5-19-2012: Pali Puka & Likeke Falls

Finally, a hiking entry has arrived!  I apologize for the lack of entries as I have devoted more time to flying (work) and flying (RLU-1 Breezy), along with other miscellaneous activities.  On top of all of that, I am aiming to start training for flight school to receive my private pilot license, a childhood dream.  With all of this, DGC's Hawai`i Hiking Tales is no longer a top priority.  But with followers like you keeping this site going, I am inclined to bring you entries from time to time.

I have reconnected with an old 808 Goonies favorite, Chenay Borja.  She has been on a hiatus status lately but her schedule has freed up a bit more and I am looking forward to more adventures with her, Goonies style!  Together, we embarked on two hikes that both begin at the Nu`uanu Pali Lookout.  Due to their short duration, both can easily be combined for a nice little half day hike.  They are the Pali Puka and Likeke Falls hike.  Since I've done the Puka hike numerous times, I won't get into much detail here, but the Likeke Falls was my first time.  In fact, this would mark my very first waterfall hike for this year!

Joining us were Bogie, Miha, Mabel, and Kalani Napulou, whom I've finally gotten the opportunity to hike for the first time.  We pushed off for the Puka after 8am and made it in little as 30 minutes.  It was a nice way to revitalize my ridge walking side of me.  It was also an opportunity to test a duplicate pole that I use on the RLU-1 Breezy experimental aircraft.  Because of it's extendable feature, I was able to get in some unique camera angles that the following video will show.

Back at Pali Lookout, we began our walk down the old Pali road until reaching the junction of the Maunawili Demonstration Trail, a 10 mile one way hike that skirts the base of the Ko`olaus, ending at Waimanalo.  We took the route that leads to the Likeke Falls, and soon we found ourselves on some switch backs that lead us to the "new" Pali Highway.  The trail then dropped down via some very unreliable wooden stairs/ladder to cross underneath the highway.  The graffiti on the overpass beams and support structures made for an interesting work of art to say the least.  To get to the other side of the highway, one can either go thru an extremely narrow corridor on the left or duck extremely low under the bridge.  Once on the other side, we popped out onto a grassy area that made up the median of the Pali Highway.  Cars zoomed passed us on both directions, some drivers looking at us curiously.

Continuing on, we went underneath the second overpass with more "beautiful" graffiti art and picked up a trail leading into the forest.  Soon we walked on an old road for some distance before turning off to another forest trail.  When the forest canopy opened up at a few spots, we could spot the massive windward cliff and the Pali Puka itself, looming high above us.  Soon we were at the Likeke Falls.  We took time to enjoy the falls and have lunch.  Chenay, Kalani, and I proceeded to climb a muddy embankment to get to an area of the falls where there's a narrow ledge that one can walk on to get a nice cold shower from the flowing falls.

We noticed that the trail just before turning off to the falls still continues beyond to some other place, one that I will explore on another day.  If you are looking for short hikes, the Nu`uanu Pali Lookout is a nice area that offers quite a number of choices.  Aside from the two hikes we did today, there's also the Pali Notches and the aforementioned Maunawili Demo Trail, which also connects to the Mauanawili Falls.  Give these hikes a try.

Video:

Pali Puka - Likeke Falls (GoPro 2 POV)

4-12-2012: A new reflection on Life

Boy did this blog gather some dust over the months!  I apologize for the long absence, but lately I have transitioned from a hiker to a flyer.  Literally.  I usually try to keep my blog focused on hiking adventures although I may include an occasional adventure outside of it as well.  "But why the long absence?  Aren't you supposed to be on an adventure every so often?" you are probably asking.  Actually I have been.  Remember the Breezy Experimental Aircraft I have mentioned before on previous entries?  Well, it has become my new addiction.  In fact, I love it so much that I am making plans to become an aviator myself!  Even before hiking, flying has always been my number one passion and I've always dreamed of becoming a pilot since I was a kid.  The pilot of the "Red Angry Bird" Breezy RLU-1, brought me one step closer to making that dream a reality.  With the motivation candle re-lit, hiking was put on the back burner ever since.  Flying with Brian and his Breezy became a routine weekend thing.  A couple of my friends joked with me that I should rename this blog to "DGC's Hawai`i Flying Tales" to accommodate my flight experiences.  Indeed HI Life was good on the Breezy RLU-1.  But far on the horizon, things were about to take a turn for the worst...

It was a beautiful Sunday morning on March 18, 2012.  Just like the previous weekend days, I flew up with him on his Breezy and we were rounding Ka`ena Point, enroute to Kalaeloa Airfield after a lunch at Dillingham Airfield when I received news that a hiker fell while climbing Bear Claw Ridge.  For those who aren't familiar, Bear Claw Ridge is the windward face of Pu'u O Kona, overlooking Waimanalo.  A few minutes passed and received more word that the hiker who fell was one of my best friends, Leslie Charles Merrell.  Even worse was when I found out to my horror that he died of his injuries sustained during the fall.  In total shock, I told the pilot of the news and he did what every good pilot would do and wasted no time getting back to Kalaeloa as quickly as safely possible.  The time was around 3pm.

Upon landing and checking my laptop which I oddly enough brought with me to the hanger, which also has wifi, it was confirmed with the rest of the hiking community that Leslie was no longer with us, falling 150ft after he grabbed a boulder while making a climb up a section just prior to the final climb to the summit....

The island of O`ahu would mourn soon after that.  And with me being really close to Leslie, him departing this world so suddenly has hit me extremely hard.  It's one of those feelings where my mind keeps telling me that he's only on a long trip and that he will be back soon.  We were joking around on Facebook and on the phone just a few days ago and now I'm supposed to accept that he's gone forever?  Everyone truly needs to be thankful that the sun rises every morning and that you are still there to witness that first sunlight that hits your curtains everyday, days that we otherwise take for granted in our lives.  Take time to love your loved ones because you may never know when your time is up.

Leslie has changed me forever upon meeting him on the trails.  He was one of the few original friends I've befriended when I started hiking the O`ahu trails back in 2008 and 2009.  He was the pillar in which will support me for the rest of my hiking days and truly a legacy in which I will continue to take with me everyday, everywhere.  And not just me, but he had great influence on the entire O`ahu hiking community and we will all miss him dearly.  

Les, I will never forget the many miles we have trekked together since the beginning.  I will never forget your distinct "Woo's" when we climbed up steep hills.  I will never forget how you would point out those tasty thimbleberries you would always gobble up as we hiked along.  I will never forget our awesome day hike we did on Nu'alolo Cliffs Trail in Kaua`i.  I will never forget that you would always be determined to finish what you've started, especially on the trails.  You truly never ceased to amaze me, my brother.

Today, I will continue where you have left off.  You have dropped the baton for your awesome meetup group, "O`ahu Hikers & Adventurers" and I have picked it up, vowing to continue your legacy with the group.  Your name will never fade away with OHA.

You have given me a new reason to return to the trails and I will swear upon that, Les.  You have always believed in a higher way of living after death and I'm sure you're up there having a ball, exploring your new eternal home.  Hike a trail up there for me, will ya?

Will always live on forever.

I've always wanted to complete the Ko`olau summit in it's entirely from Pupukea to Makapu`u by segment hiking the summit ridge/trail.  With a new desire to return to the mountains slowly but surely coming back to life within my heart, coupled by the recent intrepid 8 day trek on the Ko`olau summit (Pupukea - Makapu`u in one setting) by Chase W. Norton on April 1, 2012, I'm sure I'll be back on the O`ahu mountains we call home.

In Loving Memory of Leslie Charles Merrell