Olomana in the Clouds

Posted: January 8, 2009

I joined the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club (HTMC) to scale the three peaks of Mount Olomana — the famous landmark on windward Oahu whose steep slopes are always exhilarating to climb.

It was a rainy day with clouds repeatedly rolling-in and dropping their moisture on the slopes of Olomana. The rain showers did not last long and provided a rare photo opportunity — the clouds temporarily veiled the peaks in wispy clouds that dissipated multiple times during the day.

According to Hawaiian folklore, Mount Olomana is the remains of a slain warrior giant. The first peak is the highest at 1,643 feet and is named after the legendary giant. The second flat-topped peak is Paku’i at 1,520 feet named after the keeper of ponds at Kaelepulu, and the third knife-edged peak is Ahiki at 1,480 feet named after the warrior Olomana’s most favored overseer.

The ascent of Olomana offers excellent cardiovascular exercise, much of it through charming forests of lauae ferns and christmas berry. As I made my way up the peak, I could not resist crushing fronds of lauae ferns in my hands to release the sweet maile-like fragrance.

There are a number of ropes towards the top of the climb to assist hikers climb the mountain-side. Richard Bailey ascends the steep slopes with the aid of a rope.

While climbing up the steep trail, I saw a number native ka’ape’ape ferns (Cyrtomium caryotideum) growing from cracks between the rocks.

When we neared the final ascent to the first peak, rain began to fall as we climbed a 20-foot rock face. Despite the rain, Jill Moratto, Allen Shiroma, and I scale the craggy cliffs and conquer the first peak of Olomana.

When we reached the 1,643 foot summit of Olomana, the rain stopped but clouds covered the peak. While we rested and caught our breaths, the clouds began to dissipate and a panoramic view of the Koolaupoko Coast from Waimanalo to Kaneohe opened up before us. Thea Feretinos, Karen Liliker, Janice Piburn, and Marc Nierode admire the view while debating whether to proceed to Pakui and Ahiki (peaks 2 and 3).

Since the clouds began to dissipate, most of us decided to push on towards the flat-topped second peak — Pakui — which requires climbers to drop down a hundred fifty feet and climb back up about fifty feet.

While making our way to Pakui, we came across a community of cliff dwelling plants. In the background stands the sharp third peak of Ahiki which from this perspective appears to be unscalable. But looks are deceiving — the peak is most certainly climbable and is made easier with the installation of ropes.

The charming community of native plants on the cliffs include ’ala’alawainui (peperomia tetraphylla), ‘ekaha ferns (Lepisorus thunbergianus), green mosses, and orange and white lichens.

When we reached Pakui — the second peak – we could clearly see Ralph Valentino in his bright orange shirt installing ropes to assist climbers reach the top of the Ahiki — the third peak. Wispy clouds emanated from the summit of the razor-edged peak and swirled around the leeward-side of the peak.

Climbing down the backside of Pakui — the steepest part of the trek– can be a harrowing experience when muddy and slippery. Climbers must descend a precipitous 500 feet and then climb up several hundred feet to reach the top of peak 3. Fortunately, the cliffs were not overly slick and we made our way down without incident.

One of the more interesting features of the trek is a keyhole dike formation climbers must descend and contour around to reach Ahiki. Allen Shiroma smiles broadly as he rounds a large boulder while Brett contours around the edge of the dike and Grant Oka awaits his turn at the top of the formation. In the background looms the first and second peaks.

When we reached the summit of Ahiki, clouds blew in and rained on us once again. Concerned that the rain would make the return trip more treacherous, we did not stay at the third peak for very long and descended back down right away. In the photo above, clouds veil the leeward-side of the third peak as Marc descends one of the scarier rope sections along the knife edged peak.

Fortunately the rain did not last long as we made our way back down the steep third peak. Marc, Grant, and Jill wait for Ted to clear the rope before descending to saddle between peaks 3 and 2. Clouds lingered on the leeward-side of Ahiki with the peak protecting the clouds from being blown away.

One of the charming native plants that thrives in the saddle between the second and third peaks is ‘ala’alawainuipuaki (Plectrathus parviflorus) which produces spikes of cute little lavendar flowers.

Thea starts the climb up the backside of Pakui — one the steepest parts of the trek. Because the rain did not last long the cliffs were not very wet and we were able to climb back up without incident.

Making my way back to the first peak, I point at Ahiki — the peak we had just surmounted — before making my way back down the mountain-side. I never tire of Mount Olomana and the panoramic views from the top — the three peaks are a great challenge and are always a breathtaking adventure.

–

NOTE – Sources conflict on the names of the peaks. While all sources agree that the peak names are Olomana, Paku’i, and Ahiki, they disagree as to which name goes along with each peak. Since I went on the hike with HTMC, I use the names in common usage by HTMC.

SOURCES

Native Hawaiian Plants, University of Hawaii, Department of Botany

Olomana–Another Ascent by Dayle Turner, Oahu Hiking Enthusiasts

Place Names of Hawaii By Mary Kawena Pukui, Samuel H. Elbert, Esther T. Mookini, Esther K. Mookini

Sites of Oahu, Elspeth P. Sterling and Catherine C. Summers, Bishop Museum Press, 1978, pgs 234-235

More Articles

Olomana in the Clouds

Posted: January 8, 2009

Leave a Reply