Can be very muddy like lots of the ridges out here on island. Make sure you at least have the basics and you will be prepared for bad weather or any mishaps on the trail. Stowell's body was found roughly 400 feet below the hiking trail, where he was pronounced dead. Be advised that if you need emergency services you will be billed for the rescue equipment usage and personnel time. Yes the steepest parts have metal railings to hold. Did this hike last week started at 6 AM. Bring a cell phone, which can be a lifesaver during an emergency. The ground can get dangerously slippery and muddy. THE WEEKLY #309: 6 YEARS AS A TRAVEL BLOGGER, TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR: WHATS IN MY BACKPACK. "One couldnt help but be in a good mood when you were around.". Hunters frequent the surrounding area, so, when in doubt, follow the stream! In this section, I will explain a little bit about each area and share with you the details for exploring this summit area. Oh my! Test first before committing your weight on it. The trail becomes quite steep from this point on with lots of tree roots to scramble up, boulders to clamber over and small rope sections to navigate. My issue is with the multiple bags of rubbish and litter in the valley that I've personally removed. Don't hike with this Mike guy on here , he reaches out and tries to rip you off and doesn't even hike it with you . The trail quietly opens up and were greeted with an elevated view of the valleys treetops sprawling out beneath us. Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest blog posts, tips, & travel guides. As someone who grew up in a nearby neighborhood in the 80s and still has a good family friend that lives IN the Haiku stairs neighborhood Ill tell you one thing hiking blogs and social media posts dont seem to mention the history of bad behavior from young, disrespectful hikers who arrive at 4am, dont even try to keep their noise levels down, cut through the backyards of residents, and use residents hoses to rinse off after hiking the stairway. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. To stay safe on this hike, just wear shoes with good grip and remember to keep three points of contact at all times. Spikes and gloves definitely help but arent 100% necessary. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @mike.karas or email me at [email protected] if youd like to join or like gear for the hike I have plenty of microspikes and gloves. I appreciate the outpouring of support from our ohana.. All anyone posts on here is about hiking the "legal" way, its not. per adult. Its actually one of the safest parts of the hike IMO. He was taken to Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was pronounced dead, the Air Force said. You definitely want good weather for this hike. The Olomana Trail is strenuous a 4.5-mile rocky path spread across three different mountainous peaks, according toSummitPost.org. 12. Watch out for roots as this is the largest risk as you climb. Affiliate Disclosures Privacy Policy Terms Of Use If you are interested in climbing the back (legal) way up to the summit you can contact @mike.karas on Instagram and chat with him about when his next tour is running as he hikes the trail most weeks. Posted on Last updated: February 22, 2022. The 31-year-old native of New York was assigned to the 15th Maintenance Group at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the Air Force said in a statement Thursday. The seemingly level elevation from point A to point B can be misleading and the giddy nature of being so close can come with a lack of focus. Also, it's a ridge..which could mean wind. Otherwise, as with many other Hawaiian hikes, closed means be prepared, respectful, and most of all, not stupid, Is anyone interested in doing the hike Tues 11/13 or Wed 11/14? Originally the stairs were built in 1942 by the U.S. Navy as a top-secret facility for transmitting radio signals to ships that were sailing in the Pacific Ocean. Begin walking the trail and after about 2.5 miles you'll see the sign on the left for "Kulana'ahane Trail". Looking to hike this this week if anybody wants to go .msg insta @allispichkooo :), Aloha! Finiahed in 10 hours. This is a review for hiking the Moanalua Valley to Middle Ridge to Tripler Ridge (AKA the legal back way to the Stairway to Heaven) and then down the stairs. Really bites that we struggled through mud for miles and never found the trail. Thanks for your support. The first mile on this trail climbs 900 feet in elevation and is primarily through trees. Many of the best hikes in Oahu have been closed preemptively to avoid more of these unjustified lawsuits. To get to the trailhead, park outside the Moanalua Valley Park and the trail begins just after the green gate. This trail suits two- and four-legged hikers of most fitness levels. This is a small playground area for children and at the back of the grass area, the paved trail begins. At a few points I need to brace myself against the bark of an ohia tree to keep from losing my balance. It gave the mountains and everything a