Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 00:06:15 -1000 (HST) From: Dayle K. Turner (turner@hawaii.edu> Subject: Olomana on Good Friday
I've been putting in a bunch of time at work this past week and looked forward to the Good Friday holiday. Consequently, I was in no rush to hit the hills this morning, so I slept/lounged around at home till 11 and then prepped for a hike. Because Olomana is nearby and provides a good workout, that's where I decided to go.
I parked by the first home on the left on Maunawili Road since I don't trust that parking spot by the bridge on the road leading to the golf course. As I walked past that spot, I was surprised that no cars were there. It was a nice day for hiking and a holiday (for most), after all, so where was everyone? Well, I'd have the mountain to myself, I thought. An unexpected bonus, perhaps.
I passed the unmanned guard shack at 11:45 and then ducked into the forest to take the club's shortcut trail on the left just past the shack. Someone has put up new pink ribbons to mark the shortcut trail.
About 10 minutes above the ironwoods, I met three local teens resting at a clearing. They said they were going no further and wished me well.
At the first steep rocky section, someone has pounded in a bunch of re-bars as foot- and hand-holds. These are somewhat helpful but could impale hikers if they slip while ascending or descending. There is also a ton of ropes placed at this section (overkill, in my opinion), and I was tempted to remove some lengths and use them where they might be more critical. But I decided not to and left everything intact.
Right before Peak 1, the cables/ropes at the vertical rockface are in place. A well-planted re-bar has been pounded into the rock, rendering the climb akin to ascending/descending a ladder.
At Peak 1, I chatted with a couple and their teenaged daughter. The husband said he last did Olomana five years ago. "(The climb) hasn't gotten easier," he summed up. He also asked if a route existed on the backside of peak 3 (aka Pakui), and I explained about the old ropes that are there.
Before pushing on to P3, I explored the spur that extends makai from P2. It's okay for 50 meters then it drops steeply. I had a tentative plan to look for a way to descend to the forest below and exit via the backroad mauka of Kalanianaole but after visual scans and a partway descent, I could find no appealing routes, so I nixed the plan.
The whole Olomana route was crumbly-dry, especially the descent of Ahiki's (aka Peak 2) backside. The long cable is still in place there.
The frontside of Pakui (P3) is cable-less but aids aren't critical since ascents & descents can be done without them. On the way back, I did leave an orange cable w/loops at the last rockface (where one has to contour on the right when ascending) prior to the summit of P3, mostly because I wanted to lighten my pack.
The climbs back to P2 and then P1 had me laboring for breath but the workout still felt good. On the way down P1, I met two haole 20-somethings heading for the top.
I again used the club's shortcut trail, which seems to be getting an appreciable amount of traffic. When I arrived back at my vehicle on Maunawili Road, I found it as I left it. Good deal.
To sum up, a good hike without incident.
--DKT