Maunawili miconia hunting

Like the last several months, Maunawili Valley was the venue for the Sierra Club miconia hunt. We found none of the purple-leafed monsters, but what I've found on these outings is that the fun is in the hunting; finding, though the goal, isn't required. We met at 8:30 at the community park in the valley. HTMers Charlotte, Tom, Justin, and I were among the small group who showed up to search. The husband and wife team of Joby Rohrer and Kapua Kawelo were the coordinators for the hunt. Additionally, Sean, who works full-time for the state as a miconia hunter, was on hand, and he provided transport deep into Maunawili Valley with his state truck. I had never been on the narrow, paved valley road past where the Maunawili Falls trail begins, and it was interesting to see how well-kept it is, what kinds of homes & structures are back there, what kinds of crops are being grown, and how far the road penetrates into the valley (the road becomes dirt and gravel after a mile or so). To give you an idea how deep we got, Sean was able to drive all the way to the base of the large powerline tower that is between the 4.5 and 5.0 markers on the Maunawili Demo trail. From the truck, we were a 5-minute hike from the demo trail. Once on the demo trail, we headed in the Waimanalo direction for about a mile until reaching a junction with Ainoni Ridge. In last month's search, the one where I had an encounter with a pig in a snare, we had done a pretty thorough job of covering the area between Ainoni and Aniani Nui Ridges. So today, the plan was to cover as much as we could between Ainoni and the main powerline ridge we had driven up. To do that, we descended Ainoni ridge on a brushy but discernible trail and after 10 or 15 minutes down, we began peeling off to the left to descend into a large drainage. After a few others had peeled down, Charlotte and I headed left down a spur ridge and began spotting ribbons and pretty decent trail. Just about everyone on the hunt had a walkie-talkie, and as such we all were able to monitor positions and progress. Those things are great. Charlotte and I passed a pile of trash on the ground, which included several water bottles, a can opener, and a tupperware container full of uneaten, moldy rice and meat. We also noticed a thick wall of hau to our left, so we kept on the spur top, hoping that the hau barrier would end to allow us to drop down to Ainoni Stream. Indeed, the hau did abate, and we were able to descend to the stream, which we crossed to its far bank. From there, we began working our way upstream on the slope of the bank along pig trails through guava and around small patches of hau. While doing this, I spotted above us what looked like a people-made contour trail. Closer inspection proved this to be correct. Apparently, this contour path was constructed during the building of the Maunawili Demo trail and used by volunteers to access MDT around the 6-mile mark. Tom and Charlotte, both who put in time in building the demo trail, recalled using this contour route. Today, Charlotte and I followed the contour trail, which after a bit dropped down to cross Ainoni Stream and continue generally on its left bank. We eventually caught up to Justin, who was making his way to the left around a steep waterfall section, and Kapua and Tina (visiting Nature Conservancy worker from Molokai), who were beginning to head up a large ravine to the right of the one Justin was working on. Kapua, after a bit, headed up a steep confluence similar to Justin's, while Charlotte and Tina began scouring a larger one just to the right of Kapua's. Sound confusing? Well, it was, unless you were there, in which case you would have found that we had everything well in hand (at least, we thought so). What did I do? Well, I headed up a narrow ravine to the right of Charlotte's and Tina's. I followed the streambed at times, pig trails at others, and no trail at others. When I reached a place where the ravine split (this happened twice), I headed left each time, always trying to remember why I was there (to look for miconia!). Where I went, I didn't see any trash, prints, or cuttings, signs that a human had been there, but I did see many signs of pigs, including trampled down vegetation that looked only minutes old. At one point, I stopped to inspect a small clearing of smashed down weeds. Interspersed in the leaves were coarse shards of black pig hair. A pua'a bed? Probably. Around 12:30, I finally emerged on the demo trail at a bend in the trail about 100 meters 'Nalo side of the 5-mile marker. From WT transmissions, I found out Justin, Tina, and Charlotte had reached the demo trail around the 5.5 mile mark. Meanwhile, Tom, Joby, Sean and others were a good ways makai and working toward my position. Tom eventually found his way to the dirt road we had driven up in the morning and then walked up a mile or so to the truck. I found a nice shady spot under a trailside ohia tree for lunch and was eventually joined there by Charlotte, Justin, Tina, Joby, and Kapua. Everyone else found their way to the demo trail and the truck, and after reuniting, we loaded up and headed back down. On the way out, Tom directed us to a side road on the right where he had emerged. He told us this offshoot was used by Sierra Club volunteers to access the contour trail Charlotte and I found in the morning. The road is now quite overgrown, but Sean's huge state truck was easily up to the task. We may use this side road on a future hunt. For those who've never done a miconia hunt, I'd encourage you to give it a go, especially if you like exploring places few, if any, folks have gone before. Maunawili's a huge valley and I'd expect there'll be a bunch more outings needed to cover it. --dkt

Friendship Garden, Kokokahi ridge, Kawaewae

I started a month of vacation yesterday, and I decided to join the
Wednesday group (Solemates) for a hike on Kokokahi Ridge (aka Kawaewae
Ridge) in Kaneohe.  This was convenient for me since I live a few minutes
away from the trail.

At 9:30, we met on Mokulele Drive near Dusty Klein's house and were
ferried over to Kokokahi Place in three trucks, one driven by veteran
Bill Gorst, who lives on Kokokahi Place adjacent to the Friendship
Gardens where the trail begins.  Bill was kind enough to let folks use
the lua in his home, and many took him up on his nice gesture.  By my
count, there were about two dozen people in attendance, including the
Solemate's organizers, David and Roger.  Some familiar faces included
John Hall, George Shoemaker, Janice Nako-Piburn, Ruby and Joe Bussen, and
Gordon Muschek.  Bill also did the hike.

