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From the Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts Archives Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 09:00:47 -1000 From: Eric Stelene (stelene@email.com) Subject: Secrets of Haleakala I've been working at Haleakala National Park for about 5 months, but my job never gets me into the back country so I have to go on my own. Last week I went into the "crater" with another ranger on his back-country patrol. The plan was simple: he'll take me to the secret places he knows about and I'll show him the secret places I have discovered. Keep in mind that hiking off established trails in the Park is prohibited and I am providing this write-up for "informational purposes". I'm not going to get specific about the locations of some of these places so don't bother to ask. We started from the Halemau'u trailhead (elev 8000 ft.) about 6 miles up from Park HQ. Next time you go to Haleakala be aware that you pass no fewer than 5 lava tubes all within spitting distance of the road between the...

From the Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts Archives Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 08:59:53 -1000 From: Dave Webb (dwebb@mailhost.k12.hi.us) Subject: Molokai hikes I did a couple of fantastic hikes on a recent trip to Molokai that I thought you folks would be interested in hearing about. 1. Kamakou Preserve - Pepeopae bog trail to Pelekunu valley overlook For some time I've wanted to hike this trail but the problem was getting to the trailhead. Well, on this particular trip we had good fortune with us the entire time. The first night we were on Molokai we went down to the Hotel Molokai bar/restaurant for some pupu's and drinks. As we were enjoying the live entertainment, Sandy mentioned that she recognized someone that she knew from the Nature Conservancy here on Oahu. After speaking with him she told me that he was on Molokai to check out their preserve in Kamakou the next morning! We met the lady from the Molokai N.C. (Cathy) and her husband Brian who were going to take him up there and she a...

From the Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts Archives Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 16:38:17 -1000 From: LastKoho (lastkoho@yahoo.com) Subject: Violators will be Prosecuted Sitting at the computer all weekend (hopelessly trying to resolve a file access problem), I finally decide, late on Sunday afternoon, that I need to get out of the house. With the intention of finding the trailhead at Monanalua Valley, I jump in the car and hop onto H1, exiting at Red Hill and following Ala Aolani Street to its end. From the car I walk to the back of the Moanalua Neighborhood Park and approach a fence that has a big white sign attached to it. The sign warns that access to the valley road without permission from the Damon Estate is restricted, that violators will be prosecuted. The words are clear but the gate is open. With dual forces working within and without, I stroll light-footed through the fence and down the old carriage road and under a huge monkeypod tree hosting some equally huge pothos. While a northern car...

From the Oahu Hiking Enthusiast Archives Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 20:52:02 -1000 From: Eric Stelene (stelene@email.com) Subject: Kapilau Ridge - West Maui Kapilau is the towering ridge above Wailuku that separates Iao Valley and Waikapu Valley in the West Maui Mountains (pic at left and other pics in this post are courtesy of chrisparis.org). To get to the trailhead, head into Iao Valley toward the Needle. Come to a fork in the road with a sign pointing right to Iao Valley State Park. Go left instead. Almost immediately, reach a pull-off on the left. Walk up the road a short distance to a telephone pole with the number 5 on it. The trail starts right next to the pole. Climb steeply, climb some more, then keep climbing. The trail's in good shape, but the climb is brutal. Eventually, the trail levels off in an open area with a large white cross (visible from all over central Maui). The cross is wooden and much smaller than the old cross at Kolekole Pass on Oahu. There is a rickety lad...

Yesterday, I called up my friend Wing Ng to ask him if he wanted to come along  to check out the Maelieli trail for an upcoming HTMC hike (8/28 Saturday, coordinated by Justin Ohara). Before saying yes or no, Wing asked me who else would be joining me. “My wife,” I said. “Good,” said Wing, “I have one of them now, too.” Wondering if I was hearing things right, I asked Wing to clarify what he said. Indeed, Wing is now a married man, having departed the ranks of bachelorhood on June 25, 2010.  And he said would be bringing his new bride along to hike with us.   “She can hike faster than me,” said Wing, as if tempting me to make a sarcastic remark about his hike pace, which I refrained and restrained myself from doing. “Good,” I said.  “We look forward to meeting her.”  And we did meet her. And Wing is right.  She can hike faster than he.  The write-up in the club schedule credits my wife and I for pioneering a new route that stems off the Maelieli...

