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HTMC and the Arch at Koko Crater
Posted: January 30, 2010
I joined the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club (HTMC) on their traditional New Year’s Day hike over the arch at Koko Crater. Since this was also the first hike of the HTMC centennial — the club celebrates its 100th anniversary on April 5, 2010 – I made my way to Hawaii Kai with great anticipation.
Koko Crater is one of several tuff cones on the Ka Iwi Coast of East Oahu which were formed when sea water came into contact with magma. The cones are made from layer upon layer of tuff — consolidated volcanic ash — with different erosional properties that result in arches, overhanging ledges, and other unique rock formations.
Since this hike was part of the centennial celebration — this trail was hiked by the club in 1910 — everyone wanted to sign-in to get the 3 mile credit for the hike. Hikers who accumulate 100 miles on centennial trails receive an award. Our adventure started on the rocky ridge at Halona Point which has a little sandy cove right next to the Blow Hole. We crossed the highway, gained the top of the ridge, and followed the broad ridge upwards.
The ridge curved to the right and ascended up the side of Koko Crater to the arch — the object of our climb. Softer layers of tuff — which are light biege in color — have eroded away leaving the stronger dark layer of rock intact above the hole in the ridge. The same layers are present on adjacent ridges where the remnants of collapsed arches can be seen.
The hole is about 60 feet long, 10 feet high, and is oriented at a 30 degree angle. The dark solid rock above the hole is about 12 feet wide, 10 feet thick, and extends for well over 100 feet.
Climbing the solid rock arch over the hole is always an exhilarating experience. Although rope is not necessary to climb over the arch, a nylon strap was installed as a climbing aid to assist hikers up the steep incline.
While the regular hike route is over the top of the arch, some hikers descended into the gully and climbed up through the gaping hole in the ridge. The area under the arch was littered with small loose rocks eroded from the hole that made the footing under the arch unstable and unsure.
Other hikers climbed down from the other side to descend through the hole. Our goal was to recreate an historic photograph taken at the arch by Ray Jerome Baker. Baker was HTMC President in the 1920′s and is an important photographer — his body of work resides in the historic collections of the Bishop Museum, Hawaii State Archives, and University of Hawaii Hamilton Library.
Historic Photograph by Ray Jerome Baker in 1926
The original photo was taken from the south facing side of the arch. But since the sun was hitting the other side of the arch we took our version of the historic photograph from the opposite side.
The arch stands unchanged 100 years after the founding of HTMC. The directors and officers of the club under the arch from right to left are: Peter Kempf, Laura Owens, Tom Mendes, Bill Gorst, and Lucy McCurdy. Hikers ontop the arch from right to left are: Grant Oka, Helene Sroat, Ralph Valentino, Mike Algiers, unknown, unknown, Fish Arabia, and unknown. Let me know if anyone recognizes these people.
After our photo shoot we regained the top of the arch and continued our climb to the rim of the crater, where we turned left along the edge, and made our way towards the summit of Koko Crater at 1,208 feet elevation.
When I reached the summit of the crater where the foundation of an old World War II structure remains, I was pleased to see well over 100 hikers from the newest to the oldest members. We lingered for quite some time greeting each other, catching up, and admiring panoramic views of Hawaii Kai and East Oahu.
Light vog limited visibility but we still had an excellent views of Hanauma Bay, Hawaii Kai, and Diamond Head far off in the distance.
The rugged crater edge overlooking Hawaii Kai is a favorite place to visit. I enjoyed seeing ilima flowers (Sida fallax) in front a crack in the rim through which one of the neighborhoods of Hawaii Kai could be seen.
For the return leg of our loop, we descended the railroad ties that serviced the emplacement at the summit. Shrubs of indigenous aalii (Dodnea viscosa) dominated the lower sections of the rail tracks as we made our way back down.
Our route took us through the rifle range at the foot of the crater. We hiked for a short distance along the highway to the Lanai Lookout where we dropped down into a gully on the Koko Crater side of the road.
The gully contains a lava tube under the road which emerges on a rocky ledge on the ocean edge. The cool dark tunnel is over 60 feet long and is large enough to allow a full grown man to pass with ease.
When we got to the rocky ledge. we saw a number of fishermen some of who showed us what they caught — several good-sized moana (goatfish).
While the ocean was calm and no waves threatened us, the ocean cannot be trusted. In 1924, two hikers on an HTMC hike were swept off the ledge by a rogue wave. While one hiker was able to get back on land, the other was not and drowned.
Many sections of the rocky ledge were riddled with holes, carved out by ‘ina’ula or rock boring urchins (Echinometra mathaei) that scrape just a little bit of the rock each time they graze on microscopic algae enlarging the hole ever so slightly. Over the passage of time the rocks become honeycombed with holes.
Our route along the edge of the ocean took us pass a number of small coves carved into the seaward base of Koko Crater. I had a great time hiking in and out along coastline on the rock ledge.
Innumerable tide pools were carved into the rock ledge as we made our way to Halona Point where we saw brightly colored specimens of coral.
When we finally returned to Halona Point, I reflected on the great time we had hiking over the arch to the summit for the centennial. I found it comforting that the despite the whirlwind of change over the past 100 years some things still remain intact — like the arch — and the club. Long live HTMC and the arch at Koko Crater!
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SOURCES
History of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club from 1910 to 1960, R.J. Baker
Littoral Cones, Rootless Cones and Splatter Cones
Native Hawaiian Plants, University of Hawaii, Department of Botany
Volcanoes in the Sea, The Geology of Hawaii, Gordon A. MacDonald, Agatin T. Abbott, and Frank I. Peterson, University of Hawaii Press, Pg 17
Impressive job recreating the old photo! Even with the older photo one facing the opposite side of the arch, it still worked really well.
Fantastic shot with the arch shots. Strangely I liked the one with the two guys below and the one guy atop the best.
Fantastic article and I really enjoyed all the info you researched and shared Nathan!
Mahalo!
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