‘This hike is a doozy; I fell a few times’: Hawaiʻi hikes

HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Wednesday, June 26, KHON2.com’s Unfit Adventurer embarked on one of Oʻahu’s most difficult hikes, the Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail.

To say this hike is difficult almost seems like an understatement. It is a hard climb. There is more information at the end of this article for those who have diabetes.

The Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail is located in Kuliʻouʻou Valley. It is a popular hiking trail that offers stunning views of the island.

The 4.7-mile round-trip hike features a mix of forested areas and open ridges and culminates at the summit with panoramic views of the east side of Oʻahu, including Koko Crater and the ocean. You can also see the Lēʻahi crater, also known as Diamond Head, as you ascend the trail.

The trail is moderately challenging, with a steady incline and switchbacks, making it a rewarding experience for hikers.

This hike really tested our stamina and dedication to completing the entire hike.

As we entered the trail, we met Hayley and her two roommates who live in the McCully area. They were about to take the hike, too. The group was hiking the trail because it was Hayley’s birthday, and it’s her favorite hike on Oʻahu.

“I just love the varied terrains and how much the hike changes the farther up you go,” said Hayley. “It’s my birthday; so, we pulled my roomie that never hikes out with us as soon as she woke up. She couldn’t say no.” They all laughed and began their trek.

Happy Birthday, Hayley!

Making our way up, we could see all the work that the Aloha Tree Alliance is doing to preserve this hike. There are tiny flags to demark the work they are doing everywhere and ropes that help guide you on the path.

Kevin Mulkern and his hiking group came up from behind. He said he’s on the Kuliʻouʻou Neighborhood Board and just loves this hike.

“It’s a convenient hike that also leads to a gorgeous beach park,” said Mulkern. “With more and more trails being closed on the island, I am working on raising awareness of why it’s important, to make that imperative, that these hikes remain open to the public.”

He went on to explain that if managing agencies are going to continue providing access to hikes, then there needs to be a greater effort to preserve and provide facilities that help hikers.

“There needs to be places for bathrooms and water stations,” added Mulkern. “There needs to be trash cans for rubbish and recycling. We have to take care of these precious places.”

Inspired, we kept going. This is when we met Spartan trainees.

Mike and his companion were running up and down the trail to train for the upcoming Spartan Race. No joke; we saw them run up and down the trail at least three times.

“We’re training for the Spartan; this hike is a great place to navigate several different terrains,” explained Mike.

We didn’t talk for long since he was on his way back down… or back up? We couldn’t keep track.

Tori and Amber are visiting from California. They have family out here and decided to find a hike online.

“Yeah, we found this hike online and decided to try it out,” said Amber. “Reviews said it’s a difficult hike, but I’m excited about the terrains and views,” added Tori.

And they were off.

Coming down from the top, we met Colin and Heather Muncy who are visiting from Virginia.

“I loved this hike; it was really strenuous,” said Colin. “My wife here has had brain surgery and a lot of other surgeries; so, we’re out here pushing.”

“I have had a bit of difficulty,” said Heather. “This hike is a doozy; I fell a few times.”

“But she got right back up, and we’re doing good on time,” added Colin.

When we reached the picknick tables, we were happy to have a moment to sit. We met Herman Claudia who live in town and were taking a break before trekking up to the summit.

“We’ve been doing one hike a week to see all the different areas of the island,” explained Claudia.

“We were out here a few years ago; so, it’s really nice to see that the trail is finally being restored and taken care of,” added Herman.

Just beyond the tables, we encountered a web of slippery tree roots that lined a vertical climb. We are not joking.

As we literally crawled up the nearly vertical climb covered with these slippery tree roots, there were a few moments where we felt utterly trapped. Then, we ran into Amber and Tori again. They were hopping down the tree roots looking like they’d just stepped out of their car. Amazing stamina.

Just before we reached the top, we met Kevin and Aldin who are visiting from Colorado. They, too, are here visiting family and decided to take the hike.

“The different ecosystems on this one hike is really impressive.” said Kevin. “It felt like we took several different hikes.”

Aldin agreed. He said, “this hike is really cool, and the view up there is just stunning.”

After we passed Aldin and Kevin, we encountered THE STAIRS. There were so many stairs; and just when you thought you had cleared them all, a whole new set of stairs would appear. We were not expecting stairs, and they just kept coming. The higher we went, the more stairs there were. So. Many. Stairs.

But as we made our way up the unending stairs, we ran into Hayley and her roommates again. They were super excited about the views they’d just experienced and provided some encouraging words to boost our hiking confidence.

Thank you, Hayley!

The views at the top were stunning; and once the clouds cleared, we could see for miles on the east side.

For those who have diabetes, this is specifically for those with type 1, be mindful of your blood glucose levels. The heat made my glucose levels spike really high; then, the physical activity of the hike made it plummet. Then the stress from the near vertical climb at the end made my glucose levels spike again.

Needless to say, these things made this hike much more difficult. There is also the heat exhaustion factor. We stayed hydrated the entire hike, but we suffered from heat exhaustion anyway.

None of this information is medical advice; so, be sure to consult with your endocrinologist for any questions you may have.

The Unfit Adventurer Rating for this hiking trail is: (ratings are out of a possible five hiking boots.)

Ease of hike for unfit folks

Views offered

Friendliness of fellow hikers

Worth the struggle

Feeling of accomplishment

So, if you decide to hike Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail, then be aware that the experience for everyone who does it is different. You’ll need to rely on your own physical skills to determine whether this is the right hike for you.