches, that this
was the correct route to the top.  Mabel, Ralph, Deetsie, and John had
explored this ridge back in April and they'd done a bit of the clearing
work we saw today.  Today, Mabel, Deetsie, Charlotte (and
others?) followed us up the spur to do more clearing work to help keep the
trail open. 

Nearby pig rootings and a metal pipe in the ground at a forested clearing
atop the ridge marked the topping out point of the spur. After an hour of
climbing, we had acquired the crest of the north ridge of Moanalua Valley
aka Red Hill ridge.  We took a few minutes to rest there and
then commenced pushing our way up the ridge toward the summit. 

Earlier, I'd suggested that the best way to proceed when bashing up a
trail-less ridge was to have each of us rotate systematically into the
lead position since the first man had to expend the most energy, bear
the brunt of the assault from the ferns and assorted vegetation, and, if
unrelieved, collapse from exhaustion.  I estimated that five to ten
minutes at the front would suffice and then the leader would stop to let
the others pass, with hiker 2 assuming the lead position, akin to what
bicycle racers do in the Tour de France when drafting.  The process would
repeat itself every five to ten minutes.

Well, the "system" didn't work out exactly the way I suggested, but five
of our group of six did man the front slot at various points.  Being tired
and abused by flora (among other things) sometimes brings out the asshole
in me, and there were times today, especially when I took
long pulls at the front, when I became snippy and a basically a
dictatorial ass, resorting to sarcasm, taunts, and bad jokes to persuade
some of my colleagues to shoulder more of the burden.  Sorry, guys, for
not being diplomatic.

The climb to the summit was a typical Koolau-type rollercoaster.  A
few times we saw pig damage and followed rough pig trails, but most of
the time the ridge was trackless.  The worst sections were ones with
overhead uluhe, not many but enough to make me cranky.  We never had to
climb super steep slopes but one of the steeper ones had an old rope (left
by Chuck or Ski Poles?) that surprised us since we saw no other signs (old
ribbons, trash, or cut branches) that anyone has hiked this ridge in
recent years.

I believed we could summit by 12:00, but at 11:45, with a mid-sized
and a large puu ahead of us to scale, it became clear a noon kaukau
session overlooking Haiku Valley wasn't on our dance card.  So we stopped
at a shady place on the ridge to eat lunch.  The thinking was the
rest and refueling would give us the energy we'd need to push through to
the top.  Jason and I debated how long we'd need to summit from our lunch
spot. I said 30 minutes while Jason said an hour.  The 30 vs 60 estimate
became a running joke/taunt between us during and after lunch.

It turns out we needed more than 30 minutes to negotiate the mid-sized and
then the large puu.  But our work was far from done.  We then had to veer
off to the right to descend into a significant saddle (never a happy
time when making for a summit) and then endure a final uluhe-bashing climb
to gain the summit ridge and our long-awaited view of Haiku Valley
(another metal pipe marks the summit junction with the  ridge we
climbed).  Time needed from lunchspot: 75 minutes. Total
time needed to reach the summit metal pipe from the downridge metal pipe
clearing: 2.5 hours.  2.5 pipe to pipe.

I should mention that it was a great day for hanging out at the beach
(sunny with very few clouds) but not the best for hiking in the mountains 
I prefer high overcast). It became especially warm in the late morning
and early afternoon.  And warm means sweating, general discomfort, and a
need for greater water consumption.

There was some discussion about hiking north along the summit crest to
exit via the Halawa trail. But we decided to proceed southbound to hike
out the Moanalua trail (which the crew had cleared today) to complete the
Godek/Jaskulski loop.  Actually, the decision for the latter was agreed
upon mostly because it would take less time and energy (in theory).

>From the metal pipe at the summit, we followed the ridgeline south,
passing three (or two?) badly eroded leeward sections where Henry Davis
had left ropes. The drops to windward were extremely precipitous. After
the narrow, level eroded section, we then had to down-climb steeply, and
butt-sliding became a popular ridge-descending technique.  This steep
section wasn't as bad as I anticipated but care had to be taken to
avoid falls to windward or leeward.

Enroute, we made radio contact with Tom Yoza, who was clearing along the
ridge from the Moanalua saddle lunchspot northward over toward where we
were.  I, for one, was glad for Tom's work, which made the going easier
for us after a long, tough day.  

Much thanks go to other folks on the TM outing who left water and a can 
of Dr Pepper for us. The extra fluids were helpful since most of us had
run low or bottomed out our supplies (I began the day with four liters and
finished all but half a liter before I reached the saddle lunchspot).

>From the saddle, we hiked the well-cleared valley trail to the dirt
road (great work in the hau sections) and were back at the park in about
two hours. We were glad participants in the posthike/clearing gathering at
the neighborhood park.  Parched and tired, I must have downed a half dozen
diet Pepsis.

We also heard from Pat Rorie via walkie-talkie that he and Roger Breton
were coming down from the summit saddle to the park after crossing
along the summit from points north.  Pat and/or his buddy
Kapa Reero will hopefully post something about that undertaking.

Hope everyone had a pleasant weekend, hiking or otherwise.

--dkt

Koko Crater

As I've done on New Years morning for the past five years, I drove out to
Koko Crater to do the annual first-of-the-year hike with the Hawaiian
Trail and Mountain Club.

There was a bunch of us who arrived before eight to get a head start on
the masses (over 30 hikers) who'd arrive a bit later.  Among the early
birds were Jim Yuen & Ralph Valentino, who went to the rock arch to
prepare it for the two dozen-plus hikers who'd traverse it.  Other early
arrivers were Bev Valentino, Gordon & Connie Muschek, Jason Sunada, Bill
Gorst, Jim Pushaw, Stuart Ball and wife Lynn (celebrating their 4th
anniversary today), Lin Black, Nathan Yuen, and June Miyasato.

>From the Blowhole side, there are two ways to get to the rim: the rock
arch way and the direct route from the parking lot.  A handful of the
early birds went up the direct route and a handful the rock arch way. Like
last year, I ascended the no-nonsense direct route and enjoyed the workout
it provided.  

It was brisk, glorious New Year's morning, and once up on the rim, we were
able to rest and take in the clear views of the coastline near Sandy
Beach.  The air was slightly hazy, so views of Molokai and Lanai were
obscured.

