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Kawai`iki in the Rain
Posted: March 22, 2010
I joined the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club (HTMC) to hike to a series of pools in Kawai`iki Gulch in the northern Ko`olau Mountains above Hale`iwa.
Despite rainy weather, we consolidated ourselves into a smaller number of vehicles and drove up a series of agricultural roads through several locked gates before we reached the Kawailoa Forest Reserve. Our plan was to hike through Opae`ula Gulch before dropping down into Kawai`iki Gulch to see the pools.
Since access issues prevented the club from hiking this trail for 15 years, many of us had never hiked the Opae`ula – Kawai`iki complex of trails before and we were highly motivated to do these trails — even in the rain. So we eagerly pushed off from our cars and hiked up the muddy road undaunted by the liquid sunshine.
From the end of the dirt road, we dropped down into Opae-ula Gulch to a dam in the stream and contoured along side a ditch. The trails in this area – Opae`ula, Kawai`iki, and Kawainui – were built by Waialua Sugar Company to service a network of ditches that capture and transport fresh water to agricultural fields at lower elevations.
The ditch flows through a network of tunnels bored into the mountain-side which were irresistible to curious hikers. The tunnels had the added benefit of being sheltered from the rain.
The tunnels took hikers through several mountain ridges before rejoining the trail. While most of the tunnels were open enough to hike through crouched over, some were partially collapsed and/or filled with sediment.
Sword ferns, strawberry guava and other introduced plants dominate much of the landscape.
Several elevated sections of the ditch carried water over streams, gullies, and other low-points in the terrain.
The trail ascended through kukui and mamaki trees and lead to a small grassy plateau where we dropped down the other side and descended into Kawai`iki Gulch.
The rain returned as we dropped down into Kawai`iki Gulch on a ridge covered with native vegetation – uluhe ferns, ohia trees and koa trees. I’ll have to return on a clear day to examine the plants and animals on this mostly-native ridge top in more detail.
Hike leader Patrick Rorie (under the umbrella) told us to watch the stream as we made our way into Kawai`iki Gulch. About 5 years ago, a group of Sierra Club hikers were trapped by a flash flood in nearby Kawainui Gulch and were rescued by helicopter.
Properly forewarned, we continued down into Kawai`iki Gulch, where we saw patches of `ie`ie (Freycinatia arborea), which are indigenous to Hawaii, with narrow slender leaves growing along-side the trail.
The bright orange fruits of `ie`ie caught my eye as I made my way down the trail. There are 2 forms of `ie`ie — male, which produces flowers and pollen, and female, which produces fruits and seeds.
One of the surprising things we encountered were the biggest mamaki leaves I had ever seen. Pete Clines and Gavin Terukina stand under large mamaki leaves — which because of their proximity to the camera appear to be GIGANTIC. The largest leaves are actually about 12 inches long.
Mamaki (Pipturus albidus) is endemic to Hawaii and its leaves were brewed into a tea by the Hawaiians for medicinal purposes. Another interesting thing about mamaki is that the life cycle of Kamehemeha Butterflies are tied to this plant — their caterpillars feed exclusively on mamaki.
After hiking on the valley floor up the Kawai`iki streambed, we reached a large pool about 50 feet long and 10 feet wide with kukui and mamaki trees on its banks. The pool was nice and clear — and showed no trace of muddy run-off.
The rainy weather prevent everyone but the hardiest of souls to venture into the pool. Undaunted by the cold, August Smith swims in the deepest part of the pool to explore the other side.
Most of us rested at the pool’s edge and had lunch under a kukui tree with the most beautiful light green foliage. Since we were no longer physically exerting ourselves, we cooled-off quickly, and soon we shivered each time the wind blew. Most hikers did not stay long and began the return hike back.
The rain continued on our way out — we were thankful the rain was light all day long and that no flash floods materialized. As we contoured our way out Kawai`iki Gulch, I reflected on the great time we had in the rain, seeing the pools in the stream, and examining the native plants on the trail. I’m already looking forward to coming back next year.
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SOURCES
`Ie`ie – Frecinetia arborea, Wikipedia
Mamaki, Pipturus albidus, Wikipedia
Opae`ula – Kawai`iki, Hikers Guide to O`ahu, Stuart Ball, University of Hawaii Press
Native Hawaiian Plants, University of Hawaii, Department of Botany
This was a great hike, but next time we go I’m not going to skip dinner AND breakfast! I almost passed out! >:-O
Nathan,
Thank you for your kind thoughtfulness and well wishes (and for your extraordinarily beauiful card), as well as for adding me to your well-catalogued blog of hikes! This is especially appreciated given my current circumstances -as this may be my only way to experience the hikes for awhile.
Hope to see you soon at one of the club’s social gatherings, or possibly at one of the end-of-hike Pau Hanas. Until then, take care!
Enrique
Hey Enricky,
You’re most welcome. Hope you heal fast so we can can see you on the trail!
nate