The pace for the hike was laid-back, and folks seemed very intent on
gabbing and talking story as they moved along leisurely.  Rest breaks were
often, and there was discussion about the heiau and industrial
buildings on the edge of Kawainui Marsh. Most seemed unconcerned by the
brief rainshowers that spilled down on us.  The trail was in fine
condition, partly because the HTMC recently used it for an outing.  Even
with the occasionally showers, the footing  remained easily manageable,
with no mud at all.

>From the trail's high point, there are a couple of steep slopes to
descend, with ropes affixed as aids.  A bit further ahead, at a low point
where the trail followed an old grassy road, I bailed on the main route to
take an overgrown trail I had stumbled upon once before. No one saw me
take this diversion, which was good since I didn't want to lead anyone
astray on a semi-bushwack. I had no trouble on the descent until I
reached a small grove of hau, which I had to twist and contort my body to
get through.  After that, I continued to descend a bit more steeply,
finally arriving in a small, narrow gulley.  I followed a faint swath,
making my way along what seemed to me as the best line thru the weeds and
vines.  After a few minutes of that, the forest floor opened up, and I
recognized the area as one used for paintball battles by folks who enjoy
that pasttime. I continued on to an exit at the end of Lipalu Place,
then walked back through the Pikoiloa subdivision to my car on Mokulele
Drive.

I spent a couple of minutes talking with Moshe Rappaport, who grilled me
about the upcoming KST backpack. Though I wasn't trying to dissuade him,
my mention of the mud, the overgrown nature of the trail, and the need to
obtain water from streams seemed to do just that.  I also talked briefly
with George and Janice, who had hiked out at the end of Kumakua Place,
the planned exit for the hike. After chatting with them, I headed
home for a shower, lunch, and nap--the latter being the most enjoyable of
the three.

Ahh, it's good to be on vacation.

--dkt

Twin Falls, Ching's Pond, Piilanihale Heiau, Blue Pool, Waianapanapa to Hana coastal trail, Venus Pool, Red Sand Beach, Oheo Gulch

Thirty-something of us--almost all members of HTMC--invaded the Valley
Isle for a couple days of hiking, swimming, eating, and having fun.
The weather wasn't always the best, but as Grant said at one point during
the trip, "Even with the rain and cold, it's better than any day at work."
Yup, he's right about that.

We flew to Maui on Friday morning (5/4), the majority doing so on Aloha
Airlines (better rates? dunno?).  For ground transport, we used
two 15-passenger vans, a mid-sized car, and Mark Short's family van (Mark
is an HTMC member and recently moved to Maui).  Getting all the bags,
gargantuan food supply, and bodies into the four vehicles was a
challenge, but we're talking about folks with plenty of experience
putting cargo--human and otherwise--into the right place.  So no problem.

For the record, the trip participants (35) were as follows:  Mabel Kekina,
Carole K. Moon, June Miyasato, Deetsie Chave, Bill Gorst, Carmen Craig,
Ralph/Bev/Michael Valentino, Jason/Cera/Kimberly Sunada, Kris Corliss &
Larry/Ginger Oswald, Gordon/Connie Muschek, Mark/Jacob/Dylan Short,
Joe/Ruby Bussen, Pat Rorie, Arnold Fujioka, Nathan Yuen, Thea Ferentinos,
Justin Ohara, Grant Oka, Joyce Tomlinson, Ken Suzuki, Mike Algiers,
Helene Sroat, Jackie/Jamie Delgado, Dayle Turner.  A special mahalo goes
to Lynn Agena, who didn't make the trip but was the major mover in
purchasing and preparing the food we ate on the trip. Way to go, Lynn.

After figuring out what/who went where, we made a stop at Safeway in
Kahului to pick up lunch for the day plus snacks and other food items &
supplies needed for the next couple days.  A few people grabbed some
burgers at a nearby Jack in the Box.

Our first hiking/swimming spot was Twin Falls, located at Marker 2 on the
Hana Hwy well past Paia.  Anyone looking for this trailhead should have no
trouble finding it because of the tourist cars parked along the roadside
and a refreshment stand there as well. Many of the places we hiked/swam
began at trailheads with "Keep Out, No Trespassing" signs.  However, most
of these same spots are well-known (based on info available on the 'net
and in books) and well-used (based on the stamped-down nature of the
trails).  Whatever the case, the landowners seem not to enforce what is
said on the signs. As far as Twin Falls, a hike of 10 to 15 minutes
delivered us to a 30-foot cascade where about half of our entourage
took the first of what would be many plunges in the coming days.

Stop 2 was at Ching's Pond, a clear, pleasant swimming hole located on the
ocean side of the highway.  I don't recall the nearest mile marker for
this spot, but I do remember it is several miles before Pua'a Kaa
Park.  We ate lunch at Ching's Pond.  Afterward we made the 100-foot
climb back to the highway, crossed it, and then headed mauka on a jeep
road to a pool Ken said was fantastic.  Unfortunately, only a handful made
it to the pool (I didn't) to experience its fantastic-ness.  Maybe next
time.

Stop 3 was at Puaa Kaa Wayside.  No hiking here.  Just a quick stop to use
the lua and to stretch the legs.

Our next stop was supposed to be Hanawi Falls, accessed via a trailhead at
the end of the road down to Nahiku.  As would be the case during our trip,
plans changed often, sometimes minute to minute (okay, that's an
exaggeration but it seemed that way on occasion).  So instead of Hanawi,
we drove on to Kahanu Gardens, home of Piilanihale Heiau, the largest in
Hawaii.  We arrived after the 2 pm closing of the Gardens, but Mabel had
heard from someone that we could enter the grounds nonetheless, so that's
what we did.  The Gardens are immaculately kept and feature a variety of
unusual trees like jackfruit and eggfruit.  On the ~1-mile walk to
the heiau, we met some caretakers of the garden.  They suggested a $5 per
person donation for our visit, but our negotiators whittled the total
down to $60 for the 35 of us and later to no cash and a few hours of
labor in the gardens at a future date.  Hmmm, maybe $60 is the better
deal.