While resting on the rim, we watched the mass of club hikers gathering in
the Blowhole parking lot between 8:30 and 8:45.  Spaces for parking were
all used up, so some of the late comers had to park at Sandy Beach and
walk or be shuttled over.

Instead of waiting for the big group to come up, most of the early birds
headed one way or the other along the rim trail.  Jason, who said he
wanted to check out the rock arch, headed down that trail to check it out
and later climbed back up to the rim.  Along with Stuart, Lynn, Lin, and
Jim, I headed on a counterclockwise route.

Once we dropped down into the botanical garden, we weaved our way up
through dead/dying/drying koa haole on a non-trail until we broke out into
the open on a rocky spur dike.  That dike took us to the west rim of the
crater, which we climbed to the summit.  While making our way up, we
watched a parade of club hikers on the rim across from us.  Some of the
fastest were already at the summit, resting and/or milling about on the
grated metal platform.

As it usually is, the west side rim trail was exhilirating and
enjoyable.  I hiked with Jim, who spent some time chopping back some brush
and shrubby trees that leaned onto the trail.  Stuart, Lynn, and Lin were
behind us, hiking at a relaxed pace.

At the summit, new year greetings were the order of the day.  Among
the many folks I saw and talked to there were Ralph, Bev, Connie,
Gordon, Clayton Kong, Clement Aleka-Gorai, Judy Park, Wayne Yee, Grant
Oka, Joyce Tomlinson, Thea Ferentinos, Justin Ohara, Mark Dyer, Calvin
Zane, Mike Algiers, and Helene Sroat.

After an hour of resting and socializing at the summit, I headed down the
east side rim, passing the turnoffs for the arch rock trail and the direct
trail to the blowhole lot.  I wanted to do some exploratory hiking, so I
continued along the east rim and just before it swung left to drop into
the garden, I veered right to descend the spur toward the stables (Wing
wrote about doing this a while back).

The spur was open and rocky in its upper half.  Then it transitioned into
more of a grainy, eroded slope peppered with dried/dead koa haole
trees.  In about ten minutes, I completed the descent of the spur and then
picked my way through a koa haole forest toward Sandy Beach.  In the
forest, I passed many huge boulders, undoubtedly long-ago roll-downs from
the steep wall of Koko Crater.

After about ten minutes of bee-bopping through the forest and boulders, I
emerged on Kalanianaole Highway about an eighth of a mile from the
Blowhole lot.  I then walked along the highway to my car.

There was a posthike gathering at the HTMC clubhouse in Waimanalo, but I
decided to forgo that and head home instead (I was hungry and wanted to
take a shower and a nap). Well, I hammered out this report before eating,
showering, or napping. Man, what a dedicated writer I am.  :-)

I should add that on the drive home, I was able to contact Tom Yoza via
walkie-talkie.  He and Lynn Agena were exploring (yet again) Maunawili
Valley, specifically the left slope of Piliwale Ridge.  So the question of
the day is will we ever see Tom on an HTMC hike or TM outing again?

I should also add a get-well-soon to Jay Feldman, who is hobbled by a foot
malady (achilles?), and was unable to be with us at Koko Crater
today.  Take care, Jay.

Go HTMC!

--dkt

Kahana Rescue!

