While Kalalau is the classic tourist backpack trip on Kaua'i, the Cowboy Flats trek takes the adventurer to Kaua'i's remote backcountry wilderness.
Stuart Ball writes, "The destination is a remote camp a few miles from Wai'ale'ale, the highest mountain on Kaua'i and the wettest spot on earth. Along the way are wild, scenic overlooks, surging streams, and a rich variety of native rain forest plants."*
Day 1 - Pu'u o Kila lookout to Kawaikoi Camp
Length: 3.75 mi
Elev. Loss: 800 ft
On Friday, July 13, Stuart, Grant Oka, Ken Suzuki, Tom Anderson (almost fully recovered from his Wailau mishap) and myself caught early flights to the Garden Isle, and after a quick stop at Walmart for white gas and a 12 pack of Coke among other items (no, we did not pack in the 12 cans of coke!), a nice caucasian lady named Oieta drove us to the Pu'u o Kila lookout (elev. 4,176 ft) in Koke'e State Park.
Following final preps (including the donning of rain gear due to morning showers), the five of us walked up to the first overlook on the Pihea Trail and enjoyed an excellent, clear view of Kalalau Valley's broad expanse far below then commenced the journey at 9:42 am. As we hiked along Pihea, fog engulfed the footpath. Once our party reached the boardwalk section, we shifted into botanical mode, Ken being an expert in Hawaiian flora. Ohawai lobeliads in bloom, tons of lapalapa, and many ohi'a lehua trees (some with clusters of crimson flowers), grabbed our attention. At the fourway junction, we paused to study three native birds perched on tree branches above our heads then continued straight on Pihea. Farther ahead at a lookout, Ken recognized an owl soaring through the air.
"That's good luck" he exclaimed.
Continuing on, our hiking quintet gradually descended via the pleasant switchbacks/contour then ate lunch at noon at a covered picnic table about half a mile from Kawaikoi Camp, a lone coot floating on the surface of a nearby tea-colored tributary. Upon arriving at Kawaikoi Camp (a large flat grassy area complete with compost toilet and covered picnic table), we erected our tents and fetched water from nearby Kawaikoi Stream. Later, Grant and Stuart bathed naked in a swimming hole below the tract where the stream flows over Camp 10-Mohihi Road. I also took a refreshing dip but in my red speedo bathing suit. Ken found the sight of Grant and Stuart in the buff most revolting and his comments such as "put your damn clothes back on!" induced hearty laughter from the rest of us. :-)
Prior to dinner preparations, Tom, Ken and I experienced the wonderful 1.7 mile Kawaikoi Stream Trail. Stuart writes, "This hike is perhaps the loveliest stream walk in the Islands. Deep, serene pools alternate with shallow, noisy rapids."**
Somewhere in the middle of the loop hike, I stretched out and took a nap in the warm late afternoon sunshine and before closing the loop, spotted a pair of shy coots in the stream.
When night fell, the five of us put on warm clothing (temps in the mid to lower 60's) and engaged in star gazing. Ken, adept at planet/star identification, was bummed that we couldn't see the Southern Cross because of the surrounding forest, but a very bright Mars, as well as the constellations Scorpius, Corvus, the Big Dipper and Corona Borealis helped compensate.
By 9 pm, clouds almost completely obscured the evening sky, encouraging us to retire to our humble abodes. Bedtime came especially early for Grant, who slept like a baby, snoring loudly inside his one-man Northface canyonlands tent.
Day 2 - Kawaikoi Camp to Koai'e Camp
Length: 6.3 mi Elev.
Gain/Loss: 800/400 ft
Leaving Kawaikoi Camp behind, the five of us headed south on Camp 10-Mohihi Road through Sugi Grove (a beautiful forest of tall sugi cedars) at 8 am after fording Kawaikoi Stream. While accomplishing the two mile road walk to the Mohihi-Wai'alae trailhead, Grant employed his GPS and studied a topo map, Tom examined a map he had brought and Stuart reviewed his notes for a possible update on his website. En route to the trailhead, our group passed a truck with a dead feral chicken attached to the front grill. Farther ahead, the road went east, and we stopped briefly to converse with the owner of the vehicle (a friendly pig hunter). Two of the dogs in his pack were badly undernourished (exposed ribcage), and he explained that they belonged to someone else and had been lost in the woods.
Upon reaching the trailhead, our quintet took a break at a covered picnic table. During the interlude, two pig hunter trucks arrived full of excited canines raring to be released for the chase! Unfortunately, once they were free from their cage, a few of them created a new obstacle on the trail (feces), and I almost stepped in some.
