Going to the Pohakea Area

Pohakea - January 22, 2017

Baron was able to get access into Kunia Farms. I guess he has always longed to go back to the Pohakea Pass. As it stands, it probably is the most scariest hike I've been on and he admits that it was scary for him too. Maybe he wanted to see it in all of its glory, again? Who knows what the motivation was? 

Baron was going to do recon of the area. He usually only invites his most trusted hikers, which is us, the OAG's. Mainly we are down for whatever and won't complain in the process. The goal today was to get to the base of the Pohakea Pass via an old Jeep Road. Then, we would contour and head up a ridge up to the summit and get to the top of the pass. Simple enough. But Baron didn't know if we would have to bushwhack any part of the trail. 

Baron predicted an 8 hour day, so we were all ready for an 8 hour day. We started by taking a dirt road to a gate. We parked near the gate which was locked and got ready to enter. The road went uphill for a bit as we were sucking wind. Eventually, it intersected with the Honouliuli contour trail. We took a break as Baron showed Darren some boulders for bouldering. 

we parked here

Honouliuli Contour Road/trail that the military opened

entry point of the overgrown Honouliuli Contour Trail

We made a right at an obscure junction where Baron said the cali grass was thick. We started to chop off cali grass and branches. Baron said it was wide open this time. I checked the track and told him he appeared to be further down the ridge last time. In no time we hit a junction that would take us to the jeep road. We had to bushwhack some more, but Baron said we were almost there. As we were bushwhacking up towards the ridge, Darren said, "there is a trail over here". We followed suit. Low and behold there was a wide open ridge. We followed that trail which eventually led to the jeep road. There it is, wide as can be. 

old Pohakea cabin

From the jeep road was a quick hike to the pass, maybe 30 minutes or so. The trail contours towards the Pohakea Pass. There was this cool ironwood section which Baron admired. We got to the pass before 10am. Baron was happy it took so fast, about 1 1/2 hours. Bad thoughts came to my head as I looked at the Pohakea Pass and all its glory. I remember getting stuck about 1/2 way on the cliff and feared for my life. Today was super windy, so the wind was howling. 

Pohakea Pass

contouring around the pass

The goal today was to contour the pass and find a ridge that would take us to the top, thereby bypassing the cliff sections of the Pohakea Pass. The contour was somewhat dangerous as we were traversing the side of the mountain. However, we tried to take the safest path. Erik had some issues with the contour as he slid 50 feet down the mountain. This is what Aprille and Darren told us as Baron and I were a few minutes ahead. It took us 1 hour on the contour before hitting the ridge we wanted. We were so high on top the ridge that it only took us about 20 minutes to get to the summit. Baron was happy at the top and we were getting howled on by the wind. 

For some reason I wanted to go left, not sure why as the ironwoods gave no view at all. We hiked for about 10 minutes. Darren found a view. Just then, I said maybe we should have went the other way to the pass for a better view. 

view from the pass

memories for Baron

We went back to where we topped out and headed towards Pohakea. In about 10 minutes we hit the edge of the cliff. It was narrow and windy, very scary. Baron and I reminisce about the day we got to the top and how stupid we were. Darren and Erik took a number of pictures at the top, before heading back to where we topped out. 

We took a lunch break, but the wind was so cold that we decided to head down the mountain. We expected to hit cali grass on the way down, so bushwhacking seemed inevitable. This ridge down was longer than the jeep road ridge. We expected it would take longer. Going down was a bunch of paperbark trees which was good because they shade the ridge and not much grows underneath them. It was easy going for the first 10 minutes. 

But soon after we did encounter thick cali grass, higher than our heads. We pushed and pushed and made our way to 3/4 of the ridge in about 1 hour. We encountered more cali grass, but the paperbark trees were on the side of the ridge and it appeared doable. We did it and it about 10 minutes we got to the Honouliuli contour trail. It was fast, not even 2pm and we were on the Honouliuli contour trail. 

back on the Honouliuli Contour trail

We headed back to the car making a giant loop out of this hike. We saw a guy, I think his name is Jeremy, I can't remember. He told us that the Honouliuli Contour trail goes all the way to Palikea Road, but there is some private farmland nearby. 

goats hanging around the bottom

Its a amazing what is still out here on Oahu. You can still do some fun hiking albeit special privileges. Post hike meal was at Don Yangs, which is so salt, yet so good. I'd like to thank Baron whose constant push to find new things always amazing me.