HTMC and OHE-L members Thomas Yoza, Ken Suzuki, Jim Pushaw, and Naomi Nasu will be in the spotlight for their efforts today in Kahana Valley. Motivated by Ken's hunch, the group broke off from the main body of the HTMC trail maintenance crew to see if they could find any sign of the two Danish females, Anitta Winther & Marianne Konnerup, reportedly last seen in Kahana on Sat. 8/14.
HTMC and OHE member Joe Bussen, along with his wife Ruby, was hiking in Kahana on 8/14, and they recalled seeing the two girls hiking up the road to the water tank around 12:30. Given that, along with reports from a city bus driver and some Kahana residents, there was plenty of evidence the two were somewhere in Kahana. But where?
This past week, police, fire, and civilian personnel attempted rescue searches in Kahana and nearby windward locales without success. As we worked in the valley today, rescue choppers buzzed overhead while a small crew of police special forces officers searched valley trails on foot. Reports indicated the girls were inexperienced hikers, so the natural assumption was that they'd likely stick to the muddy but non-treacherous trails in the valley instead of attempting ridge routes to the south (Ohulehule) or north (Pauao). As we'd find out, this assumption proved faulty.
While we did our work, we kept an eye out for any signs of the girls. Early on, Mabel reported smelling a foul odor on the Na Koa Trail (the extension opened up by Dick Davis). However, this turned out to be a false lead.
At noon, most of us continued clearing and searching in the upper part of the valley. Meanwhile, Ken, Jim, Thomas, and Naomi headed makai to pick up the trail leading over to Ohulehule. When they reached the dirt road leading down to the dam, a crowd of reporters, police, fire and state officials, and family members of the girls were assembled for a press conference. Based on the circumstances and the to-date search efforts, today would likely be the final effort by rescue personnel to look for the girls. If they weren't found today, they probably would never be, at least not alive.
Around 1:30, the Ken, Thomas, Jim, and Naomi began the ascent of the spur leading up to Ohulehule. For those who haven't done this, the climb is steep and strenuous, with fixed ropes in a couple places. While going up, they decided to set a turnaround time of 2 p.m., taking into account their energy level and the time needed to hike back to the cars.
While climbing to a saddle in the ridge (elev. 1,560), Jim whooped out and heard a faint reply of a female voice upridge, something like, "We're here. Can you see us?" Subsequent whoops netted a reply like, "Please help us!"
Infused with adrenaline after hearing the cries for help, Thomas, Jim, and Ken powered up the spur to the girls (Naomi was further down the spur). When the girls came into view, they were slowly descending the lowest cable section on the steep face of Ohulehule, encouraged and coached by Thomas, Jim, and Ken. The girls later revealed that they had decided to deal with their fears and attempt a descent today, for they felt they wouldn't last much longer if they didn't.
Somewhere in all of this, Thomas radioed Mabel Kekina (trail maintenance boss) via walkie talkie that they'd found the girls. Meanwhile, Jim tried hailing 911 on his cell phone without success. Ken, at or about this time, was able to get through on his cell phone to 911 (the 911 operator at first was skeptical about the veracity of the call and took Ken's cell # and called him back for confirmation). Convinced that Ken was on the up-and-up, the operator dispatched a chopper to the valley.
While the girls waited for the chopper, they talked about their ordeal. They climbed Ohulehule (summit 2,265) without incident but when it came time to head down they were too afraid to attempt it. I'm not clear if their intent was to climb Ohulehule or if a wrong turn from a valley trail led them to the mountain.
The girl's trepidation about descending is understandable since they were confronted with the severe steepness of the mountainside while going down (when heading up, all they needed to focus on was the slope dead ahead). Displaying some rational thinking, the girls thought it would be better to stay put on the summit instead of descending and risking getting hurt or worse.
A fire official on tonight's news said the girls had fallen off the ridge and were trapped in an inaccessible spot. However, this is not what the girls reported to Ken and company. Instead, the twosome opted to remain at the summit, hoping a passing chopper would see them waving their jackets. The girls said they saw choppers on numerous occasions but not once did one do a fly-by over the crest of Ohulehule. Instead, air search efforts were concentrated on the valley.
For food, the girls set off on Saturday with a bagel, an apple and some chewing gum. I'm not sure how much water they began with (a liter apiece?) but when their packed supply was gone (most likely by the first night), they had to resort to sucking water off moss and leaves or, when a rainshower passed, opening their mouths to capture any water that fell in. And once the bagel and apple was gone, the girls relied on thimble berries and the berries from clidemia for sustenance.
Fortunately, Ken, the master of preparation, makes a point of carrying a can of soda or two and snack items (usually cookies) in his pack, and the girls were thankful for this, along with water offered by Jim, Thomas, and Ken.
The rescue chopper arrived around 2:30, guided by Ken via cell phone to the saddle lunchspot (formerly used by the HTMC on club hikes). A first then a second fireman rappeled from the chopper to the lunchspot clearing. The chopper then left, returning some minutes later with a rescue basket attached. Accompanied by one of the two firemen, one girl was whisked away in the basket to a clearing by the watertank where she was moved from the basket into the chopper for the ride down the valley to a clearing by the Kahana visitor's center where a crowd of officials, reporters, family members, and passers-by were assembled. Repeat the process for the second girl.
Tried-and-true hikers, Thomas, Jim, Ken, and Naomi opted against a chopper ride out and hiked down the mountain, across the valley, and back to the parking area by the hunter's check-in.
When the rescue foursome arrived, a cheer rang out from members of our proud HTMC crew, waiting with drinks and snacks. Mabel gave each a big hug while reporters from KHNL (News 8) and the Honolulu Advertiser snapped pictures/shot video (this will be the big local news story for the next few days, for sure).
I just spoke to Jim Pushaw a few minutes ago on the phone, and he told me reporters from the local TV stations have been ringing his house all evening. As a matter of fact, one reporter from News 8 asked him to lead a camera crew up the mountain tomorrow morning so they can shoot footage of the location of the rescue and the summit where the girls spent the past eight nights. I'm not sure if Jim will decide to lead them but I offered him some feedback on things to consider.
Hopefully, the publicity the rescue generates won't lead crazies or the ill-prepared to make an ascent of the mountain.
I'm sure Anitta and Marianne learned much from this. Ditto for police and fire officials, who probably have an increased respect for the ableness and mountain savvy of members of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club.
Hike safe,
--DKT

---

Reply From: peter caldwell (pekelo@lava.net> Great news.! Let's hear it for our four heroes and their intuition! I was coming back from a long paddling day and was listening to KCCN-FM when the wahine DJ said the girls have been found. Knowing the Kahana trail clearing was the plan for the day, I had this feeling so when I got home and fired up the computer, sure enough!!! Anybody gets lost again, first thing on the agenda should be a consultation with HTM! Dr. Pete

---

Reply From: Carmen C. (carmenc@pixi.com> Due to travel, I had heard nothing about this terrible situation until this morning from the HTM members who are currently preparing to kayak from Ha'ena to Polihale tomorrow morning. The grimness of the situation was discussed for a bit and then the preparation activities of the morning took over. I later asked what trail was being cleared today and when I heard it was Kahana, like Pete, had a really good feeling that there was nothing to worry about. On my way from the airport back to Kailua at around 5:00 I heard that the girls had been found but heard no details. As I got home, my grandmother came running out of the house yelling to the neighborhood that my trail clearing friends were the heroes. Jay's e-mail confirmed this and I wouldn't be surprised if my neighbors get onto OHE after this. Jim, Tom, Ken, and Naomi...you did good. Carmen :-)

---

Reply from: Thomas Yoza (tyoza@gte.net> Dayle and I were the last to leave Kahana Valley today and as we were driving out a KITV4 News car stopped and was talking to Dayle. Then I could see him pointing back at me and the reporter, Jill Kuramoto, came running up to me and asked if I could do an interview. At this point Dayle took off and I got stuck doing a solo spot for KITV. I watched it at 10 and then looked at the KHNL report.... both were pretty good. Also got a call from the Honolulu Starbulletin who said they had just talked to Ken... so look at their web site tomorrow.
I asked Annita why they climbed up Ohulehule and she said they started on a "family" hiking trail and made a wrong turn, probably just past the dam, and continued following the flags left over from the previous HTMC hike. Personally I find that hard to believe, especially when they hit the rope sections. As we climbed up the ridge, Ken noted that no tracks could be seen on the trail so we might as well turn back. I yelled back that 2:00pm and the Waikane Saddle lunch spot should be our goal. The rest is history!
Aloha, Thomas

