Extreme Hiking Hawaii

The "hike" from the Pali Lookout to Konahuanui via the Pali Notches Ridge is now becoming pretty regular fare for hikers hence treks by Pete Clines and friends in Jan 2011 Dave Concepcion and friends in Feb 2011 (see video below)

Kaleo Lancaster and company have established a route to/from the apex of the Waianae Range (aka Mauna Kaala) via Bolohead Ridge, so christened by Waianae Steve Rohrmayr because of a extreme rockface on this "trail" that appears like the head of a hairless man. Perhaps this trail/route might be called Po'o Nia Ridge ( the Hawaiian translation for bald head) . Whatever the case, Bolohead/Po'o Nia has been done as documented by David Chatsuthiphan at Unreal Hawaii . The pic at left (taken by Nate Rubio ) is Kaleo climbing Po'o Nia. Congrats and good work, people!

View of windward Oahu from terminus of Poamoho trail   Kaleo Lancaster and friends recently completed an extreme hike from Poamoho to Schofield, which included that wonderful crossing along the Koolau Summit Trail between the Poamoho and Schofield termini. Kaleo's account begins as follows: Hiked from Poamoho Ridge to Wahiawa Heights last weekend. It was cold, rainy, muddy, and wild. In terms of beauty, not many hikes can touch this one. The route traverses some of the most remote and undeveloped terrain on the island of Oahu, with an incredible two mile walk along the Ko'olau summit trail. Exactly how awesome was it? Unforgettably awesome: in fact, the route is so awesome, that we all agreed to do it every year for as long as we're still alive and able to hike. Yeah, it's that beautiful. Read more from Kaleo .... To lengthen the hike and to avoid the need for vehicle shuttle, it is possible to make this into a big loop which starts and ends at the end of Californ...

As far as I know, Lanipo Windward (pictured above, photo by Jeremy Kreis) has not been done since HTMC legend Dick Davis descended this ridge back in the 1940s. But there is renewed interest in LW, especially by Jeremy Kreis (see pic above by him of the ridge), so it seems probable that an attempt will be made JK and friends in the near future. Be careful, folks!

Yesterday, Pete Clines (above left) reported that after eight visits to Pauao Ridge in Kahana Valley, the trail to the summit as been reopened. Joining him for this trail resurrection effort were August Smith (orange shirt) and Duc Ong. Mahalo and good work guys. According to HTMC prez Jay Feldman, the Pauao Hike may be put back on the club schedule after being in mothballs (or overgrown uluhe) for years.

A crew of young intrepid hikers (Jeremy Kreis, Dave Concepcion, Michael David Loftin, Rhonda Navarro Hutchison, and Marcus Griego, L to R above) completed another of those "extremely difficult" (read: death-defying) sections of the Koolau Crest, this one from Pu'u Lanihuli to the saddle at the head of Kalihi Valley (aka Kalihi Saddle). Check out a video depiction of their extreme exploits (by Dave Concepcion)

Not sure how many years it's been. Maybe 30 or 40. But the section of the Koolau crest from Kahuauli (Bowman trail terminus) to the saddle atop Kalihi Valley (above Wilson Tunnel) has been done by Dave Concepcion and friends. He reports: There are three saddles on the Ko'olau mountain range on the island of O`ahu. All three have trans-Ko'olau tunnels running underneath that are part of highways that link the windward side of the island to Honolulu and Waikiki. These are the Moanalua (H-3), Kalihi (Likelike), and Nu'uanu (Pali) Saddles. Numerous hikers have documented their hikes on the Moanalua and Nu'uanu Saddles while Kalihi remained virtually untouched. Hawaii hiking legend Dick Davis called the section between Pu'u Kahuauli and the Kalihi Saddle as no-man's land. Pete Caldwell and Don Fox ascended to the saddle via a steep trail that was situated above the Likelike Tunnels on July 14, 1997. Pete Clines and company did a loop from the h...