A bit about Piilanihale: it was built in the 14th century for the
benevolent, beloved Maui chief, Piilani.  The site was overgrown with
weeds until the 1970s and is now a National Historic Landmark. The heiau's
dimensions are 415 x 340 feet.  Huge and majestic.

The next stop took us on a short drive to the end of the road past
Kahanu Gardens.  From there, we rockhopped along the coast for five
minutes to Blue Pool, a wonderful seaside swimming spot at the foot of a
vegetation-covered cliffside cascade.  It was late in the day and overcast
during our visit, so conditions weren't optimal, but many of us took the
plunge nevertheless, including Pat in his spiffy, new wetsuit.

Waianapanapa State Park was our final stop of the day, and the cabins and
campgrounds there would be our homebase for the rest of our stay.  We had
four cabins reserved for 24 (plus 1).  Another six tent-camped at the
site next to the caretaker's house.  And four stayed at a rental in
Hana town.  Prior to the trip, we had all pitched in money for food, with
dinners (teri chicken & curry stew) prepared and eaten at a central
designated cabin.  Breakfasts (eggs, sausage, hot cereal) were prepped
and eaten at individual cabins (with tent campers and the four rental
dwellers eating at a cabin of their choice).  Sandwich fixings,
chips, fruit, and trail mix were made available to each cabin for
in-the pack lunches. It all worked out well.  I was one of the tenters and
enjoyed the benefit of a quiet night's sleep, which wasn't necessarily
the case for those in the cabins (read: snoring).  I had to deal with some
rain, with setting up and breaking down my tent, and with the half-mile
walk to and from the cabins, but these were minor inconveniences.

Day 2 (Saturday) was all about rain and dreary weather.  But as hardcore
HTMC folks, we're undaunted by such conditions.  After breakfast, we set
out in a light drizzle on the rocky coastal trail from Waianapanapa to
Hana town, a distance of about three miles.  Along the way, we
passed a shack maintained by fishermen and a couple of older shoreside
homes with guardian dogs.  Right before the homes we came to a dirt road
heading inland, which turned out to be the quick route to the road into
town.  A bunch of us with a disdain for dirt roads continued along the
coast to  eventually reach a black sand beach where we were able to
access a paved road leading to the road into town. A key turnoff en
route was a grassy  road marked by a fishing lure hanging in a tree.  A
pleasant surprise to me was that Jackie (my girlfriend) and Jamie (her
daughter) were able to stay up near the front of the group without
complaining since they don't hike as much as the rest of us. Good job to
those two.

We all were able to find our way to the road to town and ended up at the
Hana pier, where we had staged the vans earlier in the morning.  We spent
time at Tutu's Snack Shop (pricey but one of the few games in town),
enjoying warm coffee, cocoa, ice cream, and whatever else we wanted.  The
snack shop and pier sits at the foot of a massive 400-foot pu'u named
Kauiki.  On the opposite side of Kauiki is Red Sand Beach, our next
supposed destination of the day. But the due to the weather and rough
ocean conditions, the plan was altered and the next stop was changed to
Venus Pool (aka Waioka Pool). A few folks didn't get wind of the
modified plan and attempted to hike around the seaward side of Kauiki to
reach Red Sand Beach.  However, they discovered vertical sea cliffs made
this impossible, so they climbed up to the crest of Kauiki and down its
mauka side.

The trail to Venus Pool is just after mile marker 48 on the
Hana-town side of Waiohonu Bridge.  A 100-meter walk brought us to the
pool, which features several rocky outcrops for jumping and diving.  The
stars of Venus Pool were na keiki, Ginger and Jamie, who jumped off the
highest rock (~40 feet) several times each.  While a few of the men
leaped from this high perch, most macho types (like me) did not (yup,
chicken).  So hats off to the daring youngsters.

Our final stop of day 2 was Red Sand Beach, located on the southern side
of Kauiki.  Reputedly a place frequented by nude sunbathers, Red Sand
Beach does indeed have red sand.  What it didn't have on this day were any
nudists. In fact, members of our group were the first on the beach
thought after our arrival a few other folks arrived.  Yes, we shed our
clothes.  But no one shed all his or her clothes.  Cera, perhaps wanting
to burn some  excess energy, climbed partway up the steep slope
overlooking the beach. Way to go, Cera.

We returned to Waianapanapa after an hour at RSB, with most folks opting
to shower, change, snack, and relax.  Mark and I decided to hike the
coastal trail to the Hana Airport, and this took us about an hour.
Along the way, we passed a couple of fishermen, a rocky terrace that
appeared to be a grave, and a benchmark stamped into a lava rock.  A sign
on the trail directed us to the "Airport Exit" and the trail emerged at
the end of airport runway, unprotected by a fence or wall.  As we stood
there, we saw a plane heading for a landing.  We watched it touch down, do
a u-turn, and then taxi to the small single-story building that serves as
the Hana Airport terminal.

In about five minutes, Mark and I completed the walk to the terminal.  The
pilots of the just-landed plane had already unloaded its cargo, which
included stacks of the Honolulu Advertiser and a box of pizza destined for
the Hana Ranch Store. We chatted briefly with the terminal manager, a
low-key Hawaiian bla-lah, who asked us how our hike had gone.  After
watching the plane take off, Mark and I headed back to Waianapanapa,
meeting Jason and Pat along the way.  The two-hour hike was a good
workout and relaxing at the same time--just what I needed to end the day.