---

Reply From: "STONE, J. BRANDON" (802005%cchpd@co.honolulu.hi.us> First, congratulations to Ken, Jim, Thomas, and Naomi for playing a hunch that turned out to be a winner. Great job!
I'm the Management Analyst for the Chief of Police, so I'm trying to push the various forces involved in the right direction. I'm doing a lot of educating, for instance. I came in this morning, pulled out about a dozen photos of Pu'u Ohulehule, people on the summit of Ohulehule during our last trailclearing there, and the views from the top of Ohulehule. I also found a photo that included Ken and Thomas from our recent KST trip (sorry, Jim and Naomi; I had no photos of you). I put the photos into plastic sleeves and stuck them on the outside of my office door. Just about everyone on the floor (and many others) have stopped and checked them out. As a result, most of our adminstrators are now better informed about HTMC, Pu'u Ohulehule, some specifics of the incident, the dangers (and the pleasures) of hiking, etc.
One of our deputies had spoken to Mabel in the field on Friday (I think that was the day), but I'm not sure how much ongoing consultation there was with HTMC. As a result of this incident and its outcome, I would expect to see a tighter link during future rescues.
The media are still buzzing, of course. One TV station wants to see if the Danish women would do a public service announcement regarding safe hiking. Whether they do or not, we suggested that the station talk to HTMC in order to plan such a PSA. I gave them Grant and Mabel's phone numbers. Another station is checking with Chris Walker to see if he has any archival footage of the Ohulehule hike.
There's one thing I would like to clarify: Where did the women actually spend the eight days? Apparently, they didn't quite make it to the summit. Does anyone really know where they stayed?
I'll volunteer to pass any feedback from you folks to our administrators. That feedback could be formal (say, someone speaking for the club) or informal (just email me directly or call me at 529-3644). I can help set up communications links, too, if that is needed. This is a big organization and it's not always clear who to talk to about an issue.
Finally, what a marvellous outcome to a stressful incident!
Brandon

---

Reply From: malama@lava.netRight on, rescue team! *Cheers* for the gang from HTMC!!!
I wondered all week long why police, fire and DLNR officials did not approach the club for help -- you'd think some of them must be monitoring the OHE postings, what with all the attention on stuff like Haiku.
Congratulations to you all. Maika'i!
-- Mahealani

---

Reply from: Gabriela Canalizo (canaguby@palila.ifa.hawaii.edu>Sorry for the late message... I'm out of town and I was really excited to read the news on the paper.
Congrats and big mahalos to Ken, Thomas, Jim, and Naomi!! Great job, guys!
Gaby

---

Reply from: Dayle K. Turner (turner@hawaii.edu>The info from media reports seems to indicate they didn't reach the summit. After all, one of the girls said they had little/no room to lie down during the ordeal yet there is plenty of room at the top for that. My guess is that they were stranded at/around the steepest section, where there are multiple ropes/wires/cables. At that locale, the vegetation forms a canopy overhead, making seeing or being seen difficult.
Ken or Thomas told me the girls, before they began their descent, had untied a section of rope and cable in case they needed it further down.
I thought it was interesting that someone (Aaron Lowe?) in this morning's paper commented that survival for the duo was more likely since there were two of them and they were females. Females are more rational, said the quotee, and a pair of females tend to form a supportive team. A single young male, on the other hand, would have likely found his way down or killed himself in the attempt. Not real sure what this far-from-young male would have done.
And as for the theory that the women had Ohulehule as their goal from the get-go, their statements contradict this. Or maybe they're not telling the truth to avoid censure.
Regarding questions about why they kept climbing even after it became clear the route they were on was taking them far from the start point, I suppose their actions could be attributed to youthful vigor and a go-for-it attitude. Or maybe, as Ken said, they were disoriented and believed the trail would lead them out.
"We kept following the red line (ribbons?)," said one of the girls. Maybe the hunters taking down ribbons isn't such a bad thing.
In all, a great story with a happy ending.
Kudos to the nth degree to the heroes of Kahana--Ken, Jim, Thomas, and Naomi.
HTMC stands proud.
--DKT

---

Reply from: Sergio Lotenschtein (loetch@iav.com>Congratulations. It must feel wonderful to be recognized as the experienced hikers you all are. I do hope that the media and the state do not decide to knee-jerk and close off the area. Or that some fool legislator tries to restrict and control the access to these trails.
Thank you HTMC.
Sergio

---

Reply from: Joseph Omer Bussen (bussen@hawaii.edu>Kay Lynch asks if the girls maybe chose to go up a dry trail instead of the Kahana loop. Remember, Ruby and I saw them approaching the water tank at about 12:45 Saturday. I think they went around the loop, and took a wrong turn just before they would have reached the dam. Or, they reached the dam and wanted to do some more hiking, so they went back to the Ohulehule trail. The onlymystery to me is that they never figured out that the upper ridges are not a "family trail".
In any case, I don't think the proposal to put warning signs at the beginning of all "dangerous" traiils is the way to go. Better to more and better signs along established novice trails. Kahana Valley and the Nakoa Trail are (or should be) a perfect example of this. The one sign at the big X junction (by the tank traps and bunkers) is very confusing; I would expect any novice first-timer to turn the wrong way. Where the Ohulehule trail branches off to the left (after crossing the dam), why not just a double arrow on the right side of the trail, to show it extending inboth directions.
I hope some experienced HTMers will be on my hike Sunday, to take the lead. I don't hike fast enough to go in front, and I am afraid a very large number of hikers may show up. We are going to do the figure-8 double loop, exactly as in Stuart's book.
Slow Joe Bussen

