Extreme Hiking Hawaii

Exploring the remote Molokai wilderness - Traversing the divide between Wailau and Halawa Valleys by John B. Hall  PART I  One of the earliest outer island trips I took with the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club was a short jaunt to Molokai sometime in the early 1960s. We flew to Molokai and were driven to Halawa Valley. There we donned our packs and hiked up the jeep road that runs north, parallel to the coast, climbs into the hills above Lamaloa Head and then winds for 4 or 5 miles through the hills above the north shore of the island until it ends in range land at the edge of scrubby native forest near a small peak called Pohakuloa. Here we camped in the cow pasture. I had some difficulty in finding a place to sling my hammock, since the pasture was essentially treeless, but I finally found a small dry wash with the stumps of long dead trees at appropriate distances apart on either side, and hung my hammock across this. I can't remember whether we spent 1 or 2 nights in ...

Ascent of Kamakou by Rob Woodall   9 Jan 2013 We (Laura Newman, Adam Helman, Duane Gilliland and I, Rob Woodall) take an early flight from Lihue via Honolulu to Molokai. John Mitchler, Don Nelsen and Bob Packard are already here: John meets us at the airport, Art picks up a rental car and we drive into town to buy food, water and cooking fuel. We have lunch then call back at the airport to meet John Klein who's on a later flight; Bob Packard and Peggy Swift also meet us here to say hello. John M and Don drive us and our gear up the rough dirt road (Don's 2WD pickup makes it OK) to the picnic site N21.13049 W156.92148, 1088m. An impressive location, with a superb three-quarter-circle rainbow and a view down a steep short valley to the ocean nearly 1100m below. Here the five us set up our tents, under the picnic shelter out of the wind and rain showers. A welcome contrast to the cramped dirty sloping site we occupied at Sincock's bog below Kawaikini a few days ago...

Thursday morning I squeezed into the tiny plane (Paragon Air) that would take me to Molokai. I was reminded how great it is to fly small and low. Even on an overcast & rainy day I could see so much more and the convenience was great, no lines, just get on the plane & go.Met Thomas Yoza & Gene Robinson at the airport, dropped off our signed waiver at the big white house on the hill. We thanked Mrs. Petra for giving permission and she wished us luck. Tom Yoza -- Photo by Nathan Yuen Back at the trail head Thomas took pictures of the sign "Warning, Hazardous Trail, 12 Hours Minimum. At Your Own Risk." etc. After hiking the trail I wanted to go back and add I sign that pointed to this sign saying "It's True!" In my experience most trails are not as difficult as people say. This trail lives up to its reputation. Like the ocean, it must be respected & feared. Do not turn your back on this trail. Do not underestimate its power. O.K. enoug...

One of the earliest outer island trips I took with the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club was a short jaunt to Moloka`i sometime in the early 1960`s. We flew to Moloka`i and were driven to Halawa Valley. There we donned our packs and hiked up the jeep road that runs north, parallel to the coast, climbs into the hills above Lamaloa Head and then winds for 4 or 5 miles through the hills above the north shore of the island until it ends in range land at the edge of scrubby native forest near a small peak called Pohakuloa. Here we camped in the cow pasture. I had some difficulty in finding a place to sling my hammock, since the pasture was essentially treeless, but I finally found a small dry wash with the stumps of long dead trees at appropriate distances apart on either side, and hung my hammock across this. In all, it was not a very exciting overnighter, but what did attract my interest was the fact that this campsite seemed to offer an excellent jumping-off point for some cross...

Photo by Pat Rooney In a word? Brutal! It took Pat Rooney and I 3 days to reach the north shore from the south shore, a distance of only 8 miles! Unless I can find a couple of young, strapping ram-rods to lead the way, probably my last backpack of the trail. Wailau is a magnificent amphitheater valley on the friendly isle of Molokai. This beautiful, lush valley features wonderful swimming holes and waterfalls, a "wall of tears", many native birds, a spectacular view of massive Olokui (elev. 4602') and "a remote black sand beach framed by vertical sea cliffs."* Pat Rooney and I backpacked the trail from south to north from May 24 thru 26, 2007. - - Thursday, May 24, 2007 After inspecting the iliiliopae heiau, we commenced the gradual climb toward the summit at 9:05 a.m. Upon achieving the summit (elev. 2800') at 12:35 p.m., we dropped our packs and enjoyed our first glimpse into Wailau Valley while resting and hydrating. Pat's tent had fallen ...