last weekend we ventured just a few miles from home to this gem of a location. kolekole pass is located on a military base in central oahu. this hike is short and quick (15-20 minutes) with rewarding views of wai'anae valley. since the trail is only open on certain weekends, we took advantage and came back a second time. all of these photos were taken with my iphone6 using a hitcase waterproof/shockproof case and a trueLUX™ super wide angle lens.
do you have any hidden gems near your home?
first lookout facing north.
the trail isn't supposed to be open when there is live fire, but we heard live fire when we were there!
the steepest part of the trail, a couple short flights of stairs.
a few weeks ago, we ventured to the west side of oahu to ka'ena point. here's our adventure in photos.
the drive...the wai'anae mountain range was so green!
keep driving to the end of the (paved) road.
there are two ways to get to the point. we hiked the trail from the south. as you can see from the photos below, the trail is narrow and mostly rocky cliffs. hiking from the north, the trail is more inland with sandy spots along the way where you can swim. everyone has their preference. both ways are about the same distance roundtrip - about 5-6 miles. next, i'd like to try the north trail.
let's do this! this is the beginning of the trail. 4-wheel trucks can drive in part of the way, although i wouldn't advise doing so unless you are experienced in off-roading.
these guys were filming a show. three hours later on our way back, they were still there. poor guys were sunburned and looked so hot!
and these guys jumped into this "washing machine"! talk about crazy.
can you spot the hawaiian monk seal? he looks just like the rocks!
about mid-way, there is a blowhole that sounds like a dragon. i didn't know about it beforehand, so i wasn't expecting it. we didn't see the hole, but as we looked around, it seemed as though the sound was following us. it was a little scary...i mean, with all the hawaiian legends, you never know! let's just say i was happy to get home and read about it!
this gate runs across the entire tip of the island. no cars or animals (dogs) are allowed past the gate. on the other side is a bird sanctuary for albatross.
ka'ena point - the most western tip of oahu. you can see little mounds on the ground which are the birds' nests. most of the area is roped off with a path to access the ocean and see the monk seals. i was on periscope at this point and didn't take any other photos or videos of the seals or ocean. if you would like to see the seals in action, you can see the periscope replay here on katch.me: hawaiian monk seals
view from the point looking south toward wai'anae.
this is what the south trail looks like most of the way...flat, but rocky and right along the coastline.
the hike will take about 3-4 hours. it took us about 1.5 hrs to reach the point, but that was at a leisurely pace with a lot of stops along the way to explore and take pictures.
things to consider: this trail is fairly easy (flat), but long (bring lots of water). it is rocky (wear good shoes). it is hot (wear sunscreen/hat), even if it is overcast. i brought my sahara 1.0L water bottle and ran out towards the end. i wouldn't recommend this hike for young children (unless you know they are capable) because of the distance and heat. otherwise, be prepared to carry them!
please be mindful of the animals. hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles are endangered species. do not disturb them by keeping your distance; do not touch or feed them.
the fourth of july is coming and that means three things...bbq, beach, and beverages red, white, and blue! i found this chambray shirt dress in my friendship swap bag and thought it would be the perfect backdrop for pops of red and white. a subtle way to show my patriotism.
this weekend, we hiked up diamond head at high noon. it was so hot. we definitely didn't plan it that way, it just happened. it was also crowded and there was no parking on site, so we had to park far and walk. i really didn't mind the extra distance...if only it weren't so hot. super proud of mini-he; this hike was probably a bit much for him, but he made it to the top.
if you're in the US, do you rock red, white, and blue for the 4th?
how was your weekend?
ugh...more stairs!
loved the tunnels...respite from the sun!
view from the top...did you catch it on periscope?
ending the week with a casual outfit. these animal printed shorts, while not the best quality, serve its purpose as being cute and comfortable. i'm wearing it here with a sweater that i've been wearing constantly. it was a lukewarm black friday purchase that i got just because it was 50% off. besides, i had been wanting a basic black sweater. turns out, it's navy. those darn gilly hicks / abercrombie / hollister stores are so dark, you can't see what you're buying. anyways, i still love the sweater and will probably grab a couple more because they are the perfect loose fit and are comfortably warm.
in my efforts to get mini-he more active and prepared for real hikes, i took him on this fairly easy trail up to the lighthouse. my niece came with us. i posted pictures of the makapu'u lighthouse trail before, but i never tire of seeing the big blue.
this past weekend, we headed north to waimea valley.
it's been years since my last visit to waimea valley, so this was all new to me. upon entering the grounds, you experience a lush botanical garden with a pathway that leads to the waterfall. i wanted to introduce mini-he to hiking, and this short (3/4 mile each way), paved, and relatively level hike was a nice start. they do offer cart rides, which was my backup plan in case he got tired and fussy, but we didn't need it. there was so much to see while enjoying the company of our friends.
come on, i'll show you what we saw and heard!
see the stream. hear the stream.
see the waterfall.
hear the waterfall.
stopped for ono pops, shave ice, and fresh coconut water on the way down. this kula strawberry and maui goat cheese ono pop was so. good.
later, when i got home, i cracked open the coconut and
