I'm in Hawaii for some training courtesy of the U.S. Navy. I don't get much sympathy for being separated from my family when that separation involves sunshine, shorts, t-shirts, and sandals while my family is bundled up and shoveling snow in Virginia.
There isn't much free time in my schedule here, but I am getting out to do something adventurous each weekend. Last weekend I took some of my classmates to hike Makapu'u Ridge at sunrise.
Sunrise over Molokai as seen from Makapu'u Ridge.
We had a good glimpse of the Dragon's Nostrils, too.
Self-portrait with KoKo Head in the background.
This weekend, three of my classmates led me on an excursion to hike Olomana.
Did I say hike?
I should have said climb.
1,600 feet of elevation gain up a narrow ridge with several hundred foot drop-offs on either side. Check out the altitude profile from my Garmin.
There are drop-offs of hundreds of feet on either side of this ridge.
There are actually a series of three peaks in Olomana. The first peak is the highest, and that's as far as we went. It is possible to continue hiking the ridge down from the first peak and back up to the second and then the third peak, but those are advanced and even dangerous to attempt.
That's the third peak.
The views from the top of Olomana were extraordinary...
View Northwest to Kaneohe and up the Windward side of Oahu
View Northeast toward Kailua
It rained a little bit on our way back down, and the trail toward the bottom got pretty slick and muddy.
I slipped.
I do NOT recommend climbing Olomana if it has rained recently or is expected to rain soon.
Overall, this was a most EXCELLENT adventure - great exercise with a great view.
Wow that's a wonderful adventure.. and such beautiful sights. I might (and that's a very tentative might) enjoy that climb but I'd be very uncomfy with the descent. I suspect your wife's heart was in her throat looking at some of these pics. My own was lurching a tad.
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