Koolau Summit Trail 8-day thru hike by Chase Norton--Chapter 4: The Trip, Day 6 North Haiku to Wilson Tunnel Building
Day 6 (03/20/12) N. Haiku-Wilson Tunnel Building, 6.5 hrs, 5 miles
Total Pack Weight: 24.6125 lb.
This begins the saddles. There were a couple of eroded sections in the beginning. Three I think. Then the eroded dike. The ridge isn't too narrow here but you always slip at the second section. Take your time and tie off if needed. Reach the eroded dike(contour leeward) Gain ridge and reach trail junction. Descend 30 minutes to collect water. Refill all containers. Regain trail and immediately it turns back to serious mode. Three problems face you. Remember contour left when you don't think to and contour right to use the root to climb. Remember to not go too far right and never to climb without veg unless on root. Use two ropes (1 in each hand) to get past the third problem. Soon you will see the pre-Stairs stairs. Climb up to the radar structure. Time depending, go inside for a snack and short break. You have about 1 1/2 hr along the summit ridge until the camp spot. Continue along the summit towards bowman. Reach Bowman terminus and snack. You will not have many more chances until the power lines. Reach eroded dike and drop leeward to contour. Reach 2nd Triangle and descend using rope slightly leeward. Similar with the next triangle. Lower yourself past the witch’s hat and then windward contour when needed. Reach power lines. Descend power line trail to camp spot at power line pole.
- S. Haiku-Halawa 45min
- Halawa-Godek 30min
- Godek - 1st Saddle 15min
- 1st Saddle - Southern Haiku stair terminus 3hr 30-4hr
- S.Haiku - Bowman Terminus 2hr-2hr 30min
- Bowman Terminus - Power Line trail 2hr 30 min
Bail: Halawa, Godek, State trail, Haiku Stairs, Tripler, Middle, Bowman... tempting? ;-)
On this day last attempt I had fallen off the saddle and cracked my head causing an abrupt end to my plans. This was in my head all day and hard to shake.
Is it morning yet!!?!? After the worst night of sleep on this trip, at the first sign of dawn I jumped out of my cocoon and checked to make sure everything was still in good enough condition before packing it all up. This was the first morning I’ve woken in socked in conditions and slight rain so I was a little happy with myself being in the shack. I decided to wait and see if the clouds would clear so pulled out my cooking system and made some hot coffee and toasted my flatten bagel with Nutella.
After about 45 minutes the clouds lifted and the saddle began to show itself in full profile. Taking this as a sign, I grabbed my belongings and began walking along the extremely rusty stairs. Every time I am here I cannot get over the obvious impact exposure to the elements has on metal. If the stairs have a bush blocking it, then they have an almost brand new look but a few inches past the bush the metal resembles a creepy rusty dagger ready to impale you.
Passed Halawa and Red hill fairly quickly and was moving with the same sort of speed that had carried me through the previous days. There looks to be good camping at Halawa right before the summit for one small shelter setup. Might consider that if ever near this section and don’t want to sleep in the shack nor descend the saddle.
Began the descent down to the state trail at the middle of the saddle around 9:15 am. Personally, I enjoy this descent compared to other saddle descents. There are two or three eroded areas but the words of my mother the night before to “take it slow and I would get through it safely” rang through my head often during the following days. It is only at one section where I have to lower myself down an eroded spot and a tree is there for hand holds but no matter what I do I always end up having to let go of the tree and fall a foot or so which causes me to slide down the crap rock and catch myself in the vegetation. Always. Every trip. I considered using my guy line cord to lower myself but knew I would need it for other parts on the Kalihi saddle. So sliding I went and everything went smoothly. Reached the eroded dike and dropped down then contour leeward to get past it. After the dike it is basically smooth sailing to the flat area that marks the trail terminus. Reached it at 10 am and dropped my gear and put my front pack around my waist to descend down to the stream to collect water. Man, going from summit conditions to state trail is a little overwhelming at first and I proceeded to run down the trail. Reached the stream within 10 minutes and smacked my forehead as I saw all the beautiful camping spots that lay around the stream. Next time, next time! I was tempted to take a quick bath but just threw some water on my face, filled up all my water containers and proceeded to run back up the trail ready to get past the obstacle that put me out last trip.
I reached the trail terminus at 10:30 am and got ready to tackle the three challenges of the Moanalua saddle to Haiku. Weather was perfect for this attempt and just told myself take it slow and I knew how to do this. First challenge is just rock climbing with a windward contour and was handled with ease. The second challenge, my previous downfall, is to leeward contour but only slightly. Too far and one will begin to ascend with very little vegetation and will likely slip at some point. With this in mind I
slight contoured and began to climb the obvious vegetation. This area really could do with a rope if people are actually doing this section as often as seems to be indicated. Had to climb using trees and vegetation until the root needed to gain the ridge appeared and then shifted right until I could reach it. No problems this time and was sitting upon the ridge with smiles on my face.