---

Reply From: James R Pushaw (jrpushaw@juno.com>Thanks, first of all, to all of you for the kind comments directed to the four of us that were able to experience a once in a lifetime event. I can tell you that I am emotionally drained from this one, but love it at the same time. (?) The story has been told at length, but I want to share some of my observations with you.
I will never forget the shock, the rush of emotions that seemed to go through every fiber of my body when the girls answered us back. It is very hard to put all of this into words but what an absolute thrill it was. Even though Mabel Kekina had briefed us earlier in the morning about the sad possibility of finding only their bodies, we had been letting out our usual "whoops" every 20 minutes or so, with some hope that the girls were still able to hear us. Sadly, it seems that we were getting used to hearing nothing but silence. But then, after what became the last whoop that we actually needed, we heard not just a faint whisper, but shouting - loud shouting - as if they both had megaphones! They must have gathered up all the energy that they had when they yelled back! In fact, I don't even remember all that they said, the thrill was so great, but I did hear the word HELP! somewhere in there.
We knew that it HAD to be them. They really are here! They really are OK! A moment of hesitation as we thought that it could be someone else, but that was quickly dismissed. I yelled "Can you see us?" and waved my hands. Their answer "No, can you see US?" We couldn't. From where the sound came from, they were quite a bit higher than us and in looking, all we could see is green, green, green - just the foliage. I yelled to them to hang in there, that we were coming. Thinking that they may be somewhere down the side of the ridge facing the ocean, I asked Thomas if he had any rope with him. He said yes, but we never needed it. It took us another 20 minutes or so to get up to the old "lunch spot" which could now be more accurately called the "helicopter rescue spot." It was some relief to reach that spot, as it is nearly level there compared to the strenuous ridge climb that we just finished. We were moving faster toward them, but before we even got to them, we hear "Do you have any water?"
Then, just a little bit further and we could finally see them! I will never forget the sight - both of them were stopped in their tracks, Anitta in front and Marianne above and behind her, looking like she was down on one knee, sort of sliding down a slight hill. Anitta's eyes were piercing, looking with almost disbelief, it seemed, and at the same time happy, sad, stunned and I guess mostly relieved. I asked if they were OK, or if they had any broken bones. They said no, that they were all right. I reached Anitta first, and not surprisingly, the first thing she asked for was water. Handing her the tube from my camelbak, she was trying her best but couldn't get any water flowing. I got it started and she just loved it. Next was Marianne. We all then started back to the lunch spot to have a little more room and to get away from the tree cover. When we got there,(sure enough, Dayle) Ken had Cokes and some chocolate chip cookies. They ate and drank lightly, also sharing a peach that I had forgotten from my lunch, and more water. Only after the brief snack and some talking did they finally seem to be more relaxed, showing us that they finally must have felt that things were going to work out for them, that all would be OK. Their legs were heavily scratched and bruised, as they were wearing shorts and their arms and hands were very dirty with some cable or rope cuts on their palms. But considering what they went through, they looked pretty good.
Thomas had kept in constant touch with Mabel with the small radios that each had since we first heard the girls. When he first told Mabel that we had found the girls, we thought that Mabel was out by the police and firemen, so we figured that she could just walk over and tell them. In later discussions we realized that she was still somewhere back in the valley. So I tried calling 911 on my phone, but had no signal. Ken then got busy with his cell phone because his worked! ( I am going to call Honolulu Cellular to find out why mine didn't work and Ken's did. Which service do you have Ken?) About this time Thomas started heading down to go and tell Naomi what was going on. She had stopped to rest and wait for us to come back, probably thinking that we wouldn't be too long. Now that there was all the commotion of the helicopters, Thomas was concerned that Naomi would be worrying about what was going on. (When we met up with her again, we found that she WAS worried and actually had come half way up to us until she met Thomas coming down.)
The 911 operator must have thought it was a prank call, because after asking for Ken's name, they asked him for the girls names! Satisfied that it was "for real," they then took Ken's phone number and passed it on to the police and fire dept. who ended up calling Ken several times during the ordeal. One interesting note, when we saw the helicopters taking off, they were headed straight up into Kahana valley. We were all yelling "tell them to turn left, turn left!" They finally did and the first helicopter to go over us was the police who flashed us a big "thumbs up" and continued on their way to make room for the bright yellow Fire Dept. helicopter who hovered, almost motionless, some 20 to 30 feet directly above us. One fireman then dropped a rope and rappeled down effortlessly. He explained that they were going to first bring up another fireman, so each girl had a companion to ride down with in the basket. They did, and then he explained that they were then going to go back to get the basket. After the 2nd fireman arrived, Ken and I decided to get going. The girls gave us all some hugs again ( I forgot to say earlier that there were plenty of hugs - wonderful hugs) and we started down.
All the way back to the HTMC crew we kept thinking and talking about what an unbelievable experience it was and it seemed like we were walking two feet off the ground! And then what a thrill to come around the bend to the cheers of our fellow club members. What a proud day for all of us, the Sunday Trail Clearing Gang, truly the best darn team in the state.
Also: I think the "red line" that they were following was an actual line on the map itself, and not the ribbons that were put up.
I want to now say that all of us involved Sunday's "miracle" are certainly and rightfully happy for such a wonderful conclusion to what could have been an unforgettably sad day. Finding the girls was something I know we will never forget, but I want to personally say to all of the HTMC gang that I am glad to have found YOU, the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club. When I first came into contact with you at Kualoa Beach Park less than a year ago, I had been hiking some 28 years here in Hawaii and I had never even heard of you! I now think that the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club will finally get the attention that it truly deserves. I guess that we will now be much more than a "well kept secret" and that is absolutely wonderful! Congratulations to us. See you Sunday.

---

Reply from: Jay Feldman (JFEL873@aol.com)Thanks Jim for your moving account - talk about 'chicken skin' that's what I got just reading it. I must say you three have handled yourselves exceptionally well this week, with the interviews, news shows, etc. I am, and I'm sure I speak for your fellow whackers, hackers, and yackers, very, very proud of all of you.
Anyone of us on the crew would have gone with Ken to check out Ohulehule had we been there; but it was you and Thomas who did and I am just as pleased with you three as I can be. And damn proud of Mabel and the gang and HTM as well.
But let's not forget the HPD, HFD, and DLNR people who broke their butts the entire week before we got there. Hats off to their good effort. Lots of good karma for everyone!
Jay

---

Reply From: "Short, Mark E." (Mark.E.Short@bankofamerica.com>I think many people really had feared the worst. We get so much bad news. There was a cartoon Corkies Hawaii that showed the headline of "Two Danish Hikers Missing" being read while the Dana Ireland trial was going on in the next room. Most people feared foul play.
They were not far off the beaten track (or you could said right on the beaten track!) and it still took eight days to find them. Imagine if they had fallen off the trail & been hurt or unable to call out after eight days.
A few good lessons:
1. Use the hunter/hiker check in log or leave a note in your car (I'll tell my family where I'm going, but then sometimes things change). If this had been done the search would have been more on target.
2. Carry a cell phone and signal whistle
3. Other items like extra food/water/clothes may make your eight day stay more comfortable
4. Hike with a group like HTMC - they're sure to find you fast!