I jokingly inquired of Stuart... "Why did you bring us here? This area is going to the dogs!"
We waited for the hunters and their pack to disappear into the forest so that the dogs wouldn't follow us, then continued our journey. After fording Mohihi Stream, our party began ascending steeply up a side ridge on a wide trail. I spotted a tall hahalua plant among the native flora and pointed it out to the others. Eventually, the footpath leveled off at the top of Kohua Ridge, and we paused on two occasions: the first to enjoy a superb vista of Koai'e Canyon to Waimea Canyon, and the latter to gain pleasure from the sight of an impressive cascade flowing hundreds of feet down the opposite side of Koai'e Canyon. Sherri, an attractive middle age female, caught up to us, and we spoke with her briefly (we would see her again at the beginning of the steep descent to Koai'e Stream). Clouds moved in and a light drizzle fell, but the inclement weather soon passed, replaced by mostly clear skies and sunshine.
Following a long lunch break, the five of us entered the Alakai Swamp and finished the leg to Koai'e Camp at 2:45 pm, fording wide, rapidly flowing, tea-colored Koai'e Stream a short distance below a powerful five-foot high waterfall in the process. Ken, the consummate gentleman, assisted Sherri over the waterway, but despite his help, Sherri got wet up to her waist. As a result, she stripped down to her underware to allow her jeans to dry upon completing the stream crossing.
After the erection of our tents amongst trees and other native flora, Tom and I explored up stream and swam in a fairly calm pool. Meanwhile, Grant and Stuart acquired water from the river. Later, Grant (in the buff), myself (red speedo), and Stuart (also naked) immersed ourselves in/near the falls, delighting in the massaging nature of the falls and the jacuzzi action at the base of the falls.
Prior to dinner preparation, the six of us gathered at a place in the middle of the camp which Grant dubbed "O'ahu", where we kicked back and conversed, the tops of ohi'a lehua trees lit up beautifully by the afternoon sunlight set against the clear blue sky, a curious elepaio purched on a branch above. When the sun disappeared behind an adjacent ridge, the temperature began to drop, prompting each of us to change into warm apparel. Once the evening meal was consumed and darkness had set in, the stars appeared, but many were obscured by the partial canopy. Equipped only with a tarp for shelter, Sherri decided to sleep inside the recently cleaned shack located beside the stream.
Day 3 - Koai'e Camp to Wai'alae Camp at Cowboy Flats
Length: Approximately 6 mi
Elev. Gain/Loss: 100/400 ft
A thick fog engulfed the surrounding ridges the morning of our third day, prompting Stuart to comment, "Now THIS is more like it," in reference to the region's normal weather pattern.
Bidding Sherri a fond farewell (she would retrace her steps to Koke'e), our quintet departed Koai'e Camp at 8 am bound for Wai'alae Camp. With Ken in the ram-rod position, we climbed steeply on a brushy trail to the top of the ridge to the south of the camp. As we made our way through the rain forest, the fog lifted, and we passed an abundance of native flora (plenty of alani), including the tallest hapu'u ferns I've ever seen, and noticed a good number of native birds (elepaio, amakihi, apapane), impressive chainsaw work having reopened the footpath where blowdowns had previously blocked it. This part of the trip is best suited for the plant lover/birder since there are few vistas due to the surrounding trees.
Eventually, our party transitioned from the swamp to Kaluaha'ula Ridge where thorny blackberry shrubs encroached upon the footpath not far from the junction with the contour trail leading down to Wai'alae Camp at Cowboy Flats.
"Blood on the trail!" Grant exclaimed.
After relaxing in a grove of tall sugi pines, we reached the junction and descended to gently flowing tea-colored Wai'alae Stream via 7 switchbacks. Upon fording the babbling brook at 3:20 pm, Stuart and I set up our tents in a shady tract a short distance outside the main camping area while Ken, Grant and Tom chose the open grassy region near the cabin. An abundance of blue sky and sunshine beckoned us to go for a swim in the stream, and we did not resist the urge to do so. Did Grant and Stuart get naked? By now you must know the answer to this question! :-)
Between 5 and 7 pm, Tom and I experienced a pleasant day hike of the final 2 miles of the Pu'u Ki Wai'alae Trail, which contours high above a big pool and small waterfalls in Wai'alae Stream. The entire trail is a 12 mile footpath stretching almost all the way to Waimea Town, used primarily by mule riders. The two of us could monitor the distance covered because the tops of the sugi pines above Cowboy Flats were almost always visible, even from afar.
