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Ohikilolo-Keaau
Posted: November 10, 2009
I joined the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club (HTMC) to climb to the summit of Keaau Ridge which towers over the valleys of Makaha and Ohikilolo on the Waianae Coast of Oahu.
The hike to the summit of Keaau is a tough 2,900 foot climb that starts at sea level from Ohikilolo Valley, a small valley situated between much the larger valleys of Makaha and Makua.
Our adventure started at the entrance to Ohikilolo Valley where a paved road leads to a compound run by the Franciscans. The compound is the site of “Our Lady of Keaau” which performs a much needed service to the community ministering to the needs of the homeless on the Waianae Coast.
After crossing the dry streambed and passing the hiker/hunter sign-in station where our hike leader signed us in, we continued up the dirt road which provided a commanding view of the Waianae coastline. Drew Erickson, Metod Lebar, and Carmen Tosaki admire the view with Kaena Point off in the distance.
With little breeze and few clouds to block the full brunt of the sun, the initial hike to the back of the valley was hot, dusty and sweaty. Except for the ocasional aalii (Dodonea viscosa) the front of the valley is over-run with invasive species like haole koa, silver oak, and christmas berry.
Not long after crossing the dry stream bed, entering the public hunting area, and hiking to the foot of the middle ridge, I noticed that burrs were stuck to my socks and shoes.
The culprit was the invasive Triumfetta rhomboidea which produces burrs that hitch a ride on your clothing and footwear. I stopped several times to pick burrs off myself to avoid carrying them to the summit of Keaau where rare native plants can still be found.
Nikolaj Nordkvisk climbs up the middle ridge which cleaves Ohikilolo Valley in two and climbs to the summit of Keaau Ridge. We save groves of native aalii (Dodonea viscosa) and lama (Dirospiros sanwichensis) trees as we made our way up the trail.
Bright orange Gulf Frittilary Butterflies (Agraulis vanillae), an introduced butterfly from Central and North America, were a common sight as we made our way up the middle ridge.
One of the cool things about this middle ridge is that it narrows to a mere two feet wide along certain sections. Drew makes his way over narrow rocky sections with steep drop-offs on either side.
While climbing up the middle ridge we could see fluted cliffs and hanging valleys carved into the side of the Ohikilolo Ridge. It would be interesting to explore what rare native plants might be sheltered in these hard to reach places.
Drew and Nikolaj wait for us to catch up as we ascend to the summit — the peak on the right of the photo is the goal of our climb.
The middle ridge gets steeper as it connects to Keaau Ridge where the trail contours through a series of switchbacks beneath the shade of a christmas berry trees.
While hiking under the forest of invasive christmas berry trees, I saw several endemic iwaiwa ferns (Doryopertis decipens) which have distinctively shaped fronds, growing amidst an array of mosses and lichens.
After climbing several steep sections with the aid of a rope we finally reached the summit of Keaau Ridge. Towering behind Patrick Rorie on the left is the pyramid-shaped peak of Ohikilolo. Looming over August Smith on the right is the flat summit of Mount Kaala, the highest point on Oahu.
Admiring the panoramic views of Makaha, Ohikilolo, and the Waianae coast as we ate our lunches, I had a bird’s eye view of the many gullies and side valleys within Makaha Valley where we have been looking for rare plants and animals. We lingered for quite some time enjoying the 360 degree view before heading back down returning the way we had come. Many thanks to our hike leader, Patrick Rorie (shown above), for scoping out this route and adding it to the club’s hike roster.
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SOURCES
Hawaiian Native Plant Genera – Pteridaceae – Doryopteris, University of Hawaii, Department of Botany
Hawaiian Native Plant Genera – Sapindaceae – Dodonea, University of Hawaii, Department of Botany
Hawaiian Native Plant Genera – Ebenaceae, University of Hawaii, Department of Botany
Ohikilolo Public Hunting Area, Department of Land and Natural Resources
Our Lady of Keaau, St Francis Healthcare System
Triumfetta rhomboidea, Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk
gorgeous and spectacular!
mahalo nui loa,
a dedicated armchair tourist.
ALoha!
Great report! What days is hunting permitted? Are the hunters a problem? What are they after?
How long did the trek take?
Do you have any return trips planned?
Big Mahalo,
Ann
I’ve climbed to the summit of Keaau twice and did not see any hunters either time. I’ve never been bothered by hunters. They hunt for pigs and goats, and sometimes for gamebirds. The roundtrip to the summit takes about 6-7 hours but all depends on your level of cardiovascular conditioning. There’s a big 2,900 foot gain in elevation. The club does this hike once a year, but you can do it on your own any time.