---

Reply from: Kirby D. Young (kirbyd@teleport.com)Thanks for taking the time to share your personal experience in this amazing story! It is great you had hope of finding them okay, even after 8 days. That is part of your success in this story also, I think.
Here in N. Oregon/S. Washington, there have been two publicized stories of hikers missing in the Wilderness in recent months. In the first, a young man was found after 3-4 days by a news helicopter covering the search effort in steep terrain of the Columbia Gorge. You could really feel the genuine emotion in the veteran pilot's reporting of this accomplishment. (He reports and flies!) He pointed out that many times in situations like this the final news is bad for the missing person. In this vein, the second recent case was more sobering, as the hiker in question was never found in the rugged forest area he had entered near Mt. Hood, OR. Again a reminder that there are no guarantees regarding outcomes.
Ohulehule is getting a lot of publicity out of this, I suppose. It will be interesting to see if more hikers visit it than normal in the near future. Hopefully they will do so safely.
Congratulations again!
Kirby

Haleakala crater via Kaupo Gap trail

Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 15:32:14 -1000
From: Patrick Rorie (prorie@k12.hi.us>
Subject: Haleakala Crater Via Kaupo Gap

A friend once told me "The weather is everything!". While I don't entirely agree with this statement, I do believe that excellent weather is the foundation for a wonderful day hike/backpack trip. It sets the table for a memorable visit to a special place. Such was the case on Independence Day weekend 1999 for seven members of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club who ventured up Kaupo Gap into Haleakala Crater on the island of Maui.

Our group, consisting of Arnold Fujioka, Chris Atkinson, "Big" John Darrah (making his seventh ascent of Kaupo Gap), Herman and Myra Dombrowski, Steve Becker and myself, caught the Aloha Air early bird (5:15 a.m. flight) from Honolulu to Kahului, Maui, on Saturday morning, July 3rd. David Bloch of Off-Road Shorefishing Expeditions ($350 total for our party of seven, contact him at (808) 572-3470) picked us up and we departed the airport in his suburban at 6:20 a.m. Because Dave had already purchased fuel for our stoves, we proceeded directly to the town of Kaupo on Maui's south shore via Route 37. Along the way we enjoyed nice views of the West Maui Mountains, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island. Upon arriving in Kaupo, Dave continued mauka up a semi-paved road to the trailhead (elev. 1,000 ft) sparing us atleast a mile of boring road walking.

Following final preps and the obligatory "before" photo, our group began the adventure at 8:15 a.m. past a wooden sign which read "Paliku 5.5 miles", an incorrect figure as we would find out later. Perfect hiking conditions prevailed (an abundance of blue sky and sunshine with a gentle breeze from the east) and directly behind across the Pacific Ocean hidden partially by cumulous clouds was a stunning view of the Big Island featuring the Kohala Mountains below Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Hualalai. With almost 5,400 feet of elevation to gain in just under 7 miles, we ascended, steeply at times, almost immediately through tall grass and a forested area, dark brown wooden posts marking the route. Fifteen minutes into the climb while ascending steeply on a dirt/gravel road, I noticed a national park sign indicating that we had two more miles to travel before reaching the park boundary. Between the trees the nice view of the Big Island directly behind continued with entirely blue sky above. Further up, our group passed a catapillar bulldozer on the right, and the light breeze at our backs made for a sweaty ascent (we learned to appreciate the shady stretches). Pleasant vistas of the lower countryside between the coast and the trailhead were ours to enjoy, and Myra, Steve and I (bringing up the rear) noticed black fiberglass pipes near or stretching across the footpath and could hear water flowing through them. Despite the tough climb, it was a gorgeous day through beautiful territory (the different shades of green).

We made the transition from the forest to an open light green low grass region and, soon after, reached a broad relatively level campground (approx. elev. 2,275 ft) at 9:20 a.m. complete with two white bath tubs and a small corrugated shelter. A large ten foot tall water tank located above the area provided H2O for visitors and in order to obtain fluid one had to remove the cover and dip a container into it. John drank from the supply freely without chemical treatment and Chris told me privately that it smelled funny. Since we were only a little over an hour into the trek I still had plenty of liquid in my bottles and passed when offered an opportunity to fill up. Light green slopes existed above the region and I recognized white puffy cumulous clouds advancing upslope from the west in the distance toward Haleakala Peak. The seven of us enjoyed the spot for a time sunbathing and checking out the sights (Mauna Kea across the deep blue Pacific Ocean, the southern coast of Maui in the direction of Kahoolawe).

Suffering from a hangover brought on by the consumption of too many beers the night before, Herman proceeded no further and his wife Myra certainly would stay by his side. This gave John the excuse to remain as well, the campground being one of his favorite locations to relax. Steve also elected to call it a day.

With so much time remaining in the day, Arnold, Chris and I decided to continue and departed our colleagues at 10 a.m. The steep climb resumed over a dirt/gravel road but the breeze intensified keeping the three of us from overheating. Occasionally, we stopped to catch our breath and, looking back, took pleasure from the sweeping views of the lowlands and southern coast. Later, while in transit, I recognized an abundance of pukiawe on the side of the now grassy road. Arnold and Chris tramped ahead of me as I halted to take notes and gaze at the surrounding topography. During the next stretch the angle of ascent increased and compared to hiking the steepest part of Wilhemina Rise (believe me, I should know, esp. since I carried a 45 pound backpack up Wilhemina three times back in April). Finally, the steep climb concluded, and I stopped again to catch my breath and stare at Kahoolawe and two prominent pu'us in the distance as well as the brown slopes below the massive ridge containing Pu'u Kumuiliahi and Haleakala Peak. Directly ahead, the crest of Kalapawili Ridge which forms the upper northern wall of Paliku came into view for the first time.

Pressing on, I ascended more gradually over a grassy road through open grassy terrain and a few healthy koa trees off to the right caught my attention. I delighted in the magnificent vistas of the southern coast toward Kahoolawe, and the four broad mountains of the Big Island really stood out. Like giant bookends, Haleakala Peak to the west and Pu'u Kuiki on the eastern side of the gap towered high above the crater floor. The sheer rocky cliffs forming the west wall of Kaupo Gap were in direct contrast to the steep vegetated flanks of the eastern pali.

