Exploring Dick Schmidt's Route in Moanalua Valley

Location: Moanalua Valley, Oahu, Hawaii | Hike Type: Ridge & Valley Route Exploration | Hike Date: December 2, 2001

On Monday, December 03, 2001, Jay Feldman wrote:

"We had an excellent day on the trail. I understand why Thomas couldn't make it, but Jason was excuseless; he missed a great one."

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Exploring Dick Schmidt's Route in Moanalua Valley

Sunday, December 2, 2001

Ahhh... slept 'til 7:30 am! Would have had to be across Waipio Costco at that time for Kipapa trailclearing. Weather looks good—very windy, but no rain like yesterday. Maybe I should have gone to Kipapa. Eat a leisurely breakfast, read some newspaper, and generally dilly-dally wondering where to go. Cera and Kimberly leave for church, beating me out the door. If it had been drizzly, I would go somewhere in dry Hawaii Kai. Finally, I decide to look for Dick Schmidt's route in Moanalua Valley between Twin Pine and Twin Pole ridges. I can even stop by afterwards to see how Kipapa went (and eat Mabel's desserts too!).

Setting Out from Moanalua Valley Park

Leave home at 10:00 am. Only one van is parked at Moanalua Valley Park, but the gates are partially closed, preventing me from driving through. Park closed? No, just strong winds, I guess. Turn around and park a couple of car lengths behind an older brown sedan. Hmmm. Is that Dick Schmidt's car?

Start in at 10:20 am. No one's at the park. After passing the locked gate that blocks vehicular access to the valley dirt road, I look back to see a lady (probably a resident on her morning walk) pushing the gate back open. A few minutes later, I pass a father with three sons. He's busy holding up the youngest so the child can pee on the side of the road. Yup, been there, done that with Kimberly! Or maybe that was a little girl. That would make more sense.

Finding the Trailhead & Meeting "The King of Frugality"

Continue on the dirt road past the first stream crossing to marker 5. There's water flowing today. I see a blue ribbon on the right—must be official trail marker Tom Yoza's route from last Sunday. Dick mentioned that he goes upstream at the second stream crossing, so I go there. Of course, that's still Moanalua stream, where we exited last Sunday when it was dry. He couldn't have gone in there because he'd be mauka of Twin Pine ridge; he'd want to be makai. So I backtrack down the road and see a nice trail on my left. Step up that, and in seconds it ends at a rain gauge. Back to the road again and makai.

Just mauka of Tom's blue ribbon, I hear chopping. Within seconds, The Man himself appears. Dick's heading out but eagerly turns around to show me his trail. Up we go on a narrow trail through dense strawberry guava, passing ribbons from Waianae Steve and others. We pause at the Junction in an open area. Ribbons lead left and right. Right probably leads to the streambed just mauka of Twin Pole ridge. We turn left and descend to a trickling stream, then head upstream about five minutes, crossing the wet streambed a few times. Dick's recent machete (cane knife?) and saw cuts show the way.

A "ribbon" marks the start of his steep zigzagging trail on the right. I was expecting a long walk in a wide gulch followed by an easy switchback joining Tripler Ridge. Not! He waits for me to sight the next ribbon above before turning back. Thanks, Dick! I follow his ribbons of various colors, most made from plastic bags. Dick's legendary for his, uh, thriftiness. (As Dayle might say, with machete held high, "The King of Frugality.")

Ascending to Tripler Ridge

Pass mostly Christmas berry, ti, and grass. Working uphill at a very deliberate pace, I spend a lot of time breaking and sawing overhead Christmas berry branches. Takes a long time to get on the ridgeline, which is shady but has very few view spots unlike Twin Pole ridge. Mostly strawberry guava with dirt and moss underfoot on the ridgeline. Appear to be just mauka of Twin Pole ridge. Wonder if I could have continued straight up from the junction with ribbons going left and right? I'm sure Dick must have checked it before. Blocked by a big rock face?

