Beach Hike

Monday, 29-October-12, 10:30 Kauai Bike Path Hike

As this is the last entry in the blog labeled 4 days 16 miles, here is the mileage summary:
Friday:     8.5
Saturday: 2.5
Sunday:   4.3
Total:      15.3

The last hike of this trip the Kauai Bike Path. The embark point chosen was the "end" of the bike path which has an access point off the main highway past the Kealia beach (where there is good body and boogie board surfing). There is amble parking, rest rooms and water. Not knowing how far I would actually go, the gear list included one liter of water.

A nice wide sidewalk brings you down into a tunnel of what looks like kukui trees. Bikes, joggers, animals are allowed.

The tunnel of what I think are kukui trees. Not really sure. The shade was welcome and a nice breeze was appreciated. This is at the head of an intersection to the main bike path. I went to the left and took the bike path until the end, maybe 1/2 mile? Then turned around and proceeded in the direction of Kapaa / Wailua.

The remnants of an old pier what is believed to be named Kealia pier? Next to this is a Shearwater (bird) release point (no photo).

I ended this hike at this bridge. Continuing across the bridge would be to go in the Kapaa / Wailua direction.

And this is a small section of Kauai Bike Path.

What is a beach hike with no view of the ocean.

Distance estimation is 2.5 miles total. Total distance for this trip, 17.8 miles.
As the ending comment for the blog labeled 4 days 16 miles, I believe the 16 miles was slightly understated.

Waipoo Falls

Sunday, 28-October-12, 10:30 Waipoo Falls Hike

It is time to hike Waipoo Falls again, but this time starting from the Pu'u Hinahina Lookout trail head (no photo). Knowing this is to be done during the hot part of the day, the gear list included 2 liters of water. I've done this hike two years in a row. Both of these times were in the cool morning. Once was when the sun was low in the morning sky just after sun up. For these two earlier hikes, I also drove down this dirt road either to the very close proximity to the trail head or just off the fork in dirt road. This and the next photo is the dirt road that takes about 25 minutes (each way) off a foot hike.

With full knowledge that taking the Pu'u Hinahina trail head adds to the total distance, time needed and difficulty factor, I figured to do this in the late morning, pack additional water and take my time. As the hiking books and other sources mention, the Pu'u Hinahina trail head starts out slightly level, then quickly begins a decent.

With a decent usually means an ascent which is exactly the case. It was beginning to be the hot part of the day and the going was pretty tough on the ascent into the dual Cliff Trail, Black Pipe Trail heads. The gps had a decent signal but I was not able to get the track off the device. There are no photo's of the Pu'u Hinahina trail head or the trail itself.

This is the fork in the trail. Take the right fork to go the the falls. That is scratched into the sign. For the map readers and those with common sense, it is obvious that one should go to the right, it is the direction of the canyon!

The trees shown below are visible with google maps.

There was the familiar white ginger and other normal Kauai forest type of trees and bushes. The white ginger was very fragrant on this trip. It was helpful to cut a piece with the blossom's and leave in the rental car.

Protocol this time was a little different, gps was the priority the whole time. Unfortunately, the gps had a decent signal but I was not able to get this track off the device. One the way back, instead of taking the Pu'u Hinahina trail back to the lookout, I chose to take the dirt road back up to the main highway and walk along the main highway about 1/2 mile back to the look out.

Distance estimations are: Pu'u Hinahina .3 to Cliff lookout / Black Pipe Trail head,  Waipoo Falls round trip 3.0 , dirt road .5, paved road (.5), for a total of: 4.3 miles.

Kuilau Trail

Saturday, 27-October-12, 13:00 Kuilau Trail

The end of Highway 580 brings you to Wailua's Keahua Arboretum. I've wanted to do this hike for sometime. It is not as steep as the other hikes and has the added bonus of being a jungle hike. The trail is actually a wide road, so I'm not sure where "jungle hike" came from. Protocol was the same, gps on the way in, photo's on the way out. With full knowledge this is just over a mile in, one liter of water was all that was needed.

