Koolau Summit Trail 8-day thru hike by Chase Norton--Chapter 4: The Trip, Day 3 Poamoho to Kipapa Sugi Pines
Day 3 (03/27/12), Poamoho-Kipapa Sugi Pines, 5 miles, 5 hrs
Total Pack Weight: 30.6125 lb.
Enjoy today! This is one of the quicker days so I would suggest the trip’s only warm breakfast. Enjoy yourself and make sure you refill all water containers. Leave by 9 a.m. after cleaning up, signing the log, and boarding the place up. I did not find any water after the cabin to Kipapa. If you find it, take it. You will arrive at the Pauao terminus within 30 minutes of leaving the cabin. Enjoy the beauty around you! This is the most enjoyable section of the KST. Around you is Kahana Valley. The S/W junction comes too soon as you know a long leeward stretch is coming up from Waikane to Waiahole Uka. Don’t forget to look for the pink ribbon rusty pole on the right. If you ever look up and see a contour, turn around and find the junction. Remember the set up on the side ridge to the right. Reach sugi pines and decide if want to continue 20 minutes up the landslide to reach true Kipapa terminus. Ascend landslide and look below you on the right for the contour. Supposedly, one can turn down Kipapa trail and campsite ~45min down near a possible waterfall. I tried this and found the overgrowth on Kipapa to be too much of a deterrent. I see this as a waste of 1hr 30min. Remember last camp spot sucked but the new one is amazing – it is located about 5 minutes before the summit right off the trail on the right.
- Poamoho-S/W 2hr 1/2min-3hr
- S/W-Waikane junction 30min
- Waikane - Ka’aumakua 30min
- Kaaumakua-Waiahole Uka 2hr 15min-3 hr
- Waiahole Uka-Sugi Pines 15min
- Sugi Pines to Kipapa Trail Terminus 20min
Camp near wind protected Sugi Pines, at old cabin structure or off Kipapa trail.
Bail: S/W, Waikane, Waiahole Uka
Woke up early today around 6 am to the sound of rain tapping away on the roof of the cabin. I rolled off the top bunk with an enthusiasm for the start of a great day. This day is hands down my favorite section of the entire trip with the long stretches of windward contouring. On one side is a tall carved out wall in the mountain and on the other is the vast expanse of the hiker playground known as Kahana valley. I was eager to get on the trail but knew that I did not want to arrive at Kipapa too early. So a warm breakfast and cup of coffee were enjoyed watching the rising sun. A very soothing morning as the rain began to settle down, the birds came out chirping and the sun began to show itself above the horizon. This place is and hopefully will always be a place I enjoy to come and find the peace and calm lacking in other areas of my life. It is amazing to live in a cabin with no electricity and disconnected from society as every problem fades and activities are planned around the rising and setting of the sun. I question if we really are progressing as society and the praises of certain innovations. With my soul in check, I packed and cleaned up, signed the log and said my good byes as I hit the trail by 8:30am.
The trail seemed almost magical as clouds were covering most of the sun and the smell of wet tropical plant life was all around me. Pauao came up quickly and I took notice of the well cleared trail that wasn't there a little over a year ago. It is amazing what some of these hiking groups can create. Along the Pauao to Waikane section, little tiny waterfalls were flowing down the wall making perfect natural water fountains and keeping me well hydrated not to mention smiling. Looking down into the valleys every stream bed was full and it seemed as though water was in plenty. It was not raining during my hiking hours but I questioned how long that luck would last. Some of these sections of carved out windward trail really are just breath taking and make for quick and easy going. At times I would just sit down; legs hanging over the edge, lay back and take in my surroundings knowing where I can find true happiness.
In the far distance I can see the Waikane trail contour and as I get closer I begin to do random checks by looking up for any trail. It is easy to bypass the rusty ribboned pole to mistakenly continue down the Waikane trail. I’ve had to learn from my own errors that if I look up and see another trail, backtracking is needed until the pole is found. Thankfully, this trip I was cautious enough to find the pole and made the turn to contour high and continue along the KST to the lookout about 5 minutes up trail.
