Koolau Summit Trail 8-day thru hike by Chase Norton--Chapter 4: The Trip, Day 7, Powerlines to Konahuanui

Day 7 (03/31/12) Power lines to K1, 6-10 hrs., ~2.5 miles

Total Pack Weight: 22.6125 lb.

Civilization? Today we get to visit the Pali Lookout. The issues do not end until summiting Lanihuli. The next section contains the sharks fin, bunny ears(up and down), doorstop(ascend, lower), pimple(lee contour), can opener(windward contour). Summit Lanihuli and have lunch. The initial descent will feel like any portion. From memory you will need to descend and contour leeward until you reach the base of the dirt rock. Use cable to climb the dirt rock. Cross over narrow ridge then climb a baby tooth. Contour leeward and gain elevation. Continue until you reach more teeth. Look right and descend to the contour of hell. Gain ridge, continue, descend contour around 100 ft face. Descend old Pali road and then turn left to hit the road. Walk down road until reach the hairpin turn and fill water containers. Return to the notches the same way. To the notches(1,descend,ascend,2,use rope to descend on the right) and past the nub(lee contour), up the chimney (Use both ropes) and onward to Konahuanui. Continue on to the Konahuanui trailhead and camp at summit.

Bail: Power line, Lanihuli, Pali Lookout

Ready for the most challenging day of your life Chase? Wake up! Got out of bed around 6:45 am and did all my usual morning chores. I was excited because by the end of the day I would either be done with the most challenging aspects of my trip or I would be severely injured and the trip would be over. Today was the day this had all built up to for me and I felt more ready than ever!

I packed up, said good bye to my camp spot and headed up the power line trail to reach the summit by 8 am. The wind was blowing strong but weather overall seemed perfect for today with complete visibility to the summit so off I went. This side of the saddle is a tad better in my opinion than the other side. But after talking to some who have done this saddle I think I feel that way because I enjoy ascending crap rock rather than descending it. Also, it does not feel like every moment is a new challenge. First couple of challenges are up and overs with rope on some section. At one point the option is provided to contour the doorstop leeward or now with a rope affixed one can up and over it. Mistake number 2 occurred here when I contoured leeward. This contour was semi ok when wearing a day pack but with my current pack even as small as it was, I made very slow going through the dense leeward vegetation. With the additional weight and off balance the pack provides, when I tried to gain the ridge line I failed multiple times. First I tried past the pimple and had that inner voice yelling at me to retreat. Unable to find a safe ascent I backtracked to before the pimple but past the doorstop. There seemed to be an ascent possible using tree roots but the rock was crap and my pack made everything hellacious. Finally after about 6 failed attempts in total, I found the right balance of luck and roots to make it up without an incident. Had I been coming top down and had rope there was a nice tree to fix it to and would be a nice addition to this contour from hell.

Now I looked on to the pimple which requires a nasty leeward contour where balancing myself became a true challenge as the rock seemed to want to throw me off. I tried about 4 different times until I had to sit down and gather myself. The only time I ever thought about giving up was at this moment. Again, this is one of those, “If I could just get 2 feet over there!” moments but extreme caution was needed. I could not find a way to contour the pimple and going up and over was just not an option. Then I remembered I had my guy line for my tarp in my pocket and saw a small little root I could attach it to and possibly provide the extra balance needed. Slowly, I undid my guy line and connected it as a loop to go around the root and allow me to contour/swing to the spot I knew I needed to get to. I realized at that moment how much I took the ease of a day pack for granted as it felt like my pack and rock were working against me. 

Slowly, I made it around the pimple and with feet on somewhat solid ground I knew the worst was behind me. Contoured windward to connect up with the ropes of the can opener and climbing steadily to reach the top. Past the can opener are a couple eroded sections that needed me to cross on my butt with each leg on a different side of the ridge. Soon enough I started to find the signs of being near the summit with a couple of different ribbons and an old red rope now turned white. At 10:30 am I stood atop Lanihuli alive and dancing! Lunch was had and I joked with myself about camping there as it was the original plan, but began my descent down to the Pali lookout.

