True Pu'u Manamana

True Pu'u Manamana

Posted to OHE on 12 August 2011 by August Smith

On Sunday 7/3/11, one year to the date of Pete and Laredo's 1st (known) summit of Pu'u Manamana... Ko'olau and I coincidentally and unknowingly found ourselves getting ready to cross it off "the list." The hype had finally started to dwindle and there was a chance we might get the trail to ourselves! We started early @ 7:10am on the "graveyard" trail weighed down w/ 150' of strong rope, 3 liters of water and a ton of food, not to mention the space blankets, jackets and other misc. stuffs. W/ recent accounts of 15+ hour round trips, overgrowth was a concern. @8:52am we reached Turnover on a decently clear approach (Mahalo HTMC TM Crew!). 

From here the path to "True Manamana" was pretty defined; a year ago we had left the first 15 or so feet untouched as not to lead people astray, this is no longer the case! I also noticed that both USGS benchmarks were missing. We took a snack break here and soaked in the sights in beautiful and brutally hot sunlight... I was already soaked w/ sweat (or at least thats what I thought). 

From here we pressed on on a very clear trail; it was in better condition than the club trail in most places. Surprised, we made great time, until I crouched to go over a tree and noticed water dripping past my face. I realized then, that all the sweat was really my camelbak leaking my water reserves. Vexed... I apologized to Ko'olau and told him @1900' lookout I would know for sure. He went on ahead as I tried in vain to fix the camelbak using a lighter and some needle nose pliers, and wateproof medical tape. Within a half hour I had rigged it so at least I couldnt tell that it was leaking. Feeling better about the situation I caught up w/ Ko'olau. The day was too nice + I was over coming back, so I threw caution to the wind or lack there of and we plowed down from the lookout into the once unknown.

This is where the ridge gets down to business; it narrows considerably and starts its downward angle towards the saddle and ultimately back up to Pu'u Manamana (True Manamana), a roughly 1600' obscure peak overlooking Kahana, Ka'aawa, and sweeping sections of Kaneohe and the bay. I will spare you from too many specifics as there are enough videos, blog entries, and other misc. posts about this hike. That w/ a little web research one can basically get a good feel of it. Much of the path is narrow and crumbly + overgrown (well maybe not anymore). 

Now at the big drop, we encountered a new-old rope; after looking at the ware from rubbing on rocks and weathering from the uv and rain on the once red, frayed 3/8" city mill rope, I was amazed at how distressed it was in less than a year. I happily dropped a slightly knotted 100' of strong rope. Before this I had the rope in a stuff sack hooked onto my back pack... it kept swinging back and forth like a metronome on the narrow ridge. It kept this part very interesting. Ko'olau took the plunge and was soon safely at the bottom of the big drop; soon after so was I. We pressed on; the going was slow, the views incredible, and the helicopters, as annoying as ever! We encountered old cables, new ropes, knobs, a puka, and a whole ton of rotten rock.

@12:57pm we summited Pu'u Manamana w/ incredible conditions... the views were spectacular. While hiding from the sun we inspected all the ribbon left there. There was ribbon from a bunch of different groups and individuals... there was even one from somebody named Kandy. Seeing as this summit already has enough ribbon we left no additional ribbon there. Lunch was had, Ko'olau w/ veggie curry and I had brown rice along w/ raw veggies and avo. We dropped base camp a call (we would have wished Dave a happy birthday but didn't have his #). Checking my camelbak here it was apparent that the leak was still leaking. I now had less than half a liter of my once 3 left (I was drinking very little trying to conserve). Reluctantly we left the summit @ 1:40pm and headed back to do the trail in reverse.

 We made great time on the way back and were soon back to our rope at the big drop. It was here I officially ran out of water (I guesstimate that I may have drank 1 of the 3 liters I started w/)... soon we were on top safely coiling our rope back up. Ko'olau offered to carry it out (to which I gave no argument). Within 20 mins we were back @ 1900' lookout and breathed a sigh of relief. Ko'olau had left behind 3/4 of a liter of water and he graciously gave me more than half! We took a quick break here and then plowed for Turnover.

@ 4:06pm we hit turnover and had "2nd lunch." We were treated to late afternoon sunbeams breaking through the clouds and illuminating Kahana Valley. We also talked story w/ a few other hikers that had come from the crouching lion side and hiked the Club Manamana trail that day. After 2nd lunch we meandered down the "gaveyard" trail while watching paragliders soar above Pu'u Piei. Other that that it was pretty much routine @ 6:47pm we found ourselves at the trailhead well before dark w/ one more hike crossed off "the list."

-August