I thought Mt Olympus put a hurtin' on me. The Lanipo Trail is a 7.5 mile (round-trip) hike up one of the ridges, called Mauna Lani Heights, above Kaimuki. Much like other reviews, this is a monster when muddy. I would not have attempted this trail if it had not been as dry as it was.
That said, it was a workout!
They don't call these knife edge ridges for nothing. Any windier and I wouldn't have quite felt safe. There are several stretches where the trail is literally no wider than your body...with sheer drop-offs on each side. You get real intimate with your own mortality in some spots.
The elevation in the distance is where the trail begins....I shudder to think of what real estate costs for that view.
Similar view, from even farther up the trail. Note Diamond Head in the background.
One of said drop offs. This goes down a couple of hundred feet, and the muddy trail is about 12" wide in this spot. Pucker factor of 10.
A Droid camera doesn't adequately capture the beauty of the views from the trail.
Two views of Ka'au Crater from the trail. Ka'au is one of three 'tuff cones' on Oahu. The famous Diamond Head, Koko Head, just east of Waikiki....and Ka'au Crater. It boasts a trail that may kick my ass even more than Lanipo. I'll try it out in a couple of weeks.
All in all, a great way to spend Easter, if I can't be at home gorging on ham and Easter Eggs.
Great photos!
ReplyDeleteDid you see any wildlife?
Sadly, outside of a few small lizards, and the Waikiki crowds, I haven't seen any wildlife.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to see some Mongoose [Mongooses? Mongeese?].
Looks beautiful! I would love to do that hike with you.
ReplyDeleteAwesome views, CI. I can almost feel what it is like to be there!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am going to try and hit a new trail each weekend or so.
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