On the way back, I heard Gordon announce on the walkie-talkie that dinner
would be ready at 6 pm.  Noticing that it was nearing 5:30, I picked up
the pace a bit and decided against a visit to Waianapanapa Cave.  Instead,
I picked up a change of clothes from my tent, and then hustled over to
the cabin where Jackie and Jamie were staying.  I took a warm shower
there (that felt wonderful), changed, and  headed over to the dinner
cabin for kaukau (leftover teri chicken and curry stew--ono!).

The dinner cabin was the gathering place for the 35 of us, with folks
partaking of relaxing libations, good food, fun games (uno), interesting
entertainment (highlighted by Larry's dancing and harmonica playing), and
animated conversations.  I walked back to my tent at 10 p.m. and had
another quiet, restful night of sleep.

Sunday was the day we said aloha to Waianapanapa.  The game plan:  eat
breakfast; pack up our gear; clean up the cabins; group A would backtrack
along the Hana Highway to Nahiku to do the hike to Hanawi Falls; group B
would drive ahead to Kipahulu to Oheo Gulch for swimming and hiking;
Groups A & B would regroup at Kipahulu in the early afternoon then
continue on past Kaupo for a pit stop at the Tedeschi Winery in
Ulupalakua.

The above plan worked well.  I went with group B, having previously done
the Hanawi Falls hike and wanting to stick with the J&J girls.  The drive
from Waianapanapa to Kipahulu took about 30 minutes (Ralph did a
fantastic job of driving on the trip) and when we arrived
at the Oheo Gulch parking area, we were almost the first ones there.
Mabel suggested we head makai to the pools first and later head mauka. If
we flip-flopped the order, said Mabel, then the makai pools would be
flooded with tourists on our return. Made sense to me.

With J&J, Mabel, Cera, Carole, the kids, and others, I spent at least an
hour and a half swimming and taking it easy at the pools near the ocean.
A highlight was watching Carole jump off a rock into the lower pool.
This wasn't easy for her since she has personal demons associated with
rocks and water to reckon with.  But she did it.  Nice job!

Wanting some exercise, I shouldered my pack and headed up the trail into
the valley to Waimoku Falls.  Ralph, Bev, Jason, Joe, Ruby, Deetsie, and
others had earlier hiked ahead. The trail was dry most of the way, and a
good deal of its upper section is a boardwalk thru a large bamboo forest.
Waimoku, a 400-footer, was impressive, and I spent a few minutes taking in
its beauty.  I headed up the trail to the falls on the left before
Waimoku, and partway down I ran into Ralph, Bev, Deetsie, and Jason, who'd
visited the left-falls and were heading down.  I turned around at that
point and hiked out with them.

Jason, on the way out of the valley, went off to explore a side stream
leading to a lesser-known waterfall.  There he saw three pot-smoking guys
who shed their clothes for some naked swimming.  Not surprisingly, he
didn't join them for a toke or a dip.

Meanwhile, Ralph, Bev, and Deetsie stopped at the top of 200-foot Makahiku
Falls for lunch.  I joined them briefly and then headed back down to our
van, where I found that members of Group A had arrived after doing the
Hanawi Falls hike.  After another half hour of resting and eating lunch,
we all boarded our vehicles--now three vans and a car--to drive on the
rought road to Kaupo then Tedeschi Winery.  Several miles past Kaupo, at
a bridge crossing over a rocky gulch, Carmen's van pulled over and Carmen
and most of her passengers deboarded for a middle-of-nowhere potty
break.  In  contrast, no one in our van felt the need to answer nature's
call.  What's up with that?

The road on the way to Ulupalakua is dry and rocky, akin to the Makapuu
area on Oahu, but the roadway is narrower, rougher, and at times
meandering like a snake as if the road builders were drunk during
construction.  In our van, a battle of the songs began, with the kids
singing a can-can tune and Carole and Jackie belting out the itsy-bitsy
spider song.  The singers were having fun, no doubt.

We stopped for 45 minutes at Tedeschi, with some folks partaking of free
wine samples offered by the winery staff.  We then drove over to Joyce's
house in Makawao, where we cleaned up for the flight home.  After gassing
up the vans in Kahului, we headed to the airport for the flight home.

Jackie, Jamie, and I had reservations for the 7:25 Hawaiian Air flight to
Honolulu but we decided at the last minute to stay on extra day on Maui.
We grabbed a rental car, a room in the Maui Surf, and ate a sumptuous meal
of crispy chicken, 5-seasoning roast duck, and egg foo yong at a Chinese
restaurant.

On Monday, we ate at the hotel buffet (eggs and sausage!), then drove up
to Haleakala to spend the morning there.  We stopped at the visitor's
center, where I inquired about open spots in the cabins in the coming
month, and among the open dates were some on the Memorial Day weekend.
Anyone interested should call up the visitor's center (572-4400) between 1
and 3 pm to check for open dates.  We then drove up and parked in the lot
by the Sliding Sands trailhead (the road to the actual summit was closed
to vehicles).  We cruised around the area, taking a ton of photos,
including many of the crater's interior, free of clouds.

After a half hour at the top, we headed back down, stopping at the
visitor's center one more time (lua break), then on down to Kahului Costco
where we dropped off five rolls of film for the 1-hour quickie service.
We then ate lunch (McDonald's), and drove up thru rustic Wailuku town to
Iao Needle, where we hiked around the paved loop trail, snapping more
photos as we went.  For those who've never visited Iao, its significance
is well-documented, particularly as the 1790 battle site between Maui
defenders and the invading army of Kamehameha.  So many warriors died in
the fighting that their corpses blocked the flow of Iao Stream, leading to
the naming of the area as Kepaniwai, literally "damming of the waters."

>From Iao, we drove northwest on route 340 (Kahekili Hwy) in search of the
trailhead of the Waihee Ridge trail.  About a 20-minute drive from Wailuku
got us there, but since it was late in the afternoon, we didn't have time
to hike it.  Maybe next time.

