Poamoho Ridge Trail to Pauao Summit – September 25, 2011

On a pacific island slightly north of the equator, we are surrounded by water that is moderately warm and consistent in temperature throughout the day/night. After the sun goes down, the land does not experience the dramatic cooling like that experienced by equatorial, inland regions of continents. Warm, moist air / water vapor from the ocean are carried by the northeast tradewinds from the ocean, cool as they are deflected upwards upon contact with the Koolau Mountain Range (the larger of two Oahu mountain ranges). This is how much of Hawaii’s clouds are formed and is where a considerable amount of our rainfall originates (orographic precipitation), and is why the Koolaus are almost always blanketed by clouds, particularly at higher elevations.

However, there are rare climatic circumstances where this pattern does not occur… Which is when hiking Poamoho Ridge Trail, or any other trail leading to the Koolau Summit is most optimal.

Poamoho Ridge Trail, located in the Ewa Forest Reserve in Wahiawa, requires a permit issued by the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DLNR DOFAW) to access. The permit is only valid for one day and must be submitted at least 10 days in advance prior to the requested date. To fill out an application, Click Here.

The trailhead can only be accessed by a four-wheel drive vehicle unless you want to walk ~5 miles on a dirt road, in addition to the 3.5 miles to the summit. You need to pass through 3 locked gates before reaching the trailhead. Troy and Baron about to start the trail above.

As a forest reserve, please respect any restrictions posted on the signs and clean your boots of any invasive plant seeds prior to entering.

Once on the trail, you will find that it is fairly well kept and wide. Poamoho valley and stream will always be on your right.

Though not absent of alien species; native plants (e.g. Koa and Ohia) will be more prevalent than on typical state trails of Oahu.

Some of the alien species common alongside the trail are Strawberry guava and Thimbleberry…

Both of which have edible fruits. Bare careful when picking or walking through thimbleberry plants, they have some nasty thorns!!!

There are several scenic points along the trail, one of which is where a DOFAW weather station I service/maintain is located. The weather data is used along with stream data being monitored in the stream below, where water quality sensors are also running real-time. DOFAW hopes that their management activities (weed-removal / plant restoration, erosion prevention, and fencing) in the reserve, is helping to increase water quality in the Poamoho Stream, particularly during high-rainfall events.

Interfaces, like the Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS), can make it easier for managers / researches access and visualize the stations and data… which in turn allows them to answer questions of interest.

For instance, does native plant restoration / weed removal have an impact on water quality by decreasing runoff? The figure above describes how rainfall is currently associated with water turbidity within a period of several months. If the watershed was able to retain it’s soil, there would be no response or spikes in turbidity after increased frequency and duration of rainfall.

Further up on the ridge, the trail is not maintained, but still apparent. Here, Troy and Baron take a break at scenic point, where the Waianae Mountain Range is fully visible.

In less than 1.5 hours, we reached Poamoho Summit. Since the sky was virtually absent of any clouds, there was a considerable amount of anticipation built up to what we’d see at the top. Note Troy and Baron literally RUNNING the last 100 feet to the scenic point (above).

And at the top, all they could do was yell at the top of their lungs…

And have celebratory victory dance, as usual. Cheers to you, Poamoho.

The view from Punaluu to Manana Island / Waimanalo was amazing.

But the awesome views were not done there…

Taking full advantage of the unusually clear weather, we hiked east, towards Waikane along the Koolau Summit Trail (KST).

The trail was narrow and contoured around the ridgeline, mostly on the windward side of the Koolaus.

After walking for about 15 minutes on the KST, you jump over onto the leeward side for a short segment of the trail…

…where you can see the entire Waianae Mountain Range.

and after ~20 minutes and 0.5 mi on the KST, you will encounter Poamoho Cabin. I’m not sure how to get accommodations here, but amenities here are stacked… at least for being in the middle of nowhere (note: catchment tank from roof and potential shower).

Inside, there are bunks, water and miscellaneous useful items (e.g. mouthwash and scotch-guard). The windows in the front open, to let light into the cabin… but be careful, the hinges are broken. Right baron? lol.

Before leaving, we signed the cabin log-book, of which we saw many other familiar names… both of colleagues I work with from DOFAW and many people from Oahu Weekend Hikers. 🙂

We had heard that our vegan, hiking colleagues had cleared Pauao Ridge not long ago, and intersected the KST nearby… Therefore, we decided to make this our final destination for this trip. Note: Puu Ohulehule in foreground and Chinaman’s Hat, Rabbit Island, Molokai, Lanai and Maui in background (right).

Which again, provided an amazing panoramic view of Windward Oahu.

The KST beyond Pauao Summit goes to Wahiawa and Waikane Trail, of which at this point were between 1-2 miles away, with Waikane being slightly further. But that adventure would be for another day… we had Dong Yang Korean BBQ / Meat Jun (chun) on our minds and needed to exit the trail immediately. If you’ve been to Dong Yang’s in Wahiawa, you’d know what I’m talking about. lol.

Poamoho Ridge Trail is a fairly easy-to-moderate hike. It is 3.5 miles of mild-graded trail to the summit, if you drive to the trailhead. Applying for a permit during optimal weather conditions is difficult since you have to submit your application too far in advance for most weather forecasts. Bring typical hiking gear and prepare to get VERY muddy, as the upper parts of trail are almost always wet. Make sure to respect all regulations and posted signs, and make sure to stay on the trail at all times. Once at the summit, you will intersect the Koolau Summit Trail. I do not recommend you go beyond this point, as your permit restricts you to Poamoho trail. However, if you decide to continue further, please stay safe and plan accordingly (see above).

To view this location on a Google Map also known as my “Adventure Map“, Click Here. For more adventures of the Lost Trailblazers, either look at my other blogposts and “Adventures with the Lost Trailblazers” photo gallery.