surreal touch that made us feel like we were walking up into the heavens. from around the world. In total the hike is 5.2 miles with 2585 ft in elevation gain (basically all of this is condensed into the final 2 miles). The Haiku Stairs Hawaii trail was officially closed in the 1980s, and its been damaged a little (and repaired) on and off in the years since then. When you make it to the sign saying Kulanaahane continue on for another few meters until you will find the pathway on your left, which leads you across the rocky riverbed. He was previously stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy; Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. I explored the radio tower, Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven), and a set of abandoned, overgrown stairs. It was a beautiful day, not too muddy to complete this hike. A man who was hiking Hawaii's Olomana Trail reportedly plummeted hundreds of feet to his death on Sunday after he reportedly tried to grab his hat, marking the fourth death linked to the dangerous trail since 2011. Good luck and enjoy! I really hope they dont do that. After graduating with a journalism degree, I set off to explore the world while creating adventure travel guides featuring hikes, waterfalls, beaches & adrenaline activities. Moanalua Valley Trail to the Haiku Stairs is the only legal trail, and it is recommended for very experienced hikers. Make the risks known to people, but dont close all the hikes. Mahalo! Overall, AMAZING trail with the BEST views of the island!!! The cool, breezy path goes through a lush forest and contains seven bridges with stream fords. Give me a break!, its a hike, and a damn good one at that! Personally I think hikers should decide for themselves what kind of risks theyre comfortable with, but bear the responsibility themselves if they have an accident. The first part of the trail is fairly flat and easy consisting of 17 riverbed crossings. Theres the potential for a criminal charge of second degree trespassing (a misdemeanor record), which could be a big problem for some people who have security clearances, sensitive employment, professional licenses, immigration applications, etc. I would have liked to investigate an entry from the south if time permitted. You just keep heading straight up and you will eventually reach the satellite dish at the summit. Overnight parking is not allowed in Moanalua Valley Park - the gate is locked and the park is closed at a certain hour. A guide to those volcanic terms: Pele's hair, caldera, volcanic ash -- learn what they mean, Suspect in deadly Kapiolani hit-and-run crash released from jail, Beware of counterfeit products this holiday shopping season, Homeland Security Investigations warns, Maui County residents asked to report property damage caused by massive weekend ocean swells, Thanksgiving travel should be less chaotic than summer, Sunday Morning Weather - Light Trade Winds Continue. 00:00 01:00 Only In Your State Step 3 Take the Red Hill/Moanalua Valley exit (exit 2) and turn right on Ala Aolani Street. Usually trail run in the valley or hike up the ridge a couple times a week. You'll enjoy sweeping views of southern Oahu on this 10.4-mile roundtrip hike. As soon as you veer from top of the middle ridge, roughly 2000ft from the top of the stairs, you are trespassing and can be fined for doing so. Ive done the Hawaii Haiku Stairs hike several times now, and even after traveling in many countries, its still probably my favorite trek in the world. Its absolutely gorgeous. This is incorrect. Moanalua Middle Ridge is a challenging, 11- to 12-mile, out-and-back hike in Central Oahu, a journey that, more or less, takes eight hours to complete. How To Get There: Stairway Entrance / Directions, Deaths On The Stairway To Heaven In Hawaii. Looking to hike this any day in next week .if anybody's down, msg me in insta @allispichkooo:), Anyone want to do this on 11/24 or 11/25? I lived for a few years in Kaneohe (graduated James B Castle HS) some 50 years ago and NEVER knew about the Haiku stairway. Once up on the ridge, the view is absolutely incredible! If someone is offering to take you on a hike for a fee, you should report them to the Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement. After that, it should be pretty straightforward. WHAT IS THE BEST CHEAP BACKPACKER TRAVEL INSURANCE? It definitely is not legal to set foot on the Haiku Stairs or the satellite area at the summit. For a complete list of LEGAL State Trails, please visit hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails Lastly, guided hikes and other commercial activity being conducted inside Moanalua valley are illegal. No more news yet. There is danger involved with traversing a mountains ridgeback, an absurdly obvious fact thats slightly deceiving during the first leg of this trek, which begins at Moanalua Valley Park, a flat, straightforward 3-mile walk into Kamananui Valley. We are deeply saddened by the loss of Capt. He was a freelance writer and journalism teacher in China from 2006-2009. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. 