We returned to Kahului, picked up the photos at Costco (Jackie has 'em
now so don't ask me to see them), dropped off the rental car, and checked
in for the 6 pm flight back to Honolulu.

Things I learned from this trip:

--With a big group and spotty weather, expect plans to change often.

--The weather, especially in the Hana area, is a big factor in daily
  planning.

--The more walkie-talkies the better.

--Even with walkie-talkies, communication isn't a sure thing.

--Hiking leisurely and taking it easy has its place.

--I'll never go hungry with this group.

--I'll never volunteer to drive a van on the Hana Highway (so don't ever
  ask me!).

--Always bring duct tape.

Aloha and pau,

--DKT

Waianae, Makaha, Dodge ridge to Kamaileunu

Pat, Ed, Steve, and I logged a good amount of hiking today.  We all
started in Waianae Valley and made our way up the No-Name Peak side
of the Waianae Kai trail, a no-nonsense climb  and a good
workout.  From there, we descended an ancient Hawaiian trail, nowadays
used mostly by hunters, to Makaha Valley.  This trail is well-defined in
its upper third but less so the rest of the way as it descends thru guava.
Pink ribbons helped us navigate our way.

Once down in Makaha, we headed makai on a well-used trail along
gently-flowing Makaha Stream.  At one point, Pat led us up a short side
trail on the right that took us in a couple minutes to a pu'u with a
panoramic view of the valley.  Pat and I agreed that the surroundings
reminded us of what one might see from Smoke Rock in Kalalau.  Very nice.

The valley trail led to a Board of Water Supply well and a paved road
leading to the well.  We walked down the road, our next objective being to
find a trail on the left that would lead us to a spur ridge up to the
terminus of the Kamaileunu Trail.  HTMC vet Fred Dodge has hiked this
before, so I christened this Fred Dodge's Ridge.

We walked past the obscure trail on our way down but after backtracking,
we found it (a large pole, and now pink ribbons, mark the spot).  The
trail proceeds into a forest of coffee and macadamia trees for 50-60
meters then veers right on a contour.  After that, the way became
indistinct, and we switched into path-of-least resistance mode, with Pat
as the hammer man.

After about 15 minutes of pushing through, we began climbing a distinct,
rocky ridge.  Yes, this was Dodge Ridge, which we hoped would deliver us
to the summit of Kamaileunu.  We were optimistic yet apprehensive
since none of us had ever hiked this route all the way before (Pat,
Steve, Wing, and I had explored the lower section a few years ago).

Happily, the ridge was quite good, with no chopping necessary and no
overly challenging or taxing rock climbing, at least until we neared the
summit. Goats rule this ridge, evidenced by the well-used paths they've
created and the piles of dung they've left behind.  Additionally, the
acrid aroma of goat urine leaves quite an impression.

As we approached the 2000-foot level, Pat picked up the pace and pressed
forward ahead of the rest of us.  As we neared 2500 feet, we reached a
level section where we could see Pat 100 meters ahead.  He had stopped at
the base of a radical-looking rock section, and it was obvious to us that
Pat had ceased hiking because the section was a dangerous one.

Steve, Ed, and I eventually reached the base of the rock section and
followed Pat to the left on a narrow bypass used by goats. A
big drop had us moving very cautiously.  We decided that this left
bypass was too risky, so we backtracked to the face of the rock section
and explored bypass possibilities on the right.  These didn't pan out, so
the only option was to attempt the face straight on if the summit were to
be acquired.

Testing every foot- and handhold several times, Pat went first.  As we
nervously watched, he made it and then reported that ridge ahead looked
doable.  Ed, exercising the same kind of caution, went next.  Success.
Next in line were Steve and I.  Admittedly, I was very nervous about
climbing this face but after watching Pat and Ed make it okay, I felt I
could do it.  Steve, a very cautious sort, opted not to try it, even
after my concerted pep talk about what a great climber he is (which is no
BS).

Not wanting Steve to have to descend the ridge and find his way out of
Makaha alone, I decided to pass on the summit and head down with him. I
yelled out our plan to Pat and asked that he drive over to the end of
Kili Drive in Makaha to pick us up.  Pat said he would.

So Pat and Ed continued up the ridge to reach the Kamaileunu terminus and
then hiked makai on that trail to Kepauula and the ridge that descended to
the junkyard in Waianae Valley. Earlier, Pat had left his vehicle on a
residential street near the junkyard.

In the meantime, Steve and I headed back down, stopping at the 1400-foot
level to examine what we thought was a halapepe tree.  We eventually
reached the BOWS road and headed makai on it toward Kaneaki Heiau.  Just
mauka of Kaneaki, we veered right on a trail, leaving the road behind.
This trail was overgrown with grass but still discernible.  We crossed
the stream a handful of times and then emerged on a fairway of the Makaha
Valley Golf Course.  Not wanting to walk out on the golf course, we
backtracked a minute on the trail and found another trail heading off in
the direction of the Makaha condo towers and Kili Drive.  We followed
it. Steve and I eventually emerged on Huipo Drive, where we turned right
for the short walk to the end of Kili Drive by the security checkpoint
for the Makaha Towers.  We sat down  to rest on a bus stop bench and five
minutes later Pat and Ed pulled up to pick us up.  Great timing!

In all, it was a good day of hiking.  The weather stayed fairly cool all
day, with just a brief passing drizzle around 2:30.  By 5 p.m., we all
were motoring off for home.

Some notes, not necessarily hike-related:

1.  Posthike, on the way back up Waianae Valley to pick up my vehicle, we
passed a large gathering of people in an undeveloped lot where Waianae
Valley Road veers left and narrows.  Chicken fight!

