Wow! It’s been almost FOURYEARS since this hike got reviewed? That needs help. Nestled in the back of Kahana Valley, Pu’u Ohulehule can be pointed out by it’s nifty pyramid-like shape. To scale this mountain would grant you a fabulous view of Ka’a’awa Valley. Be warned: This is an advanced trail that should not be attempted by beginners. However, getting to the summit is by no means an easy task. You start off in Kahana Valley, which is known to be the wettest place on Oahu. It’s tough to match up a day where it’ll be dry. Sometimes you just have to decide on the day of if you want to go or not. You start off at the trailhead of Nokoa Trail. But from there, you venture off to the left onto a gravel road. You then come across a stream crossing. You do not want to attempt this trail during heavy rains or immediately after heavy rainfall. The water level was up to my knees when I did this trail. After the stream crossing you take a left and then you’ll come across another junction. You take the left path off the Nokoa Trail. You then will come across a critical junction. Take the right path, as the left path will lead you away from the valley towards the ocean. After that junction, you come across the second stream crossing. This one is deeper, as the water level was almost to my waist when I crossed it. Again, you do not want to be caught in heavy rains. A third stream crossing will come, but thankfully not as deep as the previous one. The path is pretty straightforward, when you come across an open meadow, you will be close to the base of Pu’u Ohulehule. There should be a ribboned path to the left. You will descend down. I hope you wore long pants! You will now encounter a sea of uluhe ferns, and it will scratch you up badly if you aren’t wearing any kind of protection. You will come across the fourth and final stream crossing, and you’ll start your ascent up. Again, uluhe ferns all over the place. There are a few rope sections. However, it isn’t until the 4th/5th rope section where you’ll start to gain elevation at an unforgiving pace. You’re probably ascending up 60 to 80-degrees. If your cardio isn’t up to par, you’ll get punished. When you finally reach the end of the rope sections, you will be soon be granted a grand view of Kaneohe. You still have a bit more to go, but the elevation gain isn’t that drastic. When you get to a small clearing(marked by three ribbons onto a tree), you will be given what is considered the most grand view of Ka’a’awa Valley. If you look south, you can probably see all the way to Makapu’u on a clear day. Overall, this is a very fun hike if you have the abilities to take it on. Being lots of water, wear long pants, and have a camera. Expect to take 7 – 8 hours for this journey. It can be more or less depending on your fitness level. The views along the way are simply majestic.
Justin U.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Honolulu, HI
Wanna know the best way to get rid of a hangover? Do this 8 mile hike in the Kahana Valley. You’ll be sure to sweat out any toxins acquired the night before(ie crown shots, AMFs, and Longboards), and rehydrate yourself with liters and liters of water/gatorade. Pu’u Ohulehule. This is by far one of the most difficult hikes I’ve been on in Hawaii. Not because of how tiring it is, but because of the hiking conditions and how tiring it is. Even if theres a drop of moisture in the air, expect muddy and slippery rocks. Add 90 degree rope climbs along super steep cliffs and you’re in for a good time. If you’re considering doing this hike, I have two recomendations: 1. Bring lots of bug spray. You’ll be crossing over stream 4 streams. Each stream has an abundant amount of mosquitoes in and around the area. 2. Wear pants! This isn’t a very well known hike so it’s not regularly maintained and the path can quickly become covered with vegetation forcing you to fight through all of the plants. There are lots and lots of spikey shrubs that will scratch at your legs. Here are some other hazards to make note of: Boars, hunters, flash floods, falling rocks, bees, getting lost, rope wear and tear, making it back before dark(the park attendant will call in rescue if they see your car is still there). Here’s the link to my video… www.vimeo.com/15145961 Here’s another link for trailhead/description information… htmclub.org/trails/ohulehule.html All in all, if you’re looking for a challenge, this is a good one. Its an advanced hike. 8 miles roundtrip, about 2300ft high. It took our group 8 hours to complete only because we took a few breaks for pictures and ate lunch.
