HTMC Kuaokala Campout

HTMC Kuaokala Campout

Posted to OHE on 21 February 2001 by Patrick Rorie

Characterized by a kinder, gentler aspect, the 2001 HTMC Kuaokala Campout took place this past President's day weekend with excellent results. The emphasis being on family and new backpackers.

Twenty-nine participants: campout coordinators Ken Suzuki and Carole Moon, Mike Algiers, Helene Shroat, Brandon Stone, Kay Lynch, Carmen Craig, Ralph, Beverly and Michael Valentino, Jason, Cera and Kimberly Sunada, Tom ?, Doug ?, Hui Su, Cindy Reves, Andree Paradis, Justin Ohara, Magnolia, Patrick Rorie, Larry Oswald, Kris Corliss, Ginger Oswald, Kona Oswald (the family dog), Nathan Yuen, Myra and Wainani health Dombrowski, June Miyasato and John Darrah. Jason and Kimberly came up via the paved Mokuleia Access Road, and John Darrah arrived on Sunday via the Mokuleia Trail.

On Saturday, February 17, the participants (with the exception of Jason, Kimberly and John) met in the parking area adjacent to the guard station behind Yokohama Bay (O'ahu's extreme west end) at approx. 8 a.m. Because there is no water at Peacock Flats and the Mokuleia campsite, large containers were loaded into Ken's Honda Passport, Ralph's truck and Myra's Dodge 4x4. After a brief spiel from Ken, a caravan of vehicles motored up Kuaokala Ridge to the trailhead (elev. 1,300 ft), and backpackers hit the trail a few minutes later. While the backpackers methodically traveled east along the scenic Kuaokala Trail, Ken, Ralph and Myra drove their vehicles to Peacock Flats to drop off the water and gear a few of the hikers decided not to haul themselves (i.e. Carmen, recovering from a cold and yet desiring to walk in, preferred to carry a lite day pack). Morning sprinkles and overcast skies transitioned to a gorgeous day weatherwise - an abundance of blue sky and sunshine with a nice cooling breeze.

The hikers started out together but soon broke up into smaller groups depending on speed and stamina. Carole served as sweep, and Ms. Moon, Justin, Patrick and Ken kept in touch via walkie-talkies. Dayle Turner, engaged in a day hike that began from Dillingham Airfield, joined the procession when it reached the dirt Kuaokala Access Road. At a key junction on the Kuaokala Access Road (map point G on page 117 in Stuart Ball's BACKPACKERS GUIDE TO HAWAI'I), almost all of the campers went left, remaining on the road. Only Nathan, Justin, Carmen, Larry, Kris, Ginger, Cera, Magnolia, Dayle and Patrick turned right and ascended to the northshore overlook above the abandoned Nike missile site. At the overlook, the group split again with Larry, Kris and Ginger opting to descend to the Nike site and then to a paved road leading to Peacock Flats. Ginger's stubbornness greatly influenced the decision. :-)

Once on the Makua Rim Trail, Patrick and Magnolia brought up the rear and ate lunch at the awesome Makua Valley lookout (map point I) between 12:30 and 1 p.m. The various colors and shapes caught Rorie's attention: the triangular peak on the crest of Ohikilolo Ridge, the dark green imposing flanks jutting out from Ohikilolo Ridge, the grey/black exposed dike rock in the cliffs, the red eroded foothills on the valley floor, the light green grassy prairie area, the broad white sand beach, and the deep blue Pacific Ocean. "One thousand feet below lies the green expanse of Makua Valley leading to the ocean. In back are the dark sheer walls of 'Ohikilolo Ridge. Spend some time watching the interplay of sun and clouds on ocean, ridge, and valley. Who says O'ahu isn't as beautiful as the Neighbor Islands?"*

Eventually, the rim trekkers dropped down to the Mokuleia campsite (elev. 2,180 ft) where Justin, Nathan, and Patrick pitched their tents (Dayle and Carmen continued descending gradually to Peacock Flats; Magnolia set up her tent later with Ken's help). After erecting their canvass coverings, Justin and Nathan fetched water containers located at the end of the Mokuleia Trail about half a mile from the campsite and then took naps. Meanwhile, Patrick and Magnolia paid a visit to the Peacock Flats campground to relax and talk story with their fellow camping companions.

At about 6:15 p.m. Ken, Carole, Ralph, Magnolia, Nathan, June, Myra, Wainani, and Patrick assembled at the Makua Rim overlook above the Mokuleia campsite to watch the sun set, night fall and the stars come out. Beautiful! Despite the chilly evening temperature (upper 50's), the group enjoyed joking with each other and gazing at the clear night sky chock full of a multitude of stars until 7:45 p.m.

== Sunday, February 18

Another lovely day weatherwise set the table for a memorable layover day. The campers split into four groups: a small number (including the children) chose to hang around Peacock Flats, the botonist types (Ken, Kay and Brandon) led a search for native plants/snails, another gang got up on the Makua Rim and eventually found themselves at the awesome Makua Valley lookout (map point I), and the final bunch (Patrick, Jason, Larry, Kris, Mike, Helene, and Nathan) paid a visit to Three Corners (the spot on the Waianae Range where three valleys converge, affording a fabulous panorama of Mount Ka'ala, Makaha Valley, Makua Valley and the northshore) despite the nuisance of a fence which runs along the rim.

In the afternoon, the hikers returned to their respective campsites and showered (Larry set up a temporary shower using one of those plastic waterbag thingees available at Sports Authority), napped/kicked back. To get a feel for the lower campground, Justin and Magnolia relocated their tents to Peacock Flats. As twilight drew near, the Peacock Flats party drove down to a nice overlook of the northshore, situated on the Mokuleia Access Road, to watch night fall, the stars come out, and to view the northshore city lights. At the same time, Patrick, John and Nathan witnessed the sun set, night fall and experienced wonderful star gazing from the Makua Valley overlook above the Mokuleia campsite. Upon returning to the campsite, John turned in early, Nathan retired to his canvass covering at 9 p.m., but Patrick stayed up until 11:30 to savor the final night of the campout.

== Monday, February 19 (President's Day)

From the Mokuleia campsite, a baker's dozen, led by Ken and accompanied by Reuben Mateo (State DLNR worker), tramped along the Mokuleia Trail past a dry stream bed and down toward the forest reserve boundary to find a spring. After gaining the crest of a forested ridge amongst tall eucalyptus trees, the gang proceeded steeply downslope to the spring, which became a gently flowing stream over three small waterfalls and a 30-foot cascade.

Upon consuming the midday meal, the hikers backtracked to break camp and head home. Some of the backpackers who did not participate in the day hike had already departed for the Kuaokala trailhead. Still others hung out at Peacock Flats until the day hikers returned.

Once everything was packed and loaded into trucks, those that remained at Peacock Flats jumped into vehicles, bound for the Kuaokala trailhead. At 2 p.m. Patrick vacated the Mokuleia campsite, ascended to the Makua Rim and backpacked the traditional route (the same way he came in), setting a leisurely pace with stops at map point I and the northshore overlook above the old Nike site. Rorie reached his car at 6:20 p.m., long after his friends had departed the region.

Notes:

On Saturday while on a day hike in Pahole, Brandon and Kay discovered a cluster of endangered native ferns. Kay was ecstatic! Special thanks to Ken and Carole for organizing the event and acquiring the permits.

*Excerpted from Stuart Ball's THE BACKPACKERS GUIDE TO HAWAI'I, page 116.