2. Regular unleaded gas is $1.76 a gallon in Nanakuli!  I filled up on the
way home.

3. Around 5:30, Ed (passenger) and I (driving) witnessed an accident on H1
right by the Waikele offramp.  While traveling in the center lane, we
saw a car two lanes to our left slam into a light pole along the center
median and flip over 5 to 6 times. We pulled over to render aid and Ed
called 911 on his cell phone.  Miraculously, the driver and his
passenger survived!

--dkt

Friendship Garden and Kokokahi

Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001 17:01:20 -1000
From: Shelly Bermudez <sbermudez@ywcaoahu.org>
To: turner@hawaii.edu
Subject: Friendship Garden

Aloha,

My name is Shelly Bermudez and I am the Program Manager of YWCA Camp
Kokokahi.  Upon conducting a word search of Kokokahi, I came across your
webpages about your hiking experience and the spirit dog.  Mahalo for
sharing your story.  For the past 5 years that I have been at the camp, I
have been interested in hearing any ghost stories about the Kokokahi
site.

Some brief history on Kokokahi.....

Dreams are realized in a diversity of ways, but few so beautifully as
that of Theodore Richards who envisioned  a Hawaiian valley where people
of many races would work, play, and pray together in harmony.  This was
"Kokokahi" of one blood.  This was the name he gave the valley when his
dream came to life in 1928.  His vision of Kokokahi was inspired by the
moving sermon of St. Paul in Chapter XVII of the Acts of Apostles.

Friendship Garden was a part of the whole Kokokahi system.  Mr. & Mrs.
Jack Gillmar, their children and numerous volunteers labored for 25 years
to restore and maintain the garden. In 1998, The Friendship Garden
Foundation obtained the deed for the property from the YWCA.  Mr. and
Mrs. Gillmar believe it is very important  to maintain the garden to
continue Dr. Richard's dream.  Mr. Gillmar's grandfather, Frank Schudder,
a Congregational missionary was a friend of Dr. Richards and played an
active role in Kokokahi's early days.

Russell Porter and Ted Talbott, two Windward residents were helpful in
restoring the trials that connected to the garden. One of the trails that
ties into Friendship Garden is named the Dudley Talbott Trail.  It was
built by Ted Talbott in honor of his grandfather, Paul Dudley.  It is
said that Mr. Tolbott, with the help of a few friends, worked about 1,000
hours and completed the trail in about 9 months.

If you are interested in more information about YWCA Camp Kokokahi,
please feel free to call the camp at the phone number below.

Aloha Nui Loa,

Shelly Bermudez
YWCA of O'ahu
Camp Kokokahi
45-035 Kaneohe Bay Drive
Kaneohe, Hawaii   96744
(808)247-2124 ext. 11
www.ywcaoahu.org

