Kaupo Cliff #3 to Tomtom Trail – January 29, 2012

The Lost Trailblazer known as “Reannimal” was back in town temporarily from her recent employment translocation, and in request of a short and fun hike… Since she hadn’t been hiking for awhile, we decided on Kaupo Cliffs #3 to the Tomtom Trail for this particular sunny-weather Sunday.

The loop-trail starts and finishes in Waimanalo (near the end of Manawaiola Street)… and takes approximately 4-5 hours, depending on how fast you hike and/or how many breaks you take. Heading east to Kaupo Cliffs (and not south to tomtom), the trail itself may not be well-defined but is loosely marked with sparse, pink ribbons at eye-level.

Following these ribbons lead us to the ridge #2 of Kaupo Cliffs, so we had to backtrack a short ways to contour and scramble up onto ridge #3.

Once on the ridgeline, we were further thrown into a series of scrambles and climbs, which can make some hikers a bit squeamish or hesitant to advance… but this type of topography on a trail wasn’t new to any of us, and almost reminded me of certain sections of Puu Kawiwi.

Definitely something yo’ mama wouldn’t be pleased with.

However, the narrow, exposed ridges here do make for some excellent panoramic views of the East Koolaus, Olomana and Waimanalo Coastline… (Jenelyn and Baron, above).

Jenelyn, Baron, Reanne and Troy pose on the first lit portion of a ridge… as we’d been hiking in the shade all morning.

Reanne (left) and Baron (right) on one of the more difficult climbs,

…just before the junction to Kaupo Cliffs #2. But from here on out, you are pretty much home-free to the junction with the Koolau Summit Trail (KST or KSRT).

As can plainly be seen here at the top.

The views from this point of the KST are incredible to say the least. Manana (Rabbit Island) and Kaohikaipu (Turtle Island) Islets are clearly visible from the junction, as well as some saddles along the trail to Makapuu…

Kamehame Ridge, Koko Crater / Koko head and Kamiloiki Ridge… can also be seen along the summit trail.

Heading in a general northerly direction along the KST, we encountered several familiar faces from the Hawaii Trail and Mountain Club (HTMC) who were hiking the Makapuu-Tomtom Trail in commemoration of a most notable and well-respected hiker, Mabel Kekina, who had recently passed away. Hiking colleague and friend, Nate Yuen (HawaiianForest.com), shares his memories of her immeasurable contributions to the hiking community in Hawaii (HERE).

We soon reached the Kamiloiki Ridge Trail terminus, which is one of my favorite places to relax and have a Boddingtons. 😉

Here’s to you Mabel… Cheers from the “Lost Trailblazers.”

After the break and feeling refreshed, we continued along the KST towards the Tomtom trail junction.

Again, there were several beautiful scenic points along the trail,

…regardless of whether looking towards Tomtom,

…or back at Kaupo Cliffs.

Once we arrived at Tomtom, we were greeted by a familiar face… Laredo “the Legend” Muredo. Good to see you bro… he ran up from tomtom in < 20 minutes to try and catch the tail end of the HTMC commemorative hike.
After taking a bunch of pics at the summit,

…it was time to head down back Tomtom to Waimanalo.

But not before running into another legend… or the “Hiking Guru” himself, STUART BALL!!! Most certainly a “paparazzi moment” for all of us. lol. Sorry Stu… hope we didn’t keep you from your entourage too long. It was an honor to meet you. 😉

That being said, it was a short and sweet hike… with a double-dose of celebrity appearances.

Though Kaupo Cliffs Ridge #3 is short, it is by no means a beginner trail. There is some trail finding involved, as only ridge #2 is considerably marked. The narrow areas, steep scrambles and climbs, and loose rock should definitely not be overlooked before tackling this trail to the Koolau Summit. If you haven’t been to Kaupo before, you should have had experience with intermediate / advanced hikes like the Olomana / to Ahiki, etc. If not, try going to Ridge #2 and work your way up to #3 the next time, if you feel comfortable… and especially go with someone who has done it before. It’s not difficult to loose the trail even prior to getting on either ridge. I do not suggest you explore any of the other ridges (total 9, I think) as they can be extremely dangerous. Stay safe and happy hiking!

Questions? Just ask!!!

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. Thanks for visiting and come back again soon!