44 Hawaiian and Pidgin Phrases Every Visitor Needs to Know, 20 Thoughts Every Hiker has had on the Trail Up Koko Head Crater, Shop These 5 Sophisticated Aloha Shirt Brands, The Enduring Nostalgia of Hawaii's Historic Drive-In Restaurants, Find Solitude and Serenity at the Waipio Wayside Bed and Breakfast, How (And Where) To Watch the Massive Waves on Oahu's North Shore. Theres a lot to do here, you can even camp and fish. It has been a long perpetuated myth that simply being on the stairs is what gets you fined. Ironically, the general consensus is that the stairs are actually a safer and easier route to the top of the mountain. An off-duty firefighter died in 2014 and a social worker died in 2011, both from falling off the trail. Anyone who hikes the 10 miles round trip is obviously going to go to the top of the stairs, or beyond. The cause of the airmans death is under investigation. Officials said he collapsed while hiking the Moanalua Valley trail, and was pronounced dead upon arrival at Tripler Army Medical Center Tuesday. Market data provided by Factset. The Stairway To Heaven trail is scary, but not very dangerous in my opinion unless you goof off or do something dumb. Thank for your continued support. From a timing perspective it took me 3hrs and 5 minutes but that was solo. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. A coworker identified the victim as Nathan Stowell, 24. Anthony Polizzi, said Col. Dan Dobbels, 15th Wing commander. Whoever JT is he needs to lighten the hell up. Additionally, there are several inclines and declines with poor footing. The terrain can be quite crumbly, with steep drop-offs so you do need to keep your focus throughout this hike. One of the best experiences I had on Oahu was swimming with the beautiful spinner dolphins on this exact tour. The Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku stairs hiking route is one of the most adventurous hikes on Oahu. You walk an easy trail for 3 miles before you start ascending to the summit, which is nearly 2 miles up. (That said, while you may take in the jaw-dropping views it showcases of Oahu at the hikes summit, the stairs themselves are still illegal to go down and trespass on, regardless of how youve reached them.) He served as the 15th Maintenance Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Operations Officer while at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi! This is quite the work out and worth the view. Nathan Stowell, 25, died on Sunday after falling 400 feet off a hiking trail of Hawaii's Mount Olomana. I also didnt get enough sleep dont be like me. Haiku Stairs Map How might someone prepare to hike Stairway to Heaven? I hope you enjoyed this travel guide for the Stairway to Heaven Hawaii hike. I was lucky enough to have climbed on a windless morning, but any wind will add to the complexity and risk to the hike. Not willing to change her identity to be part of the industry, Mahina Florence is at the height of her career because of her flawless Hawaiian complexion, strong athletic build, and friendly aloha spirit. We put on our microspikes at the riverbed and they were handy all the way to the summit. Theres also a legal way to reach the top of the mountain by climbing it from the backside via Moanalua Valley trail, which Ill explain in more detail later in this guide. A day after announcing his death, officials identified him as New York native and U.S. Air Force Capt. absolutely not! a pic? When I did the Haiku Stairs Oahu trek for the first time on my birthday in 2016, the weather started out clear but then some clouds came in. The stairs are priceless to many of us, and we all hope the staircase hike can be saved. Make sure you have done your research (YouTube) and you should be ready to are some awesome views. At the beginning, a large monkeypod tree leads to the Douglas Damon house site. Nowadays, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply owns the Hawaii Haiku Stairs, and theyve repeatedly talked about the idea of tearing them down for political (liability) reasons. As of 2023, there have never been any falling deaths on the Stairway To Heaven Hawaii hike. Ill keep this blog post updated. Moanalua Valley Trail is the back route and legal access to the Haiku Stairs, which is illegal to access from the front stairway. Eat healthy foods bring nuts, fruits like bananas or mandarins to get quick sugar fixes so you can have quick energy (if you can have those things) . If you do choose to continue on past the legal boundary and to the illegal area of the radio tower and reach the Haiku Stairs, this is what you can expect. Here are my hiking essentials. The stairs start in the Haiku Valley, under the H3 highway (John A. Burns Freeway) and they wind up the side of a mountain near Kaneohe, called Puukeahiakahoe. There is parking in the park parking lot, but it's only open from 7 am to 7 pm. It's not about the rules and laws I've cited. At some points, the stairs of death are almost vertical, clinging to the side of the steep mountain. These affiliates don't cost you anything extra and help me keep the site going. Native plants along the ridge and rare apapane (Hawaiian honeycreeper) sightings aside, the hike has grown in popularity over the years because of its whispered status as a legal access route, the back way, to the infamous HaikuStairs. Just because you don't see or understand the damage you are causing doesn't make it right. Non-potable stream water can be found through out the valley. There is a security guard at the beginning. Theres a tree branch that has Middle Ridge carved into it as a reference point. There are dozens of other legal trails that give you a similar view that you can hike. Trailhead Coordinates - Latitude: 21.37409 | Longitude: -157.880509. Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Do not attempt this hike. At another, I cut up my knuckles clawing for exposed roots to keep from tumbling down the rugged spine. Start hiking along the road/trail just past the bathrooms. This is known as the back way for the Stairway To Heaven. This hike was so challenging and worthwhile, probably one of my favorite hikes I have ever done. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Polizzi collapsed while hiking the Moanalua Valley trail on Oahu. Highly recommend, it was one of the best hikes I have ever done. The first 2.5ish miles are flat and the next 2 miles are a pretty steep incline. This blog post will explain some of the details and history of the Hawaii Stairway To Heaven hike, and then Ill discuss some of the politics behind the stairs and plans for their future. In this blog post, I will share with you all of the details about the Moanalua Valley Trail to Haiku Stairs including distance, elevation, legalities, what to bring, and how to avoid trouble on this route. Cool ridge hike, 4hrs at 28 mins moving time. Liability is the main reason theyre closed. Moanalua Valley Trail to the Haiku Stairs (Stairway To Heaven) [CLOSED / PRIVATE PROPERTY], https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/document-download?id=11354. Crouching Lion and Sacred Falls are other examples. The victim plunged off Mount Olomana's third peak, near Kailua, around 10:50 a.m.,Hawaii News Now reported, citing the Honolulu Fire Department. Moanalua (Kamananui) Valley Trail on Oahu. HONOLULU (KITV4) Honolulu Fire received an emergency 911 call about hikers in distress on the Moanalua Valley Trail on Friday evening. The Stairway To Heaven hike is much longer, steeper, harder, and scarier than the Koko Stairs. Being inside the boundaries of the TMK parcel that the stairs is built on is a finable offense for having broken property and trespass laws. Most of the time it will be muddy, so be prepared to get dirty. Regular athletic shoes will not do the job. We celebrated National Take a Hike Day (Nov. 17), with a round up of our top picks for the best hikes on the Island. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. As we continue on for the next few hours theres something encouraging about being able to zero in on where we started at Moanalua Valley Park and the remote summit before us, to visually track our progress. The trail becomes quite adventurous with many sections becoming quite narrow and requiring a rope to pull yourself up the slippery, gravel surface. Its towering heights along a steep ridge could cause a sudden slip to be fatal. My issue is with the degradation of the endangered Elepaio habitat that exists in that valley. On my hike up the Moanalua Valley Trail, I went halfway down the stairs and back up just to explore and then returned via the Moanalua Valley Trail although I met some people who were going to try and exit via the stairs. Foster Botanical Garden is a loop trail that is used for walking and nature trips located near Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. I'm providing information that is factual instead of perpetuating a myth. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Theres a nature trail by the Botanic Library that takes you to a lake. A guy yelled and cussed at us and sprayed us with water with blue dye. Hiking sandals are ok IF you're experienced hiking in muddy slippery conditions in them. My husband and I are planning on doing this hike. The hike is four miles each way . Although small and unmarked its an obvious trail. Editors Note: We love hiking! What can be earliest time to start this hike? The trail was washing away. Please find another hike. This is classic government stupidity for you tax people to build them, tax more to fix them, then tax to take them out because they are dangerous when actually they are much safer than no stairs. Trail reports are used to indicate a trails current condition and inform builders and other riders about any issues on a trail. Not the one all the way to the left. Thanks for looking! If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. If you don't want to do the illegal way, this way is worth it. You need to take the MIDDLE option. If its handled right, this solution could resolve many of the issues associated with the Stairway To Heaven. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.