Just prior to 11 a.m. I approached Arnold and Chris reclining under a grove of tall koa trees along the road and joined them as they took pleasure from the shade and sound of birds singing. After a fifteen minute break, we saddled up again and a short distance ahead passed a campsite on the left also containing a small corrugated shelter in route to the fenced Haleakala National Park boundary (approx. elev. 3,800 ft) which we reached at 11:24 a.m. The location featured a spectacular view of Haleakala Peak, now socked in by clouds, and the sheer rocky cliffs below the peak that form the steep west wall of the gap. The three of us entered Haleakala National Park via a gate in the fence, but I backtracked to take in the sights while Arnold and Chris proceeded toward Paliku. Beyond the gate upslope was a relatively level stretch through knee high grass under numerous tall koa trees offering ample shade. At 11:46 a.m. I passed a sign that read "Paliku 3.9 miles" and thought to myself "that was the longest 1.6 miles I've ever hiked!" in reference to the bogus mileage figure (5.5) on the trailhead sign. The steady ascent continued on a narrow but distinct footpath skirting the base of the steep east wall (no longer a road - the road terminating at the national park boundary), pukiawe on both sides.

Around noon I caught up with Arnold and Chris and sat down near them in shade under a stand of three spreading koa trees, the sunlight causing the koa leaves to glisten above our heads. We consumed lunch and took a nap (we caught the early bird, remember?), our solitude broken only by an occasional chopper flying high over Haleakala Peak.

Arnold, Chris and I found ourselves moving again over a well worn trail lit up nicely by the sunshine a few minutes prior to 1 p.m. The footpath became a graded contour and we gained elevation via switchbacks through a wealth of native flora growing on top of old lava fields. As I paused to take notes and gaze at the surrounding topography, Arnold and Chris moved ahead of me once more and I would not see them again until arriving at Paliku. Further ahead, a fifty foot vertical waterfall shoot located on the steep east wall grabbed my attention, and I spotted an ohia lehua with numerous red blossoms for the first time all day close to six additional lovely tall koa trees. Higher up, koa, the dominant tree thus far, disappeared, replaced by ohia lehua.

Clouds moved in from the north causing the sky to become overcast while I traveled through a lovely meadow filled with akala plants. Eventually, the sun came back out as I passed through another larger meadow where I obtained my first view of the crater floor toward Sliding Sands including the various cones. A narrow gully existed in the east wall to the right of the second meadow, and I was awstruck by the incredible amount of ohia lehua growing on the sides of the upper reaches of the gulch. I spotted a handful of native birds while passing through yet another meadow and rocky sheer cliffs bordered the right side of the field covered partially with grass and dotted with small ohia lehua.

Recognized Pu'u Kuiki (elev. 7,553 ft) towering high above the third meadow, bypassed a prominent pu'u (elev. 6,300 ft) on the left and enjoyed the wonderful final level approach to the Paliku Cabin, the completely clear surrounding ridges and peaks lit up nicely by the afternoon sun. Halted to study a wooden sign at a junction which read "Kaupo 8.0 miles, Kaupo Trailhead 6.8 miles".

Arrived at the Paliku campground and cabin (elev. 6,380 feet) shortly before 4:30 p.m. and proceeded to the place where Arnold and Chris had their tents set up. While the tract they chose was more discrete in case a ranger should come around checking for permits, it was too bumpy for my taste so I decided to take my chances in the open with a flat campsite.

At 6:20 p.m. I recognized the completely cloudless sky except for a few puffy clouds low on the horizon down Kaupo Gap and totally clear Haleakala Peak and Pu'u Maile visible to the west, the slopes of Pu'u Kuiki covered with ohia lehua. When the campground became engulfed in shadow we experienced a significant temperature drop causing campers to put on additional clothing. I ate dinner with Inger Lidman, Laura ?, Charlotte Yamane, Steve ?, and a friendly Japanese lady, and all of us took pleasure from excellent star gazing that night, the silhouette of the mountains with the stars in the background made Kaupo Gap very obvious.

At ten minutes before 10 p.m. the temperature outside my tent read 42.5 degrees fahrenheit and I retired for the evening at 10:05 p.m.

Part 2 - Layover Day at Paliku (The Search for Lake Waianapanapa) With a layover day at Paliku (lit. "vertical cliff") came a leisurely morning. Although Paliku was still engulfed in shadow, the early morning sunshine lit up the massive ridge containing Haleakala Peak, the lava fields of the crater floor, Pu'u Maile, and Oilipu'u beautifully.

At 9 a.m. Arnold, Chris and myself set out to explore the territory above Paliku along Kalapawili Ridge (part of the crater rim) in hopes of locating (and swimming in!) Lake Waianapanapa. We were blessed with another perfect day weatherwise (a light breeze, clear blue skies with the exception of a few cirrus clouds, an abundance of sunshine). A sign stating "unmaintained trail" behind the campground denoted the Lau'ulu trailhead and we headed north on the footpath. I brought ribbon to mark potentially confusing junctions for Inger and Laura who would be hiking Lau'ulu later that morning. We gained elevation gradually and passed through a tunnel of vegetation. "When they say unmaintained, they really mean it!" I told myself as our group steadily worked our way toward the crest of Kalapawili.

Eventually, the route curved west and opened up featuring nice views down into Kaluanui, a crater nestled against Kalapawili Ridge. Although smaller and much less vegetated, it reminded me of looking down into Ka'au Crater from the ridge that ends at the peak Palikea on the Ko'olau Range.

Upon returning to its original northern heading, the trail became a graded contour cut magnificently into the sheer pali high above the lava fields. Arnold, Chris and I paused in awe of the spectacular vista of Haleakala Crater. We could see the various cinder cones, the Sliding Sands switchbacks and the summit in the distance. We also marveled at a long switchback above the contour as Arnold asked "We're going there?!". I responded with an enthusiastic "That's right!".

Gaining the broad crest of Kalapawili via the long switchback and a much shorter one, the three of us proceeded east along a summit footpath which contoured on the Hana Highway side of the ridge. We were afforded occasional views of Maui's northshore, spotted a pair of nene geese above us near the crest and passed through a gate in a wire fence.

