Hiking to a Remote Area in the Koolaus

Opaeula - December 6, 2015

The time is now. Opaeula! I've been waiting 3 years to do this hike, now it shall be done. Kawai'iki was on the schedule for the HTMC, branching off Kawai'iki is the Opaeula trail, a short loop trail that comes back to the Kawai'iki/Opaeula junction. 

The HTMC plan today was to meet at Haleiwa Beach Park at  8:30am, do the briefing and drive up the 8 mile road to the trailhead. We would do both Opaeula and Kawai'iki today and exit all together. What a treat!

This was a members only hike, which is good, at least we would have good hikers turn out, not bad ones. The plan was for us to meet at Erik's at 6:30 am, and then carpool to Haleiwa Beach Park (meeting place for the hike). With the waves possibly hitting 30 feet, I got paranoid and asked Erik if we could leave early to avoid traffic. Aprille & I met at Erik's house and left towards Haleiwa Beach Park. There was no traffic and we got there at 6:50 am. Better early than late right? 

Since we arrived over 1 1/2 hours early, we decided to go see the waves at Pipeline. The waves were pretty big, but choppy. No surfers were out, I'm not sure why? We stayed for about 20 minutes, going back to Haleiwa Beach Park. One by one people starting showing up in the parking lot. Allison and Bernice came as the OAG crew grew to 5. The only other person I personally knew was Bob, but was introduced to Dale. Dale has been popular on facebook recently posting plenty photos.

Pipeline still small

judging station

Erik offered to drive and test out his new Tacoma truck on the sometimes difficult road. It took a while for us to get there. The drive was 8 miles on a winding road. My memory fades me as I didn't realize it was so long. The parking area was in a open grass lot. We got ready and walked for 10 minutes on the road until we got to the trailhead. It was muddy. Quickly, the junction appears to go down to Opaeula. I was so excited as the reality was about to set in and my patience for doing this trail has finally paid off. It was hella muddy going in. We eventually hit a flume which I read in Stuart Ball's book that they divert the water for the farmlands. We followed Opaeula stream until we hit a junction. Further progress appeared to be available, but it was blocked by some branches. If we continued further, it would have led to a concrete dam, a swimming hole, and a gauging station (according to Stuart Ball's book). The junction left led us up a steep ridge. At the top is what Stuart Ball calls a "grassy plateau". It was HUGE! Acres and acres of land that only the imagination can offer what used to frolic in that area, unicorns, deers, dragons, whatever. Across the way seemed like a farm that the military uses. It was on the next ridge over. We explored the concrete slabs, but nothing worth noting. 

grassy plateau (p.c. Aprille)

view of Mokuleia

We finished the loop, and then started Kawai'iki. Although a beautiful trail, Kawai'iki had to take a back seat today to Opaeula. Kawai'iki is Kawainui's ugly step sister, but the trail does offer a cool looking flume. I think the best on Oahu, although not too many flumes exist anymore. We meandered in and out of the contour trail going in and out of gullies, eventually hitting the flume and the dam. Most chose to bypass the flume, but it was so awesome! I don't remember getting wet the last time I did it. After the flume was immediately the dam. Further progress was optional, but nothing worth going for, at least what I remember. The dam more than suffice the terminus of the hike. It got so hot people started jumping in the water. I wanted to soak in the moment and chill. It has been hard not hiking for a long time. With Jared's baseball and running, it was a super busy year for me. After about 45 minutes at the dam, people who decided to explore upstream came back and started heading back to the trailhead. Aprille led a furious pace up the hill. We took a side trip into a tunnel. The tunnel got smaller and smaller the more we went in, the water was knee deep. After about 2-3 minutes, we exited the tunnel. On a hot day, the water felt so good. The rest of the hike was in and out of gullies, it only took us an hour to get back.   My legs were strong doing all those runs the past year, so I felt great. Using different muscles, my legs might be tight tomorrow. 

dam

hiker's furthering progress

We changed out of our dirty clothes and had to go back on the road through the gates. Post hike meal was at 49ers Restaurant. But when we got there, it was closed, can you believe they close at 2pm on Sundays? We went next door to Teddy's Bigger Burgers. I've been eating like shit the past 11 days and this is no different. 1000 calories in under 10 minutes. But I did get to hike which will keep me in shape. We talked for a long time. Bernice wanted to do a multi-day backpacking hike. We went over gear choices. Aprille & Erik actually prep better than me on these overnighters. My focus has always been on the weight of my pack, but my body can handle. I should focus on priority gear instead. 

in the flume

Good to see OAG again. Opaeula done!!!