Join Tripler ridge around 1:15 pm at the mango tree makai of two sets of green 4-column transmission poles (formed by angle iron and flat bar—oodles of welds!) and mauka of wooden twin poles. Takes 20 minutes to the Twin Pines, passing various pig and/or hunter trails left and right along the way. Just before the pines, the trail enters dense strawberry guava where it's quite dark and gloomy. I'm busy looking down trying not to step in the mud. When I glance up, I'm startled by a baby puaɫa (pig) propped in the trees just a few feet ahead. Kinda spooky when you're all alone. Its skin is ripped in two places, still bright red. No blood dripping, no smell, only a few flies including a big, iridescent green fly. Didn't hear any pig squealing, dogs barking, or rifle shots all day.

I hurry by, pause at the junction with Twin Pine ridge a half minute later, then continue mauka to the big eroded spot to rest and eat (wheat thins and mocha Powerbar Harvest energy bar). Same lunch spot as last Sunday's TM. Nice views all around, bright and sunny with gusty winds. Waianae mountains all clear for Pat's Makua Rim club hike. Konahuanui's clouded in. Lanihuli too? Was Tripler and Bowman summit clear? Can't remember.

Checking In via Two-Way Radio

Before heading back, I try to contact the trailclearing gang on Kipapa. Dusty replies faintly. Notice the volume on my two-way radio is at its lowest setting. Maybe that's why I never heard anyone earlier—that and the gusty winds. Dusty replies that he's heading out and that Dayle (and I thought a few others) pushed for the summit. I ask if the trail is dry or muddy. He says some dry, some muddy sections. Overall sounds surprisingly good. Damn! Maybe I should've joined them. But I already went there twice this year: the first, a rainy mud fest; the second, a gorgeous cool, dry, sunny, breezy day.

Descending & Encountering Heiau Photographers

I start back at 2:05 pm, debating whether to descend Twin Pine ridge to avoid the pig. Decide to return the same way to familiarize myself with the new route. Stop to examine the pig again, reminding myself not to let my Camelbak bite valve (a foot away) make contact. I poke at its side with my stick. Still soft. Is it still warm? Probably. Should have touched it with my hand!

Continue makai and turn right across the mango tree and descend, hunting for the ribbons at times. Zigzag to the streambed, follow it down until I spot ribbons on the left where I turn up, then pause at the Junction. Uphill, something grayish-white catches my eye through the trees. It's perfectly still, but the color doesn't fit in. The wind has been playing a haunting tune all day over the transmission lines that cross the valley, and I imagine a cloth draped over a head. Soon it starts to move slowly, and I realize it's a hiker. Or a bird photographer, after I notice him carrying a huge tripod. I spend five minutes watching him move carefully this way and that. Not wanting to disturb any birds, I start back.

Then change my mind and go up to say hello. Turns out to be a guy who just finished taking photos of a heiau. He has a big camera attached to a big, heavy tripod like surveyors use. (His camera reminds me of a modern version of the one that HTMC member Jon Ogata, a serious photographer and Shipyard QC auditor, once lugged on the Kuaokala trail. It used a 2" x 2" negative and included a hood to drape over his head and shoulders. He'd take 10 minutes to set up each shot.) His buddy is sitting next to the heiau eating and relaxing. They enjoy the outdoors and hike every couple of weeks looking for heiau to photograph for a future book. They were on the other side of the dirt road earlier looking for another heiau a friend told them about, but couldn't find it and came up to photograph this one instead. I mention the Sites of O'ahu book by Sterling and Summers and that I thought the heiau locations were already known. Apparently not.

They note the recent clearing and new ribbons. I cautiously reply that a bunch of us were here last Sunday looking for a route up to the pine trees atop Tripler ridge. They seem to be OK with that—more concerned with trail damage from horses, bikes, motorbikes, and ATVs, and me hiking alone. Must've been yakking 20 minutes. Got to hurry to the post-Kipapa food fest!

Post-Hike Refreshments

I say good-bye and rush out, reaching the road five minutes later. But not before slipping while stepping down a short drop in the trail half a minute earlier. Damn! Dirt on my pack.

Ten minutes later, I'm walking out of the park (full of cars and basketball players) and reach the car by 4:00 pm. Fifteen minutes later, I meet the Kipapa gang across from Costco. Some are still cleaning up and removing their shoes. Just in time for refreshments!

— Jason