Bearclaw Ridge

I dislike hiking in streambeds and along narrow ridges with rotten rock. As things turned out, I did both today probably because I'm a hardheaded son of a gun. Or maybe I did it because it was April Fool's Day, and I'm the king of fools. Today, the TM gang was slated to work on the Kipapa Trail in cooperation with the feds, but that outing was cancelled at the 11th hour. So, in place of Kipapa, Mabel requested that the crew hike/work on the Pu'u o Kona route for an upcoming club hike. So a bunch of us showed up at the end of Kalaau Place in Kuliouou Valley this morning to do our thing. I'd hiked the o Kona route last Saturday and reported to Mabel that not much work was needed on it. Given that, the day was designated more one for hiking than for labor. No complaints from me in that regard. The assembled throng dispersed hither and yon. Some folks went up the direct route to Kuliouou Ridge. Some went up the middle ridge via the end of Papahehi Place. I went with a group of folks up the valley trail that led to the waterfall trail that led up to Kuliouou West by an airplane wreck near the summit. The valley/waterfall group had a good workout. Our crew included Peter Kempf, Ed Gilman, Pat Enomoto, Brenda & Dick Cowan, Jay Feldman, and Jason Sunada, and me. We all made it up to Kuliouou West in good stead, after a romp thru a dry stream (which, as mentioned earlier, I dislike) and a huff-n-puffer of a climb. After climbing up the middle ridge from Papahehi, Nathan Yuen, Thea Ferentinos, and Tom Yoza arrived at the pu'u by the airplane wreck about the same time as our group. Looking across the valley, we saw a string of hikers topping out on the Kuliouou state trail. They turned out to be Justin Ohara, Mike Algiers, and friends, who were bound for Makapuu along the summit. We also were in radio contact with other folks in the TM crew, who were working in Kaalakei Valley and up Mauna o Ahi Ridge. Lynn Agena, who's been tied up with work on Sundays since starting a new job, was with the crew today. Also on hand were Mabel Kekina, Deetsie Chave, Bill Gorst, Connie and Gordon Muschek, June Miyasato, Mel Yoshioka, among others. Our group summited, rested awhile, then began clearing the trail along the crest toward Pu'u o Kona (not much work to be done). Once at o Kona (elev 2200), we took a look at Bear Claw Ridge, the massive spur that extends down to Waimanalo. Many of us have looked at this ridge from the summit and from Waimanalo, wondering if we'd muster the nerve to ever attempt it. Well today a few of mustered up some muster. After some rationalizing and feet dragging, we took the plunge. I went down a side spur and then bashed and slashed left into a wide, heavily vegetated ravine that was a mess of 'ie'ie and strangling plants. Ed later followed my basic line of torture. Meanwhile, Jason damned the torpedos and went down the direct ridge, and Peter edged after him. My way was safer but required more energy expenditure. Jason's way was direct but more exposed. It was pick your poison. I eventually made my way thru the vegetation stranglehold, while being urged on and peppered with advice via walkie-talkie from comrades watching my progress up on the summit ridge. After hearing from Jason that the main ridge was "okay" (a relative term in the HTMC), I clawed my way very steeply thru 'ie'ie and buffalo grass to regain the main ridge where Jason had stopped to wait for me. At this point, Peter had decided to head back up and Ed was still battling the tangling flora (Ed later gained the main ridge and then headed back to the summit). So Jason and I slowly and carefully continued makai down the Bear Claw. We moved gingerly down some steep, crumbly slopes that obviously were negotiable and edged to the right of a couple of pinnacle rock formations. While edging, I had to move extra carefully because of my wide and heavy bulk ("walk lightly" was my mantra). Many of the rocks along the ridge, some boulder-sized, were rotten and ready to dislodge under the weight or tug of an unwary hiker. Fortunately, Jason and I are experienced enough to know what and how much to grab, lean on, and put weight on to avoid a big plunge. We passed to the left of a large ironwood tree and the ridge narrowed right after it. We crept along the thin, rocky ridge and then jumped down on the right. In the process, I dislodged a piece of the mountain. Looking at the ridge I'd destroyed, Jason said, "I hope we'll be able to climb back up." I hoped so, too. Not far after that, we arrived at a place where the main ridge narrowed and veered to the left and a broader side spur split off down to the right, with a broad, vegetated ravine between the two. The main ridge dropped to a vertical rockface of 8 to 10 feet. On the other hand, the right spur could be descended without aids. While I watched from above, Jason descended the right spur ten feet then did a left slabbing contour to get over to the main ridge, bypassing the 8-10 foot rockface. While I continued to watch (I'd decided not to go any further), Jason went down the main ridge a bit more then came back, saying he felt a little nervous. In a way, it was good to hear him say this because I was plenty nervous. Nervousness loves company, it seems. Jason, having decided to descend the main ridge no further, reslabbed back to the righthand side spur, descended that for a bit, then came back up to where I was. From this position, we were at the ~1800 ft level (altimeter watch check) and about 100 meters mauka of the ironwood grove that marks the point where the two claws of the ridge split steeply downward to the Waimanalo foothills below. It was around noon and time for lunch, but we both agreed not to eat until we had returned to the summit since somehow food would probably be unenjoyable with thoughts in our heads of the dicey climb still looming. Moreover, clouds started massing along the summit ridge, an indicator that rain might soon follow. Precipitation plus steep eroded slopes equal bad news, so even moreso were we motivated to return to the summit without delay. After discussing crossing over the ravine to our left to ascend a spur on that side, we decided to stick with the main ridge, which we carefully made our way up. When we reached the narrow section by the ironwood tree, Jason slabbed left past the tree while I used its branches like a ladder to regain the ridgetop (thank heaven for strong branches), bypassing the narrow neck we'd hopped down (and I damaged) earlier. We then ascended the steep, eroded hill we'd come down earlier, did a twister contortionist routine thru a thicket of christmas berry (I did a bit of chopping there), then climbed steeply and carefully up a narrow hogback to the summit. Safety. Yes. Breathing proverbial sighs of relief, we turned south to hike along the summit to the clearing at the top of the state trail, pausing on occasion to look back at profiles of Bear Claw. We ate lunch at the top of the state trail with Peter and Ed, who waited for us there. After lunch, we headed down the state trail, admiring the new stairs we'd worked on last Saturday, and eventually arrived back on Kalaau Place. Notes: We found no ribbons or old cuts on Bear Claw today. It seems that no one has done this recently. We also left no ribbons. On my way home, I drove the Waimanalo backroads to take a good look at Bear Claw from below. Both claws appear do-able. In fact, we know that Al Miller, John Hall, Fred Durst, and others have done Bear Claw. John, who was in attendance today, told me he last did it about 30 years ago but can't recall if he went up on the left or right. He did remember that the climb required no cables/ropes and that access in Waimanalo wasn't problem. In typical HTM fashion, he described the climb as "not too bad." Miller, who has done it more recently, says the right claw is THE WAY to go and that cables are required in several spots. Will it be right or left? Hmmm... A week ago Monday, Ed and Roger Breton completed the section between the Moanalua Saddle and Keahiakahoe. This was a daring, dangerous undertaking since it involved an ascent of a very narrow ridgeline much of it over rotten rock. Nice job to those two. This past Saturday, I hiked Kawaewae Ridge with the club. Jason and his wife and daughter were there as were Thea, Thea's sister and her two kids, Justin, Fred Boll, George Shoemaker, Peter, Steve Brown, Lin Black, Richard McMahon, and many others. It was a fine outing in good weather and everyone seemed to have had a good time. Go HTMC! --dkt

Waimano, Waiau campout

I'm on vacation this week (Spring Recess).  Ditto for my friend Bill
Melemai.  We hadn't hiked together for a bunch of months, so Bill
suggested an overnight backpack.  His first choice was Haleakala and his
second was Poamoho-Schofield. However, circumstances indicated we best
not attempt these. The third option was Waimano-Waiau, and we agreed that
this would work.

We started at 12:45 on Tuesday afternoon at the Waimano trailhead. Bill's
wife, Donna, dropped us off and she'd pick us up at the end of Kaahumanu
Street at the end of our trip sometime on Wed afternoon.  I was carrying a
fairly light load--no more than 15 lbs. In comparison, Bill's pack was
about 35.  During our trip, he heard me extol the virtues of lightweight
backpacking so much that he's  convinced he should make modifications to
what gear he'll use in the future.

Our plan for Day 1 was to pack in to the five-mile marker campsite along
Waimano. From there, we'd make camp then fetch water via the trail down
to the stream just before the 5.5 marker. Our hike in was slow and
leisurely, and we took a long break at the picnic shelter just past the
2.5 marker.  We arrived at five-mile camp at 4:30 and set up our tents
quickly as dark clouds swept down toward us from up-valley. I was using a
Walrus Micro Swift bivy and Bill a Peak 1 Cobra. These held up well though
mine lacked roominess.