The trail at this point changes dramatically to leeward overgrown contouring and wraps up the final segment of the KST. Most hikers go between S/W and Poamoho, but few venture on to Kipapa. Over the years this has resulted in this section being lost to the vegetation. I joined a group that opened up a good portion of it during our Waiahole uka to Waikane hike, but many sections were left overgrown. Pat and Rainbow man had come through and opened up the remaining sections a few months after our trip which allowed for the entire Waikane to Kipapa segment to be done with a backpack. Hiking through it now is somewhat of a grind, but much more enjoyable than in the past. As I stated in my email to folks that night, “Waikane to Kipapa is good initially then gets bad then gets worse then gets ok.” The main area to watch out for is the switchbacks, but someone has placed very nice ribbons to mark the turns so keep ones eye open. The day seemed to be flying by as it was only noon at this point and I knew I was coming up on Kipapa within the next couple of hours. I passed the weather station on the leeward ridge. I’ve always wanted to descend down to get a closer look but knew it would have to wait for another time. The switchbacks arrived along with the views of Kipapa trail in the distance and Sugi pines. I’ve been told that camping can be had at the Sugi Pines, but after much searching, the terrain is simply not flat enough for my liking. I figure they meant it is a good emergency camping area as the Pines and terrain block most wind and rain. Next to the pines are the old remains of the Kipapa cabin with rusty metal spread out all over the ground. Thoughts of camping at the flat old cabin spot went through my head but I knew that I was not at the true Kipapa trail terminus and a large landslide was about 10 minutes ahead on the trail that had to be negotiated. Continuing on I did some of the last contouring before reaching the large landslide.
In the past, I’ve climbed the landslide briefly, contoured right slightly and then climbed near vertical vegetation to summit right near the Kipapa terminus. With so much time left in the day (it was 1:15pm!) I was determined to find the correct way around this obstacle. I noticed some pink ribbons descending down from the landslide and seemed to be following a dry stream bed. I followed the pink ribbons down until the descent became steeper with some drops requiring climbing. After my 20 minute time limit had passed, I knew this could not be the correct way and decided that even if it were I would rather climb steeply up a route I’ve done then descend down dry waterfall chutes into the unknown. Climbing back up to the landslide I proceeded and contoured slightly right as I had done in the past. Then I looked down and noticed a faint line about 20 ft below me and decided to give it a shot. BINGO! Found the correct contour trail that intersects the Kipapa trail very near to the summit. I was ecstatic!
The trail from the summit down is in really nice condition for approximately 25 minutes and gave me good hope of getting to the camp site early. However, soon the vegetation began closing in and the conditions worsened. After about 45 minutes I could see no visible camp spot nor trail and decided to listen to my gut and head back to the summit. I really did not want to stay at the spot I camped at last time, but I still had hope of finding a different spot with a lot of time left in the day. As I came upon the intersection of the Kipapa and KST I noticed a little hump to my right. Two minutes of heavy vegetation walking got me to the top of a little gem of a site. Set back from the summit enough to block all wind but high enough for incredible 360 views and a large flat open spot big enough for my shelter. It was probably my favorite camp site of the entire trip and one I will return to many more times in the future - I hope.
I set up my shelter and sleep system then did my preparations for the following day. With so much time left in the day I went exploring off a side ridge from Kipapa and revisited my old camping area at the summit behind a mound. What was I thinking! Holes everywhere on slanted terrain and a nice drop off. Chase Chase Chase. Around 4:15 I got out my Kindle and sat down next to my shelter to read. As time went on and I had not moved for a while, summit life started to come back around me and before I knew it the birds were chatting up a storm, insects were flying around, and bugs were crawling all over me. I loved it.
As the evening started rolling in I got my warmer clothes on and set out to make dinner of hot spam. Sitting in complete isolation on a spot just big enough for me, eating a warm dinner I had made, drinking water I had collected, and watching the setting sun turn the sky amazing shades of pink and purple - this will be a memory that sticks with me forever. My sleep cycle seemed to quickly change on this trip to the rising and setting of the sun with a late night being 8:30 pm and a late morning being 7:30 am. With the sun setting, I climbed into my bivy, read and responded to emails and then laid still with the sounds of nature drifting me off into a wonderful dream.
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