Almost immediately I could see in the distance the W and incisor and at each someone had put up new rope since my last trip across and I was smiling big. Dropped down leeward and contoured over to reach the rope attached to the anvil rock and what did I find?!? A new rope that was tied to a tree root instead of the dirt rock! Awesome! With all of these ropes I breezed through these parts that used to take forever and move onwards. Mentally, I was in the zone at this point and was feeling great! There is a leeward contour or one can take the teeth both of which I've done in the past and after the previous leeward contour hell I opted for the teeth as I decided nothing could be worse then contouring. I believe I made the correct choice. Worked through the teeth and before I knew it I was at the huge descent/contour one must make to get past the wall face at the puka. I quickly descended using the ropes and came out to the puka feeling like I was on top of the world. I could see very clearly the people at the Pali lookout and began to race down. As I approached people after 7 days out I became overwhelmed by smells of perfume and cigarettes so much so I almost had to sit down. I reached the Pali by 1:15 pm and laughed out loud to myself at my accomplishment of that day. I rested very briefly and made some phone calls to let friends and loved ones know I was safe and then knowing time was important, descended the old Pali road and walked down to the hairpin turn where I knew a water source to be. This was the only time I pulled out my iPhone and listened to some music to pass the time down to the stream and it put me into even better spirits. I reached the stream which was flowing strongly and filled up all my water containers and immediately headed back up to the lookout.

Now, I had two options. Find camp nearby or try and finish the saddles. This half saddle is one I have done many times in the past and one in which I really enjoy. Also, I knew that the sleep I would get that night would be made even better with the thoughts of all saddles pau and just K1 to Makapuu left. So off I went at 2:45 pm making the climb to the notches. The first notch was passed with no problem but coming upon the 2nd notch I noticed all rope had been removed. I had descended the 2nd notch once without rope but it ended with me jumping a good distance to the ground and I did not want to risk an injury this close to the finish line. So undeterred, I started to work with the rock to find a route down and either the previous saddles had taught me something or I’ve gotten better at climbing as the descent happened almost without thought and before I knew it I was down and heading to the nub. A contour around nub and then the climb up the chimney were done quickly. Someone has put new black webbing at the top of an annoying rock climb past the chimney and so I used it to help with a contour ascent.

The challenges fell fast and then as if my body knew the worst was behind me I hit a mental and physical wall of exhaustion. It felt like my body just let go of all the built up stress over the last 7 days. I had never felt so empty of everything inside me. I had run out of water around the last rock climb and still had 2 1/2 hrs until the hairpin water was deemed drinkable. It was around 3:30 pm at this point and I knew even if I went extremely slow I would make it to the summit before dark so the remainder of the ascent became 2 minutes of rest for every minute of hiking. Literally, 5 or 6 steps, rest, then repeat. That last climb up the steep mud with the tree you have to use for footing was by far the hardest thing I have had to do the entire trip. But I made it and dragged myself to the summit laying on top K1 at 4:45 pm.

It took about 30 minutes until I could move enough to call friends and family to let them know where I was and I was safe. Even talking was difficult. My mother later told me she has never heard me sound like that and it had worried her. I played with the idea of crossing over to K2 but my body quickly told me what I could do with that idea so the highest point on the summit of the Koolau mountains was my home for that night and I could not have been happier. I was exhausted, extremely dehydrated and starving but I was alive and had successfully crossed the saddles in 2 days.

As the day faded into night, clouds began to roll in and for the first time this entire trip I was setting up my shelter for possible rain that night. I welcomed the thought of it knowing tomorrow would be a very long and very dry day. I hoped to do the entire section the next day, but since I had pushed my body beyond its limits today I told myself to just go as far as I could.

I sent out a email to the ground crew, quickly ate dinner, chug the now drinkable water and climbed into bed for a great night of sleep. Throughout the night I awoke to the sound of rain coming down making me snuggle up more into my sleep bag with a big smile on my face. Life is good.