The 31-year-old native of New York was assigned to the 15th Maintenance Group at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the Air Force said in a statement Thursday. Id allow a good 4hrs to hike if with a group and more time if the conditions are windy or muddy. "Novices have no business being on that hike. Not muddy today. The last crossing is allll the way at the end, and immediately after that last crossing, it's dense 12ft tall grass and the trail disappears. This is my Journey Era. People claim the stairs are dangerous but they are a lot safer than climbing the mountains without stairs which is what people are doing to avoid breaking the law (but then they get on the stairs at the top for photos). shoes meant for hiking. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen. Keep in mind, to stay 100 percent legal on this hike you will have to go back the same way you came. The Moanalua Valley Trail is mostly flat and ventures through tropical forest but kind of stops in the middle of nothing. She was . The walk would be a little longer but easy on the flat road. I lived on Oahu for two years and loved adventuring from the beaches to the mountains to the waterfalls! JT, do think anyone cares about the rules and laws you cite? Looking to hike this this week if anybody wants to go .msg insta @allispichkooo :), Aloha! Some of the pages on my travel blog contain affiliate links. It gave the mountains and everything a surreal touch that made us feel like we were walking up into the heavens. I didnt need spikes but some good traction helps. You can see everythingKaneohe, Kailua, Mokolii (akaChinamans Hat), Olomana and the H-3 snaking its way through it alland Im basking in the extraordinary sight of how miniature life looks from up above. If you are inside a Forest reserve outside of those times and without a camping permit, you are in violation of the HRS chapter 104 rules and can be cited. Distress hikers rescued off Moanalua Valley Trail Friday evening. Went up the stairs last week with wife and baby. This is known as the back way for the Stairway To Heaven. In any case, just be aware that fines of up to $1,000 have occasionally been given out to people caught climbing the staircase. The Air Force has identified the airman who died Tuesday,Dec. -Headlamp. Start hiking along the road/trail just past the bathrooms. My issue is with the degradation of the endangered Elepaio habitat that exists in that valley. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. 00:00 01:00 Only In Your State Step 3 Take the Red Hill/Moanalua Valley exit (exit 2) and turn right on Ala Aolani Street. Aloha, for those that think this trail is legal and open to the public with no repercussions, you are wrong. per adult. Thats how it works everywhere else, and its why so many wonderful hiking trails like Angels Landing are still open in the mainland United States after all these years. I was wondering what hike is the one you took the first picture in!! Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your Looking to hike this any day in next week .if anybody's down, msg me in insta @allispichkooo:), Anyone want to do this on 11/24 or 11/25? About 200 yards from the radio tower, the trail eases up and you begin to see the sweeping panoramic views over Honolulu and southern Oahu. FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii The Air Force has identified the airman who died Tuesday while hiking in Hawaii as Capt. This is classic government stupidity for you tax people to build them, tax more to fix them, then tax to take them out because they are dangerous when actually they are much safer than no stairs. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Well worth that investment of time sweat & tears! Preview trail Dogs on leash Hiking Walking Bird watching River Views Waterfall Wildflowers Over grown Scramble Description Parking is at the Moanalua Valley Park (open from 7am - 7pm) at the end of Ala Aolani Street. The Kamananui Valley Road is a perfect hike for all ages and offers access to many other hiking trails in the Moanalua Valley. The government in Oahu has a habit of closing any hike they consider slightly risky, because it might attract lawsuits. Legal climbing of the stairs would mean providing a non-intrusive access route through the neighborhood below, but that could easily be accomplished with the millions of taxpayer dollars that have been spent on security over the years. Still interested? If you look closely, you can see the winding stairway. Bring some shoes that you don't care about because the trail is muddy and you will definitely get dirty. We won't share it with anyone else. Many people come unprepared for hiking on Oahu and thats why there are so many rescues. Have some light. The Moanalua Valley Trail isnt as popular as the Haiku Stairs themselves but it is growing in popularity and the trail can get quite busy. Steep drops on both sides, but the metal Haiku stairs and railings are surprisingly solid. It's not quite the same experience as climbing the stairs from the bottom up, but you can still reach the Hawaii 'Stairway To Heaven' trail at the top and go back