Maunawili Moss Slides - April 17, 2016 

This hike was on the agenda forever. Today the plan was to do Olomana Backside with the alternate hike, the Maunawili Moss Slides. We prepared for both situations. The Mauanwili Moss Slides is above Maunawili Falls, however getting there can be a little sketchy. Two obstacles 1) walking over a pipe with a 30 foot drop below 2) straddling an old rickety wooden bridge about 50 yards with a 50 foot drop below can scare even the most experienced hikers. 

The meet up time was at 7:00 am. I picked The Judge up from his house and drove to Maunawili Neighborhood Park. Waiting for us was Burs and Proo. We said our hellos and talked story.Young Kumu who was confirmed to join us, thought the meet up time was 7:45 am. We looked at Olomana as it was getting socked in. Proo voiced her opinion that we should bail on Olomana and do the Moss Slides. I think the plan was set as we waited for Young Kumu. 

Young Kumu arrived as The Judge was talking about a documentary called, "The Secret" it was something about philosophical stuff. We drove to the Maunawili trailhead, no one was parked in the residential neighborhood, so we got prime parking. We started the hike at 8:00 am. Today would be 5/6 of the overnight crew, a story we still talk about till this day. I think we got stranded on the Waimalu trail like 3 years ago and we still talk about it like it was yesterday. 

The trail was muddy. This trail was muddier than the Manoa trails. We passed a group hiking slower than us. We got to the falls in a little over one hour and immediately found a trail going to the left. The trail headed up to the upper falls, but it was not the Moss Slides trail. Instead we looked up and saw a steep muddy climb up the mountain. The climb wasn't too difficult, but it was very slippery. At the top, we encountered a thick rusty pipe which we had to cross over. It was sketchy to say the least. There was rope to assist. A fall would result in an injury. We had no problem and continued to the old rickety wooden bridge. 

The soggy wooden bridge was falling apart, so some public agency locked the entrance to the bridge. The Judge got past the lock gate and tried the bridge, it was sketchy as the wood gave in. I was like, "f this", I'm going to find a way to the bottom of the stream. I told the group this and headed back to look for a manageable way down towards the stream. The group that we passed earlier was coming up towards the bridge. I ask them, "are you guys doing the slides? Is there any way other than the bridge?". The lady said, "no, that's the only way". I said, "O shit, that's too sketchy". She said, "I did it before, you just have to be careful". I told their group, "I'm not going to do it and will find another way down". They all laughed, one guy said, "good luck". As I hiked on, I saw a doable section that went down the mountain. I thought about it and felt that it was a go. 

The other OAG's were coming and I told them, "this is it, we can get down to the stream from here". I headed down. The mud was soft and there wasn't too much to hold onto. But it wasn't steep enough to warrant a nasty spill. I was confident. I got down to the stream and went under the bridge to see if we could climb the mountain to get to the other side. After a quick inspection, it was a go. 

The group was at the top of the bridge and the lady asked, "how did you get down there?". I told her, "I walked down the mountain". They looked perplexed. I went back and The Judge was dropping webbing for the ladies. We went down one by one and got to the stream. We climbed up the mountain with ease while the other group watched us succeed. 

We followed an irrigation ditch all the way to the Moss Slides. It was somewhat disappointing as the slide looks short. I pumped up my inner tube and went down first. It was fun. Just like a short slide at the water park...that is what it felt like. I went without my tube and it was fun too!!! The other OAG's followed suit. Burs got crazy and went like 20 times. I joked that DLNR needs to charge her admission. 

We spent almost 1 hour there having fun and taking video. I think Young Kumu was getting cold as she mentioned time and time again about taking a hot shower. The hike out was fast, about 2 hours or so. PHM was at Masa and Joyce. We texted Sensei that we would be there at about 1:15 pm. My body was cold from the water. 

I ate the Lau Lau plate. I finished it like I was starving. We talked some great stories. Can't wait for the summer to hang out with the G's.