From the Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts archives Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 21:42:43 -1000 From: LastKoho (lastkoho@yahoo.com) Subject: Tendered is the Hike Sunday morning, a little tired after a late night, I drift to the kitchen where I make a cup of coffee and sit down and open the newspaper. My wife, in the living room, is alternately watching the TV and glancing at a booklet of Longs coupons. And then she looks over at me and says, "Well?" I say, "Well, what?" Conversation killed. I sip from my cup and turn a page of the paper. A minute later, caffeine kicking-in, antennae emerging, I raise my head and look near the door and see two stuffed backpacks on the floor, propped against the wall, ready to go. I point. "What's that all about?" My wife says, "What's what all about?" The negotiations commence. Implicitly, I have some leverage. Since my wife -- through the act of pre-packing -- has already indicated a desire to hit a trail, the particular...

From the Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts Archives Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 21:08:41 -1000 From: LastKoho (lastkoho@yahoo.com) Subject: This Way to Kuliouou ---- Thursday, though a work deadline looms, I decide to head out for a hike. My wife, who has the day off, agrees to join me. After a drive through mostly flowing traffic, we park near the end of Kala'au Place and hop out of the car and sling on our packs. Across the street a couple of rottweilers stare at us from behind a fence as we cut through the cul de sac and then move down a paved road. After not-too-many paces we take a right turn at a brown and yellow sign that marks the beginning of both the Kuliouou Valley and Ridge Trails. Continuing along the path, we soon reach another sign marking the split between valley and ridge. We follow the arrow that points to the ridge route. As a passing note, there are more signs per mile on the Kuliouou Ridge Trail than any other in Oahu that I've been on in recent memory: There are signs w...

From the OHE archives, posted on 11 January 2001 by LastKoho (lastkoho@yahoo.com ) ------- -------- This past December, early on a Sunday, I dragged myself out of bed and wobbled to the kitchen where I forced down two Eggos with maple syrup, some cold left-over fried rice, and a couple of Portuguese sausages. My wife, I vaguely recall, already done with her breakfast, was watching CNN. It was not morning ----- it was a dream, a dream that continued with me behind the wheel of our car as it floated along H1, a dream in which my wife and I talked about the traffic. "Man, I'm surprised there're so many cars out here at this time of day." "I guess folks are going to breakfast before church or something." "Geez, who the hell are all of these people?" We headed along Moanalua Road and turned onto Waimano Home Road and were then somehow magically curving up into Pacific Palisades on Komo Mai Drive. Finally, reaching the end of the street and the start o...

Yet another post from the OHE archives, this one by Patrick Rorie, posted on 9 January 2001. Gene Robinson and I have accomplished some pretty challenging backpacking trips together during the past few years (i.e. La'ie to Waimano in '98, Mauna Loa via the Ainapo Trail in '99). This past weekend (January 6, 7) the two of us got together to attempt another tough outing - an overnight stay on the Ko'olau summit at the terminus of the Waimalu middle ridge, followed the next day by a rollercoaster tramp along the Ko'olau crest, eventually dropping down into and exiting Moanalua Valley. Roger Breton also received an invitation, but he had a commitment on Saturday. Instead, Roger decided to meet us at the top of Aiea Ridge at noon on Sunday. The weather on both days? Almost completely clear skies and bright sunshine due to light winds until mid afternoon when thick clouds engulfed the Ko'olau summit. Gene is a medical doctor and has two 8th grade children so he had s...

Another installation from the Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts Archives. This one is by Eric Stelene (stelene@email.com). Here's Eric. I've been on Maui for about 3 months now, so I guess it's time to start posting stuff. So with out further ado here's some of what I've explored so far: WEST MAUI A'e Stream (aka JFK's Profile)- This deep gorge in the Iao valley is only a roadside curiosity to those on their way to the Iao needle. The profile of John F Kennedy (the drunk, womanizing war-monger covered for by his classy wife) can supposedly be seen in the canyon wall. Park your car at the Needle parking lot and walk back down to the bridge. Pick your way down to the stream bed and follow it up. There's no trail but the going's not too hard. Large boulders are scattered throughout the valley floor and seem to have originated high on the cliffs above and probably came crashing down long ago. Climb up a few small, dry waterfalls and in about 45 mins the canyon...