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Piliwale Ridge to Olympus Windward -- Pat Rorie

Hike date : Saturday, February 8, 2003Jason Sunada gave me the idea for this one.I finally worked up the courage to attempt Piliwale Ridge (the steep gnarly ridge in Maunawili Valley that connects to the taller of the Konahuanui twin peaks). After parking on Lopaka in Maunawili Estates subdivision, I started walking up a paved road leading to a water tank at 8:15 am. By 9 am I had reached a prominent notch in the ridge (elev. 1630') where I paused to hydrate and prepare myself mentally for the hazardous climb to come.After dropping down into and then scrambling out of the notch, I discovered an old grey cable and employed the climbing aid to ascend the first 15 feet. Once above the cable, I carefully negotiated a series of ledges, crawling on hands and knees to keep my center of gravity as close to the ground as possible. The ridge is wide enough here, but the steep exposed pitch is eroded and some of the rock is rotten.With the frame of an external backpack hanging on a tr