We obtained a couple of gallons of H20 from the stream via a trail just
makai of marker 5.5.  Back at camp, I added iodine to the water and later
filtered a liter at a time with my SafeWater Anywhere squeeze bottle.
After adding some Crystal Light iced tea mix, we had plenty of drinkable
fluid for hydration for the night and next day.  Since we were just
overnighting, we decided to go the cookless route.  For dinner, I ate a
can of vienna sausage, some peanuts, and a protein drink (2 scoops of
whey with some Waimano Stream Water Iced Tea).  Bill ate an MRE entree
with a Tiger's bar for dessert.

After dinner, we talked story in the clearing next to our tents under a
splotchy night sky that hid all but a handful of stars.  Rain chased us
into our tents around nine, and after gabbing for a few minutes, I
was off into z-land.  The night turned a bit chilly and I could have slept
more restfully if I had packed a sleep cover and a long-sleeve top.  I
decided not to bring the former and forgot to pack the latter.  That'll
teach me. Camping, as I always discover, is a never-ending learning
experience.

The patter of rain on our tents greeted us at 6 the next morning.  By
6:30, the light shower had passed and we were able to emerge from our
tents to check out what kind of day we'd have.  Though the sky was gray up
toward the summit, the makai skyline was brighter, giving us hope
we'd have a decent day to hike.

And we did.  We were packed up and on our way up the trail to the summit
at 7:30.  The earlier rain made the trail a bit muddy, but on the whole it
wasn't bad. Just like the day before, we hiked leisurely, arriving at the
summit at 9:00.  The summit crest was clear and a brisk breeze swirled up
the pali from Waihee Valley below us.  I pointed out to Bill the wrong-way
ridge in the crossover section toward Manana and, looking in the
opposite direction, the broad flat-topped summit plateau of Waimalu middle
ridge.  I also made an entry in a logbook someone had left in a bottle at
the summit.  Perusing other entries in the book, I spotted a handful of
familiar names.

Bill had never made a summit crossing in this section of the Koolaus, so
he was a bit unsure of what to expect.  As I've done with others in the
past, I rehashed the maxim of summit hiking:  If you have to fall, fall to
the right (the left, in this case, being the sheer windward pali).  Bill
laughed nervously at my words.

The crossover to Waiau is brief, only taking about fifteen minutes, but
it's one of the windier summit stretches.  Upon arriving at the heavily
ribboned Waiau terminus junction, I stopped to plant the stalk of a red ti
plant I'd obtained on a lower section of Waimano.  Hopefully, the
plant will grow and flourish there and be a marker of this location for
future generations of hikers.

Bill and I made our way down Waiau Ridge and really enjoyed the upper
section of the trail, which is still wide open from the TM the club did
back in mid-October. The footing was also excellent, with no mud.   About
midway down, the trail became brushier, and I recognized this as the
section where the TM crew started pushing thru due to fatigue and time
limitations.  Nonetheless, Bill and I had no problem hiking with our bulky
packs.

We ate lunch at the junction with Brandon Stone's trail down to the old
cabin by Waimano Stream.  There's not much of a trail to speak of but I
recognized the telltale double ribbons marking the spot.  Plus, a visual
reckoning told me the spur heading down to the stream had to be the one.

After lunch, we continued down the ridge, arriving at the Big Dip.  I
pointed out Wing's rescue spot and also the point where I had stopped to
yell out for him a couple hours before he summoned Fire Rescue to pluck
him out.  We passed the junction with the trail down into Waimalu Valley
and then began the notorious rollercoaster middle section of Waiau.  This
wasn't fun, especially since the heat of the day intensified, but taking
one hill at a time, we progressed toward our final destination.

Further down, we met a lone male dayhiking up from Kaahumanu.  The guy
told Bill that the rest of the way was all downhill, but I told Bill that
this statement was false.  In fact, we still had several big hills to
climb.  "This is one helluva downhill," I yelled to Bill as we huffed our
way up every ascent we encountered on the way out.

I found the new Halapepe Nui trail that connects Waiau to Waimano and
hiked it for a short stretch.  The club will conduct its maiden hike on
this route on April 28.  Check it out, HTMC members.

The final section of Waiau follows a jeep road, which leads to a
watertank and then a paved road down to the end of Kaahumanu Street.
Prior to reaching Kaahumanu, Bill called Donna via cell phone and she said
she'd drive up to pick us up.  Along this final stretch, I spotted a black
rabbit, likely a pet someone let go, dashing off into the brush.

Donna was delayed by afternoon traffic, so Bill and I walked down
Kaahumanu. Next to the curb about a quarter-mile down, we found a turtle
crawling along the road.  Bill took a liking to it and decided he wanted
to take it home as a pet.  So he took a towel out of his pack, wet it
down, wrapped the turtle in it, and stuffed the towel-covered turtle in
his pack.

So earlier, I'd spotted a rabbit and now Bill had a turtle.  Maybe we'd
interrupted a race between the tortoise and the hare?  Ok, sorry, bad joke.
:-)

To my surprise, a security guard was on duty at the shack at the start of
the gated community of upper Kaahumanu.  I approached the shack slowly,
thinking the guard might read me the riot act for hiking out of the area
past his post.  But he was a nice guy and said hikers are allowed access
in vehicles past the security post as long as they leave their name and
the guard records the license number of the car.  Good deal.

Bill and I hiked down to Waiau District Park and kicked back in the shade
of a large tree as near us Little Leaguers practiced fielding grounders
and teenaged soccer players honed their kicking skills in a massive green
expanse.  A few minutes later, Donna arrived and presented us with
super-sized soft drinks and hot dogs.  Without pause, Bill and I scarfed
these down.  Thank you, Donna!

So ended our overnight trip.  In all, we covered about 15 miles and
enjoyed decent weather.  Though this route can be done as a dayhike, using
it as an overnight backpack trip was a pleasant and interesting variation
that others might want to try.

--dkt