down in either direction when you're done. When I did the Haiku Stairs Oahu trek for the first time on my birthday in 2016, the weather started out clear but then some clouds came in. Begin walking the trail and after about 2.5 miles you'll see the sign on the left for "Kulana'ahane Trail". If you want to see this place legally with almost no chance of fines, you can hike up the Moanalua Valley Trail on the back side of the same mountain. Tripadvisor performs checks on . Anthony J. Polizzi, 31. Many of the best hikes in Oahu have been closed preemptively to avoid more of these unjustified lawsuits. ! I hope my travels give you the motivation to set off on an epic adventure of your own. There are many more to check out! (Facebook/Nathan Stowell). This hike was so challenging and worthwhile, probably one of my favorite hikes I have ever done. Ive done the Hawaii Haiku Stairs hike several times now, and even after traveling in many countries, its still probably my favorite trek in the world. Trailhead Coordinates - Latitude: 21.37409 | Longitude: -157.880509. Our biggest priority is taking care of his family and supporting his fellow Wingmen. no reports have been added for Moanalua Valley Trail yet, add a trail report. 804. I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Moanalua Valley Trail (backway to Stairway to Heaven) and have good luck and good weather on your journey! I would have liked to investigate an entry from the south if time permitted. There should be more information about this soon. The trail becomes quite adventurous with many sections becoming quite narrow and requiring a rope to pull yourself up the slippery, gravel surface. Don't. Foster Botanical Garden is a loop trail that is used for walking and nature trips located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. Alone with some of the best views in the world. When she willed the entire ahupuaa of Moanalua to Damons father in 1884, the luxurious valley home was built.) The trail is quite easy to follow for the first few miles with a wide path, winding you through lush forest and warming up your legs. Invalid password or account does not exist. This is quite the work out and worth the view. There are notable repeat offenders that continue to make 4 or 5-digit profits in a single week, none of which benefits the environment which they are degrading. Stowell's body was found roughly 400 feet below the third peak of Mount Olomana's hiking trail, officials said. There is danger involved with traversing a mountains ridgeback, an absurdly obvious fact thats slightly deceiving during the first leg of this trek, which begins at Moanalua Valley Park, a flat, straightforward 3-mile walk into Kamananui Valley. 12. Bummer, this trail is closed. The Haiku Stairs Hawaii hike is steep and strenuous, but the toughest part is the first 1/3rd of the stairway leading up to platform one. When you make it to the sign saying Kulanaahane continue on for another few meters until you will find the pathway on your left, which leads you across the rocky riverbed. I think its best to begin just after sunrise as it can be quite a hot, exposed trail if you leave it too late in the day for the ascent. The view from the tower is the most spectacular although there will be lookouts before which are gorgeous as well. (Google Maps calls it Moanalua Valley Trail Start.) Once up on the ridge, the view is absolutely incredible! Be careful. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation. -Food. We dont know for sure what happened, but its more likely his death happened on the steep and muddy Moanalua trail, not the stairway. The group is part of the 15th Wing. There is an entry along the fence that will go through. INDEFINITE CLOSURE: This trail is closed to the public and violators/trespassers are SUBJECT TO $1000 FINES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, BENCH WARRANTS, AND/OR ARREST. Daylenn "Moke" Pua, 17, vanished five days ago while heading to the Haiku Stairs. Firefighters said that the rivers crossing the trail were at a dangerously high level. Mahalo! $125.33. Although extremely tempting, the hike down the Haiku Stairs is highly illegal and subject to fine, etc. Ive lived here for 33 years and yes its fricken ridiculous WHEREVER YOU GO. Theres a lot to do here, you can even camp and fish. 29, 2020 while hiking in Hawaii as Capt. Not runners, not tennis, etc. I did this hike solo about a month ago. More recently, Honolulu Mayor Blangiardi has publicly stated he may be willing to consider new options to save the Haiku Stairs, and Hawaii Senator Schatz has pitched the idea of handing it over to the federal government to renovate and operate, with a different entrance so all parties are happy. Ill keep this blog post updated. Ive done both hikes many times over the years, and I have to say there is really no comparison in terms of difficulty. This trail suits two- and four-legged hikers of mostfitness levels. In this web series,we bring you our favorite Oahu trails once a month. An off-duty firefighter died in 2014 and a social worker died in 2011, both from falling off the trail. It may sound dramatic but at times that is the situation. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Monalua Ridge offers legal access to the top of the Haiku Stairs (note: they are illegal to go down). August 10, 1928 - February 22, 2023 Sister Mary Ellen Sprouffske, C.S.J. As someone who grew up in a nearby neighborhood in the 80s and still has a good family friend that lives IN the Haiku stairs neighborhood Ill tell you one thing hiking blogs and social media posts dont seem to mention the history of bad behavior from young, disrespectful hikers who arrive at 4am, dont even try to keep their noise levels down, cut through the backyards of residents, and use residents hoses to rinse off after hiking the stairway. However, the whole Haiku valley is surrounded by a residential area with fences, yappy dogs, and a security guard, with only a few possible entrances. These restaurants and cafs hold themselves to a higher eco-standard that make deciding where to eat for ocean-minded people an easy decision. Hunters frequent the surrounding area, so, when in doubt, follow the stream! It has about 3 times as much elevation gain and takes at least 3 times as long to climb. However, we wouldnt recommend running. The cool, breezy path goes through a lush forest and contains seven bridges with stream fords. A guy yelled and cussed at us and sprayed us with water with blue dye. Wow, the Haiku Stairs, although strenuous, it looks fun with great views and a sense of accomplishment at the end. You can read about it in this SFGate article. Its actually one of the safest parts of the hike IMO. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Also, more so than the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail, the peak to the radio station is far muddier and much more slippery. If you fall at dusk you might very well spend the night in the jungle. Hiking sandals are ok IF you're experienced hiking in muddy slippery conditions in them. There is one short section of stairs that was mangled in a storm, but the damage is pretty minimal and you can pass that part without any trouble. For a complete list of LEGAL State Trails, please visit hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails Lastly, guided hikes and other commercial activity being conducted inside Moanalua valley are illegal. I also didnt get enough sleep dont be like me. it's not. Wear proper shoes and bring gloves!Quite muddy Family of hikers found dead on remote Sierra trail likely killed by heat, dehydration. Crouching Lion and Sacred Falls are other examples. Copyright Journey Era, 2022 | Sitemap | Privacy Policy. Parking: Park at the Moanalua Valley Park. There are shorter hikes on this island with better views and less risk. from around the world. Loved every minute of it! Follow a small path in the grass, or walk to the Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden is on my list of the top ten most beautiful nature places you can drive to. The trail was washing away. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Recommended. Generally considered a challenging route. To get to the trailhead, park outside the Moanalua Valley Park and the trail begins just after the green gate. Speaking of which, please be respectful of the local neighborhood and dont make noise or throw trash, and definitely dont jump any fences or go into anyones yard. We rest here for a while, towering above the island. Some of the original cobblestone road remains intact, and leads to a large, petroglyph-covered boulder. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Capt. Firefighters had to comb through a wooded area and ask a hiker to shake a tree before they found the body just after noon, Fire Captain KevinMokulehua said. Ethical? Native plants along the ridge and rare apapane (Hawaiian honeycreeper) sightings aside, the hike has grown in popularity over the years because of its whispered status as a legal access route, the back way, to the infamous HaikuStairs. The first mile on this trail climbs 900 feet in elevation and is primarily through trees. Moanalua Valley Trail is the back route and legal access to the Haiku Stairs, which is illegal to access from the front stairway. There were 2 other parties of 2 hiking that day, plus a group at the top who came from the other trail that made them muddy and take much longer. ; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. One of the best experiences I had on Oahu was swimming with the beautiful spinner dolphins on this exact tour. A man who was hiking Hawaii's Olomana Trail reportedly plummeted hundreds of feet to his death on Sunday after he reportedly tried to grab his hat, marking the fourth death linked to the. Once at the summit of the Moanalua Valley Trail you will essentially enjoy the view and then turn back around and head down the way you came. Don't listen to the naysayers who hate tourists. and news flash, every part of Hawaii is sacred! Please explore other trails nearby. A man who was hiking Hawaii's Olomana Trail reportedly plummeted hundreds of feet to his death on Sunday after he reportedly tried to grab his hat, marking the fourth death linked to the dangerous trail since 2011.