This trail can be (might be) classified as a wide dirt road. I believe it is permitted to mountain bike this as well. There was very little mud, if there was any, a slight course change to stay on the grass is all that was needed. Afternoon sun cast some nice shadows from the various plants.

Tree canopy was so high and is quite a sight. Many birds were up there chirping and singing away. Also the size of the tree trunks made sure these will not be blowing down anytime soon.

View of the trail on the way down.

Not to be confused in the overall photo sequence, this was taken at a turn-around point for me, near that 1.25 trail marker. These layers of canopy with the mountain background was really neat. I found it has a 3d effect and in person it is much better.

Then the afternoon sun showing the mist along these other ridges. Provides the depth of view and how far it goes on and on.

1.25 up, 1.25 back (2.5 miles).

Adding the 8.5 from the previous day, we are: 2 days, 11 miles.

Pihea and Awaawapuhi Trail

Friday, 26-Oct-12, 06:15 Pihea Trail

Started out the day leaving the hotel very early in the morning around 4:30 am. It was important to arrive at the trailhead before sunrise. It makes for a better experience. I did not have any water with me and water is number one priority. Kamakani Bakery (Thrifty Mart Bakery) opens at 0500 and has quite a selection of bakery items, lunch items and bottled water. I got two large bottles of water and a spam musubi (for breakfast once up the hill). The trip up the hill and to the end of the road went well. The only other person going up was someone going to work at the Air Guard.

What made the drive up the hill more interesting was a thunderstorm out in the ocean to the west and it was lighting up the sky. Better yet, the lookout is at 4000 plus feet elevation. It allowed for looking at the thunderstorm at the same level, instead of looking up at lightning, you could look as it was formed and on it’s way down. Arrival time at the end of the road was 5:50, approximately 30 minutes before sunrise and it was still dark. It was musubi time.

Once it started to get light enough to see, the gear list was checked, socks and hiker’s put on. Since the distance was only one mile in both directions, I just took a good long drink of water. I would need all that water later.  The gear list was simple a camera and gps.

Looking to the west are the familiar views that can be seen from Kalalau Lookout. Those clouds contained the thunderheads that provided the light show.

About half way into the hike, the sun made it's way up. There was plenty of light before hand to see the trail clearly.

Thought to take some shots of the morning mist over the ridges as they are warming up for the day. This actually marked the end of the trail for me. It does continue on up to the vista and other parts. I needed to turn around and actually save energy for the next hike.

The ever present wild life. Not sure if it is a hen or a nene. Did not seem to scared of a human and was content to continue pecking around. Eventually as I got closer, it cruised off into the security of the bush.

1 mile in, 1 mile out (2 miles).

Friday, 26-Oct-12, 08:30 Awaawapuhi Trail

Moving to the next hike, this is why I needed the full load of water. The protocol I followed for this round of hikes was to gps track on the way down and take photos on the way back. In most cases this worked out pretty well, as the rest period for a photo was welcome but had the tendency for a blurry photo due being being really tired. 

After a short 30 minutes (all down hill), I arrived at the end. This goat was not as surprised as I was. It was happy just to be out there traversing the dangerous cliffs. Did not want to scare it off so I made no sudden movements.

No need to tell me twice. I hope the workers who installed these signs had a horse or mule to bring down the material and installation equipment. Dragging that stuff up back up the trail would be a real drag. I rested here for 30 minutes and finished a one liter bottle of water and a Dr Pepper.

On the way back up and during one of many needed rest stops thought to at least take one photo of the trail.

This is a popular intersection. I chose to go in the same direction, up. The added mileage was not something I was planning on or prepared for. It was about a 2.5 hour upward march back to the trailhead. Once there, the hiker's and socks came off and slippers were put on. Cut three white ginger flower pods and called it morning.

3.25 down, 3.25 back (6.5 miles). I had to work hard for every step back.

Total for the morning, 8.5 miles.