Following the consumption of dinner, the five of us did some star gazing, led by our celestial mystro Ken Suzuki. We even tried to compose our own names for the star clusters. Because this was the last evening of our trip, everyone stayed up a little later than the past two nights. Nevertheless, when clouds moved in, obscuring much of the heavens, campers began retiring to their canvass coverings, Ken to listen to a Chinese station on his transistor radio.
Day 4 - Cowboy Flats to Kukui
Trailhead Length: Approximately 8 miles
Elev. Gain/Loss: 2,720/3,320 ft.
While the first day of our trip was the easiest, and days 2 and 3 had a distinctly botanical/birder emphasis, the fourth and final day of the Cowboy Flats trek would be the most difficult, yet the most scenic.
We emerged from our tents to a gorgeous morning, an abundance of blue sky containing a few puffy white clouds illuminated by the rays of the rising sun. Not meaning to be antisocial, I ate a part from the group at a covered picnic table across from the cabin and gazed at the surrounding forest, savoring the last hours at Wai'alae Camp.
At 8 am, packed and ready for the day's journey, our hiking quintet forded Wai'alae Stream and ascended gradually to the crest of Kaluaha'ula Ridge. Heading west, we soon spotted several tall hahalua plants, but had to battle more blackberry. Farther ahead, the forest transitioned to koa, sandalwood, kopiko, a'ali'i, and the pretty yellow flowers of ko'oko'olau caught our attention. The ridge narrowed and the vegetation opened up, affording magnificent views of Koai'e and Waimea canyons, Waimea Town visible far in the distance. Grant was stoked by the sights and snapped copious photos, and Ken placed a cap on his head then put on a pair of sunglasses to protect himself from the bright sunshine. Under a shade tree at the apex of Red Hill, we ate an early lunch, hydrated and marveled at the sheer rugged rocky walls across the gorge.
With a definite rendezvous time (5:30 pm) for pickup at the Kukui trailhead, the five of us began descending very steeply over crumbly/eroded, exposed Red Hill at high noon. I found the experience to be most enjoyable, allowing my feet to slide downslope as if snow skiing. Ken, on the other hand, couldn't wait to reach solid, level terra firma. The angle of descent relented followed by another steep segment. At a lone wiliwili tree, we veered left off the ridge crest and eventually scrambled down a gully to Kaluaha'ula Camp (elev. 800 ft), arriving there at 1:30 pm, blood seeping from the wounds lantana had wrought on those foolish enough not to have worn long pants.
"Don't get comfortable guys, we have a van to catch" Stuart reminded us.
Pressing on, our group forded the Waimea River, which didn't contain much water due to the Lonomea dam located upstream; carefully negotiated a narrow trail that contoured above the stream along the base of a large dike (Stuart and Tom took the low road, opting to rock hop in the stream bed); then obtained water from a spring-fed cascade at the end of the contour. Our next stop came at the Wiliwili Camp covered picnic table. After a short break, Grant and Ken commenced the arduous 2.5 mile 2,200 foot ascent out of the canyon, but Tom, Stuart and myself immersed in the stream prior to starting the climb. Serving as sweep, I departed Wiliwili Camp at 3:07 pm and caught up to Tom and Stuart about a quarter of a mile above the canyon floor.
If the heat wasn't enough, the strain of hauling a heavy pack steeply up a dusty trail certainly took it's toll. However, the sweeping vista of Koai'e Canyon, Kaluaha'ula Ridge (including Red Hill), Waimea Canyon and Wai'alae Canyon (with its impressive waterfall) provided a brief mental escape from the fatigue. Also visible way in the distance - the tops of the tall sugi pines above Cowboy Flats.
The numerous iliau shrubs growing beside the iliau loop trail just below the Kukui trailhead were a welcome sight for five tired backpackers. Oieta had arrived early, accompanied by her three adorable children, and we immediately loaded up her van for the trip back to Lihu'e.
Upon arriving in Lihu'e, the nine of us dined at Pizza Hut, scarfing down three large pizzas.
Notes:
Special thanks to Mel Yoshioka and other volunteers who helped reopen the section of the Mohihi-Wai'alae Trail between Koai'e Camp and Wai'alae Camp damanged by hurricane 'Iniki.
A big mahalo to Stuart Ball, Jr. for putting together the trip and to Oieta for providing transportation to and from Lihu'e.
REFERENCES
* Ball, Jr., Stuart M. THE BACKPACKERS GUIDE TO HAWAI'I. Honolulu: University Of Hawai'i Press, 1996.
** Ball, Jr., Stuart M. THE HIKERS GUIDE to the HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2000.
== Paka
Author: Patrick Rorie <prorie@k12.hi.us>
Comments
Post a Comment