Kamehame to Tom Tom – November 10, 2012

Since I’m so close to finishing up the section known as K1 to Makapu’u, I figured today would be a step in the right direction. I woke up super early at 4am, took my time getting ready, went to Starbucks at Koko Marina, then drove to Kamehame Road.

I started hiking at 5:40 am. I forgot my headlamp, which meant hiking in the pitch dark. I drank my coffee while going up Kamehame Ridge, and then put the empty cup in my bag. It took me only 35 minutes to summit. I got to the cell phone tower. This is where Shell and I got confused about 1 ½ years ago when we tried Makapu’u-Tom Tom, so we bailed down Kamehame. For nearly 1 ½ years, I talked with hikers in the community, compared notes, and I created a plan. The secret to this section is: find the windward side. When walking on Makapu’u Ridge, you see the windward side to the right, but when you get to the cell phone tower, it appears to be a dead end. The key is to find the windward side again. To do this, there is a path through overgrown California grass at the end of the road. The trail is indistinct; you just have to forge your way through the California grass.  After you pass these concrete structures, the ridge goes down and gets steep. There is rope to assist, but the angle and the exposure creates a dramatic down climb effect which could make a beginning hiker nervous. Just take your time, and it will be okay. From there, it becomes more traversing on the summit towards the Kamiloiki Terminus. This is a good place to take a break. But today, I just wanted to complete the section.

I could see Tom Tom and the poles from a little past Kamiloiki. The hike is about 30 minutes, with some rock scrambling. I finally hit Tom Tom.  Instead of going down; I went back the way I came because I didn’t want to catch the bus back to Kamehame Ridge. Plus, the bus only stops at the bottom of the mountain, which would mean I would have to walk up the road.

The total hiking time was 3 hours. At least this part of the Ko’olau Summit Ridge is completed, now all I have to complete on my K1-Makapu'u segment is Hawaii Loa Ridge to Kulepeamoa, a hike I can definitely do solo. Maybe I’ll attempt to do it during winter break.