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