Puu Kaua to Pohakea Pass, Waianae Summit

Since we (Baron Yamamoto and I) had recently completed the section north of Puu Kaua (to Puu Kanehoa), it was only fitting that we head south to complete another section of the Waianae Summit that had been eluding us for some time. Descending from Puu Kaua to Pohakea Pass was not too difficult, however, ascending the “Puu Palikea” side of the pass was considerably dangerous. After doing so, we descended the extremely loose, crumbly and vertical rock face, back into the pass… which definitely is not a feat for the everyday hiker, nor most advanced hikers for that matter… especially on an extremely windy day like today.

Since we (Baron, Jenelyn and Gary( had been here just a month prior, we (Seth’s joined us for his first time here) quickly made our way to Puu Kaua summit.

Following the open ridgeline of the Waianae summit (will be further referred to as the Waianae Summit Trail), we slowly descended in the ~southern direction.

Though the fenceline may be an eye-sore for most, it does a considerable job at preventing feral ungulates (like this goat) from crossing into and decimating forest reserves.

Along the way we were treated to views of the North Shore, Central Oahu, and Honolulu. We were also able to see glimpses of Diamond head as well, but it looks somewhat washed out in the photo.

About halfway down the ridgeline, we encountered several nasty rock features,

…which involved some advanced scrambling and a little bit of bouldering.

Seth having a blast as he ascends one of the narrower sections.

Within a few hours, we came to a lookout, which allowed us to view the opposite end of the pass very clearly. Holding up our fingers, we underestimated the crumbly rock face to be 2″ tall. haha.

We began our slow and “steep” descent into the pass, by doubling up some 80-foot webbing around a tree and backing down a crumbly rock-chute… for lack of a better description. On a typical day, I’d say this section requires some advanced hiking skills, but today, the wind funneled up all sorts of debris (mostly lichens from the rocks) into our eyes. It was awful. I had a pretty good slip because I was blinded and couldn’t see my footing very well… glad I didn’t get hurt.

After a short snack break at the trough of the pass, we headed towards the Palikea. The rock face appeared menacing to say the least.

Though loose and crumbly, ascending lower half wasn’t too bad,

…but still required some pretty advanced scrambling.

At this point, I let Jenelyn pass me since she is much lighter than my fat ass by at least 40-50 lbs. -_-

Since several of the rocks and holds here were unstable, it was a safety call to send the lightest person up with able climbing abilities. Baron even was kind enough to hold one of the rocks in as I stepped on it, while I met up with him near the top. When I stepped on it earlier, it started pulling away from it’s seat. Darwin Award nominations??? maybe…

Anyhow, Baron, Jenelyn and I all made it to the top,

…which was almost a surreal moment, at least for Baron and I who finally completed southern sections of the Waianae Summit from the Kolekole pass. At least, after a few failed attempts. haha.

After taking a moment to appreciate the view, we down-climbed the rockface and rejoined Seth and Gary at the bottom.

Although it was still a long ways out of the access road and to our cars, I still had a smile on my face. Much mahalos to the crew for making this such a memorable journey.

Puu Kaua to the Pohakea Pass is an advanced route, but inclement weather and improper preparation can make it extremely dangerous. Though it is obviously doable, ascending the pass is not an activity one should participate in if they value their life, or have dependents… let alone trying to descend it. The route without having to climb out of the pass is still very enjoyable, as Gary and Seth can attest to. If attempting, please stay safe and know your limits.

Aloha and mahalo nui for visiting… Come back again soon!

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