Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 18:28:17 -1000 From: "Dayle K. Turner" (turner@hawaii.edu> Subject: A Koolau Crest Jaunt
Completed an enjoyable hike from Keahiakahoe to Kahuauli today with Susan Jaworowski, Mahealani Cypher, Pat Rorie, Nathan Yuen, Wing Ng, and one of Pat's friends from work.
At 8:45, when we started our climb to the summit crest, clouds covered the mountain top. However, when we gained the main ridgeline, the white stuff had blown away, providing us unobscured views of the windward side and, later on, the leeward side as well.
The trek along the spine was spectacular, with visual clarity all the way Strong gusts of makani blowing up the windward face of the Koolaus made for cool and exhilarating hiking. Several folks snapped pictures as we hiked, including Nathan with a digital camera. Hopefully, he'll post some of these.
Here's a pic of Pat standing atop an old radar tower on the crest.
After reaching Kahuauli (Bowman trail summit), we descended Bowman for about 45 minutes until reaching the koa tree junction, where we descended a ridge to Likelike Highway. Once at Likelike, we walked for about 10 minutes to the Wilson Tunnel where Wing and I had left our cars in the parking lot just outside the tunnel for post-hike transport.
Hats off to Susan and Mahealani, who accounted for themselves in fine fashion given the ruggedness and potential hazards of the hike.
--Dayle
The second highest point in the Koolaus:
This point came up when we were going by Keahiakahoe, while everyone knows that the twin peaks of Konahuanui are the highest in the Koolaus, where is the 2nd highest?
I re-read the topos, and some unnamed humps next to Castle top point is about 2850. That appears to be #2.
I was speculating that Keahiakahoe at 2820 is #2 or #3. Well, it's not even #3, or possibly not even #4. An unnamed peak to the east of Aiea top point is 2826 and is 6 feet higher. Another unnamed peak to the east of that appears to be about the same height too.
In mountaineering they have definitions of "when is a peak a peak"? Because if Konahuanui is 3150, then a point one foot away is probably 3149, ...., etc. and there will be no place for #2,#3, even #100. Not clear if unnamed east of Aiea and its sister to the east should count as one single peak .... :-)
Wing