Once the trail traversed the ridge top not far from Pohaku Palaha (elev. 8,105 ft), we sat down at 10:15 a.m. to enjoy incredible views of the light green Paliku campground far below, the ridge connecting Pohaku Palaha and Pu'u Kuiki, Kaupo Gap and, in the distance, Mauna Kea/Mauna Loa of the Big Island above Pu'u Kuiki.

About half an hour later, Chris, Arnold and I continued east, climbed over another wire fence and descended gradually a distance through prairie-like terrain in search of Lake Waianapanapa (I had a topo map of the area in my possession to guide our party). At another superb vista on the crest we halted again to gaze down into vast, lush, pristine, remote Kipahulu Valley and couldn't help but notice its sunken eastern floor stretching makai to a gap in the valley. Also visible to the east of Kipahulu due to the excellent visibility were craggy Pu'u Kaumakani (elev. 4,576 ft) located in the middle of the ridge that separates Kipahulu and Waihoi Valleys, Waihoi Valley, much of the Hana Forest Reserve and a small stretch of Maui's east coast not far from Hana. "This is why Maui is called the valley isle" I told myself.

Confident that we were closing in on Lake Waianapanapa, the three of us departed the crest moving steadily downward through the prairie occasionally startling a few nene [honk! honk! honk!]. Not anticipating such a lengthy day hike, Arnold's water supply reached a low level but Chris provided some of his to make sure Arnold had enough to get back to Paliku. At this point Arnold decided to return to camp not only due to his lack of water but also because he did not bring lunch.

While Chris assisted Arnold, I scouted the lower environs and discovered a green 10' by 20' cabin nestled in an open tract of land between thick native vegetation. Chris caught up to me and one at a time we climbed over a barbed wire fence. Still holding out hope of locating Lake Waianapanapa, the two of us explored the terrain below the cabin only to find thick native rain forest including several lapalapa trees scattered about the flora (among the biggest I've ever seen in Hawaii). We ascended gradually to the shelter and once at the locked building peered through the kitchen window and identified bunks and a poem attached to the wall entitled "Ode to Rain", an obvious reference to the normal weather pattern of the region. Fed by a roof catchment system, eight sizeable plastic barrels were located adjacent to the southern wall of the structure, all filled to the top with water.

Chris and I replenished our supply and, with lunchtime upon us, departed the area backtracking to the Kipahulu overlook to consume our food. A pair of nene flew directly over us as we sat on the crest and admired the outstanding sights. During the break I noticed a small body of water almost directly below on the floor of Kipahulu Valley. I pointed it out to Chris while exclaiming "Hey, that looks like a lake!" (duh!). That evening we found out that the lake we saw was the one and only Lake Waianapanapa. Chris finished his meal, hung around a while longer then headed back to Paliku. I reluctantly departed about half an hour later and reached the Lau'ulu Trail/summit trail junction at 2:48 p.m.

With so much time remaining in the day and the excellent visibility still present, I decided to head west along Kalapawili Ridge with aspirations of reaching the summit of Pu'u Hanakauhi, the massive mountain which dominates the vista from Holua Cabin and the Halemau'u switchbacks. Initially, I contoured on the Hana highway side of the ridge, an occasional blue ribbon marking the route. Eventually, I gained the crest. The summit looked far off and fatigue was setting in. Nevertheless, I pushed myself determined to gain the apex. I ascended gradually over the open broad summit crest and rugged rocky terrain surprising many chukars on the way.

Arrived at the summit of Hanakauhi (elev. 8,907 ft) at 3:48 p.m. and descended a short distance to a better vantage point where I enjoyed sweeping views of the entire Haleakala Crater from Paliku to Ko'olau Gap including Pu'u Kuiki; Kaupo Gap; Haleakala Peak; the massive ridge containing Haleakala Peak and Kumuiliahi; the various cones, pu'us and network of trails on the crater floor; the Sliding Sands switchbacks; Pu'u Ula'ula (Red Hill), "the summit of Haleakala at 10,023 ft"*; Leleiwi Pali towering behind the Holua Cabin; and Ko'olau Gap (filled with white cumulous clouds). Truely a top of the world experience!

Took pleasure from the awesome panorama until 5:07 p.m., then began heading back to the Lau'ulu Trail/summit trail junction. During the return leg I noticed a band of white cumulous clouds to the north (that I was hiking above them) and said to myself "there's nothing like hiking above the clouds!".

Reached the top of the Lau'ulu Trail at 5:55 p.m. and enjoyed descending the spectacular long switchback and contour section. Gazed down into Kaluanui Crater once more and completed the return trip to Paliku approaching my tent at 6:35 p.m. I immediately grabbed my pans, utencils, and dinner entree and walked a short distance to Laura's tent where several members of our group were gathered for the evening meal.

After dinner at 7:31 p.m., Emil, a good looking blond haole dude in his early twenties and an environmental assistant for the national park, invited us to the ranger cabin and all but John Darrah gladly accepted. The rustic shelter, built in the 1930's by the CCC, contained twelve bunks (four stacks of three beds) and a stove (the temperature inside was a balmy 70 degrees fahrenheit) among other things. Our party sat around a large table and consumed wine and food items which Emil prepared. When the young man joined us, he shared some interesting information about Haleakala including that fact that 42 miles of fence surround the crater (it is possible to circumnavigate the entire crater!) and Lake Waianapanapa is in Kipahulu Valley (it is a $10,000 fine to be caught in or near the lake). Charlotte inquired about various plants she observed during the day and Inger quized Emil regarding the native birds she spotted. The environmental assistant came across as very knowledgeable in these areas.

Unfortunately, the nine o'clock hour came and went and with it most of our group. Before departing the cabin a few people helped wash dishes and cleanup. I engaged in star gazing for as long as I could tollerate the cold, then retreated to my tent and lost consciousness at 11:20 p.m.

Notes: Ball writes "Paliku is a very special place. The pasture and towering pali (cliff) are so lush and green after the colorful, but desolate, walk across the crater. Evenings at Paliku are magical. Watch the lingering color of the sunset on the cliffs and clouds above Kaupo Gap. Listen for the honk of a pair of nene making their last flight of the evening. Look for the moon rising through a notch in the crater wall. Can life get any better than this?"*

== Paka