Honestly, throughout this entire trip, that was the most fear I will encounter because of the mental block caused by my old mistake. There is a little voice inside my head that knows when something does not feel right and in November I ignored that voice with the thought that “If I can just reach that spot right ther.....e”. This trip I strongly feel was successful because probably 6-7 times that voice began yelling at me and this time I listened, stopped and reattempted the problem from a different angle. It sounds like common sense but sometimes when all you need to do is get to a spot 2 feet away, it can be easy to quiet that voice and think it is just 2 feet away!!! One of many hard lessons I’ve had to come to learn on the trail.
The third challenge would be more difficult than it was if numerous ropes were not set up. Using one in each hand I got past the third problem with no real fuss and continued on up to the summit. With the main problems of that done I knew the first saddle was behind me which meant I would be going further than I had ever gone before and I was ecstatic!
I reached the Haiku Summit by 11:30am and scarfed down lunch with full intent to cross over to tripler and set up camp. Then who comes running up the stairs but the haiku troll himself! I had seen no one since Sunday and was really happy to see and chat with him. He offered to cross over to tripler with me and of course I let him. We made great time and I loved being able shake the nerves off with some good laughs and stories shared with him. We arrived at Tripler terminus where I had planned on stopping for the day but it just did not feel right. It was only noon and I imagined a repeat of the previous night. So we moved on and crossed over to Bowman. This is when I started to contemplate descending the Bowman side of the Kalihi saddle that day. By the time we reached Bowman I was trying to talk the troll into descending the saddle with me but unfortunately for me a group of 4 wahines passed us on the way to tripler and I knew where his priorities lay. At Bowman it was only 12:20 pm and I knew camp was not going to happen so I said my good byes and pressed on to descend the saddle with hopes of reaching the power line trail. I look back on it all and doubt I would have descended to the power lines that day if it wasn't for running into him. The ability to laugh and share stories does amazing things for the morale and put me in the right mood. I am very thankful for that encounter.
I began the descent and it is like most of these saddles where first you have to reach a smaller peak before the actual descent begins. The thing about this descent is the problems really do not stop until you reach the middle. There are three main challenges that require use of ropes and sometimes dropping almost a hundred feet just to contour correctly. But even beyond the main challenges, the “minor” challenges are more difficult than any other major challenges on the other saddles in my opinion. It takes putting my mind in a certain state of pure focus and movement. Fear and nerves were the fuel to push me, but it has taken a long time to learn to use fear as a fuel and not lock up. It also becomes important to learn to focus on only the problem in front of me. If I would begin to try and figure out how much further to the power lines it became overwhelming and my mind would lose focus. At times I look back and realize I have very little memory of these dangerous sections compared to other sections. I think my mind handles the one problem in front of me and when I make it past, my mind removes that entire thought and begins working on the new problem. Adding to the complexity, the rock on this section is some of the worst I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with. Nothing is sturdy. As I told a friend in the past, the Kalihi saddle is a section of the summit that anyone could go across and die. You could take the most inexperienced hikers up and lead them through it and maybe they would make it, but then the world’s best hiker goes up there the next day and touches a rock the wrong way and falls to his/her death. It really is a game of Russian roulette. I never suggest anyone do this saddle as someone will get hurt very badly at some point. I had a moment while descending one of the triangles that my footing gave way and I was left dangling by a rope attached to a tree that wiggles when you touch it.
Slowly, ever so slowly I made my way down the ropes, down the rock faces and around the eroded sections until that glorious windward contour that let me know I am very close to the end. I did a little “I am alive dance” at 2:45pm.
1 1/2 saddles completed in 4 hours does a number on one’s heart and nerves. I dropped shortly down to a leeward sheltered area and was able to calm myself back to normal levels before picking up and descending. Down I went via the power line trail about 500 vertical feet to a really nice flat spot next to the old wilson tunnel building and a power line pole. I immediately called certain people and let them know I was alive and had made it to the middle of the Kalihi saddle. Then I did some quick calculations and realized that it would be very wise for me to find the Kalihi stream if I wanted to make it from Konahuanui to Makapuu without a water stop.
So it takes me getting myself lost to find water, great. As I told myself, now I have water but am still lost. I briefly washed up and continued down the stream thinking that it would eventually lead me to the road. As I went through a concrete tunnel and vegetation began to block the way I turned left out of the stream and ran right into the road leading to the old wilson tunnel building! Success! Found water and found my way home!
I walked back up to my camp site and sat down extremely pleased with myself for that day’s work. Night was coming and from where my camp was I had a great profile view of my challenge for the next day, the ascent of Lanihuli from the saddle. I made myself dinner and sent out emails as the sun set. At this elevation the temperature was much warmer so I did not need to jump in the sleeping bag as early. I sat out and read under the moon light deep into the night. At some point the lights at the Wilson building turned on which kind of creeped me out but I let it disappear from my thoughts as I got into bed and let sleep over take me.
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