Likeke Trail with HTMC (2001 Sept)

I Like Likeke

Author: Dayle K. Turner  |  Posted to OHE-L: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 19:54:45 -1000

After last weekend's climb up the Waimanalo cliffs and subsequent long grinder above Pearl City in a rainstorm, I figure toning down the hiking will be a good idea today, so I join a jovial group of folks on the HTMC's Likeke outing, coordinated by the honorable Joe Bussen.

Likeke, for those who've never done it or heard of it, is cozied up along the base of the Koolau range above Kaneohe between the Wilson and Pali tunnels. We start the hike in Hoomaluhia Park, which is five minutes from where I live.

I arrive at the park's front gate at 8:15 and am surprised to find it open since visitors aren't usually admitted until 9. Just ahead in his large pickup is Fred Boll with a couple of passengers (his wife and another wahine), so I follow Fred et al to our designated parking area just past the visitors' center. Come to find out, there is a memorial service in the park for one of the local wahines who was a passenger in one of the hijacked jets that crashed on 9/11. That explains the early opening.

After a while, more folks doing the hike arrive, including Dusty Klein and wife Sandy. Dusty greets me by snapping, "You're probably here just to get your ribbon" (I'd dropped a roll on the Likeke trail last Saturday during a maintenance outing and Dusty had picked it up).

I laugh since this is the typical way for Dusty to greet me, and say, in mock anger, something like, "Yeah, gimme my ribbon so I can get the hell out of here!"

Dusty doesn't laugh (also typical).

So now possessing my roll of ribbon, I mutter something about no pets/radios/firearms, and announce that I'm setting off early and will be putting up some ribbons along the way if needed. Dave Webb, who I haven't hike with since the KST super slog, says he'll join me.

So Dave and I backtrack along the park road, pass a stream of cars heading into the park either for the hike or the service, and then turn left at the bottom of a hill to head mauka along a board of water supply access road.

At road's end, we pick up the trail along the fence line of a pumping station, cross under rackety H-3, step over a fallen chain-link fence, and parallel H3 on its mauka side. In a little bit, I spot a large bunch of apple bananas hanging in a tree by the trail. Dave and I commence harvesting some ripe yellow beauties that we stuff in our packs (according to a reputable source, the bananas in this area are "wild" and thus can be had). We figure sharing with the trailing hikers will bring us blessings, so Dave uses a small knife he has to cut the bunch down. We then set the bounty on the trail for easy pickings for passers-by. Oh, what great guys we are! :-)

Having done our good deed for the day, Dave and I continue to follow the marked route that parallels H3 and then, after a few minutes (during which more banana bunches are spotted for future can-be-had visits), begin climbing up the slope below Wilson Tunnel to a junction with the Likeke Trail. Joe, Charlotte, and Volker did a nice job opening up and marking this section, so the hiking is no problem. While walking through the forest, Dave and I gab about this and that, including, among other things, his recent kayak trip to Kalalau (fun!), the future of airline security in the U.S. (many new jobs for sky marshals), and salary increases for DOE teachers (Dave teaches math at Mililani High).

We reach the Likeke trail junction about 30 minutes after leaving the cars and then head in the general direction of the Pali Lookout, contouring at approximately the 600-foot level along the base of the Koolaus below Pu'u Lanihuli. The trail, save for one place where going under/hopping over a blowdown is required, is in good shape. Way to go TM crew! Dave, hiking the route for the first time, proclaims Likeke "a nice trail."

By 10:15, Dave and I are making the final approach to Likeke Falls, where Likeke starts/ends. Just before the falls, we come across a group of close to a dozen hikers heading the opposite way. They turn out to be a clutch of friends/co-workers out for a day of exercise and mountain apple searching. When I tell them they are two to three weeks late for what would have been a massive 'ohi'a 'ai harvest, I see some sad faces.

At 10:30, we arrive at the falls and kick back for a while. A group of four is already there. One of the four asks if we are with HTMC and we say yes. To cool off from the muggy conditions, Dave deshirts, deboots, climbs up to the falls, and then soaks under the gentle flow of water. Meanwhile, I find a rock to settle down on and bust out some grub: a sardine/tuna mash and a poi muffin (I try to eat every three hours). While kaukau-ing, I greet four other hikers who arrive after walking down from the Pali Lookout. Nice folks all.

Dusty arrives, stops only momentarily (typical), and hikes on, bound for his car in Hoomaluhia. Several minutes later, a group of 8-10 from the club hike in. In this group are Fred, his wife, and Janice N-P. All the others I don't know. Seeing the group arrive, I do my best imitation of Master Po from the *Kung Fu* television series and say, "Grasshopper, time for you to go." With that, Dave and I head on, leaving the falls to the just-arrived.

In about five minutes, we arrive at a junction with a cobbled path. We meet Joe Bussen there, and he suggests we head right for a bit of a longer hike. Since Dave hasn't hiked the area before, he agrees with Joe's idea. So Dave and I continue right and up along the cobbled path, which is also well used and cleared, perhaps by the ecotour groups who frequent the area.

The trail eventually climbs over a ridge and switchbacks down to a three-way junction of the Old Pali Road. At the junction, Dave and I head down to the left and in about 10-15 minutes arrive at a locked gate (easily skirted to the left). Soon afterward we pass the maintenance yard of the Pali Golf Course on the right, the entrance to Koolau Golf Course on the left, and a bit further along we cross a bridge over H-3 and re-enter Hoomaluhia at its back gate by walking thru a narrow opening along the right-side fence line.

Instead of walking back to our cars along the park road, we take a more scenic route thru the park grounds via trails. Fred, Janice, Richard McMahon, and a couple others join us for this diversion. All seem to like it.

Right before we get back to the cars, we pass the place where the memorial service was held. Many service attendees are still on hand and we look out of place in our sweaty hiking attire.

Dave and I hang out by our cars for a good hour afterward, kicking back to listen to the UH football game on the radio (the Bows lose to Reno). :-( Later, we also listen to the complaints of a wahine hiker who says she became disoriented while walking back along the Old Pali Road and then the Hoomaluhia park road.

"But the main thing is you've found your way here in one piece!" I say to her.

Silent at last, she processes the pseudo-wisdom I have spewed forth and nods her head. She asks my name, introduces herself, and walks away. An upset hiker soothed!

Dave heads home. I, meanwhile, sit in my vehicle and, noting 3 hours have passed since the last feeding, chow more tuna/sardine mash and another poi muffin. Joe B drives up, I chat with him, reporting the disgruntled wahine. Then I make the 5-minute drive to the Keapuka homestead.

--dkt (will be doing the Kahuku TM tomorrow unless my injured left hamstring says no)