The Amazing Shrinking Girl Goes Hiking

Makapu'u Hike

2011-11-14T11:32:00.000-10:00

(see my other post about Makapu'u for a brief description of the hike.)

This past weekend we were in Hawaii Kai so decided to do a short hike with the dogs at Makapu'u. Like all the times we do this hike, we do the full loop which starts from the lookout point, up the mountain side of Makapu'u, then back down the paved trail. Most people don't know about the mountain side trail (there really isn't an obvious trail to begin with) and usually just take the paved trail up to the lighthouse and back down.

Beginning view of the street.

Beans like to be the leader of the pack, obviously. But it's really cute because she'll always turn around to check up on us... to make sure we're keeping up and on the right trail.

View of the street from the top of the hike.

Literally 10 - 15 minutes after this picture was taken, it got cloudy and poured on us. Crazy tradewinds!

Heading back down the "easy" paved side of the hike.

At this point Poki's paws were starting to hurt (asphalt + sun = pain) so Anthony ended up carrying her for the last 10 minutes or so. Lucky she's a smaller dog!

Tired but can't wait to get out on the next hike.

Busted knee

2011-10-14T16:00:00.000-10:00

In case you thought this blog was dead... I've had an injured knee for quite some time now which has prevented me from going on any hikes.

But it's getting much better so hopefully the weather stays dry enough this winter so I can get outdoors. =)

Kamiloiki Ridge Hike

2011-02-02T11:09:00.000-10:00

Easy hike with gorgeous views... too bad it was cloudy and rainy by the time we got to the top. Will have to try this hike again on a clear day.

Holy crap!

2010-09-01T09:55:00.002-10:00

It's been almost half a year since I last posted?!

Well I have a TON of pictures and hikes to update this blog with... it's just a matter of doing it. Will work on those!

Kuliouou Ridge Trail

2010-03-25T00:03:00.008-10:00

Located just outside of Hawaii Kai, this 5-mile, 3-hour long hike was amazing! Can easily be classified as a beginner to intermediate level, but still a good trail to get your heart pumping. Why? Because in that short 2.5 miles to the top (5 miles round trip) you climb more than 2000 feet!

Today was my second time doing this trial but the first time didn't really count... I was on a schedule so could only walk in for an hour and come back. Never made it to the top the first time but today I did and it was totally worth it!

View looking back at the neighborhood the trail started in.

Up-hill switch-backs all the way to the top!

Picnic rest-stop a little more than halfway up.

Entrance to the native forest...

All up-hill and all stairs!

ALL totally worth it, RIGHT?!

Makiki Loop Trail... again!

2010-02-08T18:46:00.003-10:00

What can I say... it's so close to my house!

So read more about the Makiki trail, click here for my other posts.

Moanalua Valley Trail

2010-01-18T22:13:00.004-10:00

Located just off the Moanalua freeway cut-off, this is a nice, 11-mile long hike. Although lengthy, it's a good beginners hike because it's only slightly hilly. Like majority of the hikes in Hawaii, the Moanalua Valley Trail will take you through many different terrains: lush forest to dry grassy fields to fern filled valleys. Today we didn't make it all the way to the top, but we did about 5 miles of the trail - if Anthony didn't have to work we would have made it!

Koko Crater Stairs... AGAIN!

2010-01-18T21:44:00.004-10:00

Stair-master from Hell again but so worth it. It's one of the best lower-body workouts there is!

**Sorry for the variation in color/lighting... just trying some new camera features out**

Mariner's Ridge Trail

2010-01-09T20:52:00.011-10:00

Finally got back outdoors with my camera! Mariner's Ridge is a hike in Hawaii Kai, about 3 miles round-trip, that takes you from dusty rocky trails to cool, pine tree forests. It's a beginner/intermediate trail that the entire family can do.

Makapuu Lighthouse: The Other side

2009-10-18T21:34:00.003-10:00

Makapuu Lighthouse hike is located in Hawaii Kai, right before Sea Life Park. It's a relatively simple hike that's paved. The hike takes you up to a lighthouse (the lighthouse that Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler kissed at in '50 First Dates') and you turn around and head back down the same way you came up... or so most people think.

People don't know that the full hike is actually a loop so I'm posting the pictures of 'the other side' of the hike.

The get to the start of 'the other side' you have to walk up the road a little to the scenic lookout point.

Just gotta jump the wall and start...

This is the view of the beach and Sea Life Park from the bottom of the hike.

Some steep cliffs.

And this is the view of the beach and Sea Life Park from the top!

Makiki Loop Trail

2009-08-27T22:30:00.014-10:00

Been so long since I updated with a hike. We had a broken camera for a while so even though I've still been hiking every weekend, didn't have pictures.

Well here is a hike I did a couple weekends back in Makiki. It's within walking distance of my place so I walk my dog up there once in a while. If the boyfriend is home, then we drive to the start of the trail. It's a good hike for any level of hiker but it can get muddy!

Hawaii Kai hike

2009-07-30T13:47:00.014-10:00

Stupid, stupid broken camera!!

2009-07-18T17:22:00.002-10:00

This morning, the BF and I decided to head over to Hawaii Kai to do Koko Crater Stairs.

When we got there, I almost changed my mind because the weather was junk and I just wasn't feeling it. Anyway, we're there, so we just do it and start heading up the railroad tracks. We get to the top in record time (yea us!) and as we head back down, we realize that THE Dr. Dre is on the hike behind us... like right behind us. So much so that part of his entourage talks to us!

We also learned that Eminem was on the hike right in front of us!!

I was so flipping excited!! I'm a huge fan of Eminem and have almost every one of his albums... and for me, this is the biggest celeb siting I've ever had.

It was so random, but the only crappy part of the day... our camera was broken when we tried to take a picture!!! What are the odds? I was so upset!!

But hiking with Dr. Dre and Eminem were definitely the high lights of my summer so far!

(And btw, they both did fricken awesome on the hike! It's totally not a beginners hike!)

I'm still here and hiking!

2009-07-01T11:47:00.000-10:00

Just didn't get the pictures organized and up... have about three more hikes to add to the blog. Look for them this weekend (hopefully!)

Diamond Head State Monument

2009-05-29T21:44:00.016-10:00

Last weekend we finally had time to go on another hike. We actually did three different hikes over the Memorial Day weekend but I'm only posting this one because one of the other hikes was Koko Crater again and the third hike didn't produce any good pictures.

Diamond head is located right on the edge of Waikiki and although it is mostly considered a tourist attraction, my boyfriend and I still like to go there for exercise. And for only $10 for a yearly pass... you can't go wrong.

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See the white square on the top of the mountain, that's the top of the trail!

Beginning of the rocky and dirty trail...

It's not too clear, but in this picture you can see the switchbacks in the trail.

Almost to the top but still have the dread steep 99 steps to go.

What is with all these "hikes" with stairs? And these stairs are tall and narrow so you really gotta watch your step. A lot of times you'll pass people clinging to the walls for dear life.

And after the 99 stairs you come to this spiral staircase that takes you up to the very top. It's really dark in here and the stairs are barely comfortable enough to fit two people.

Gorgeous day! The views at the top were totally worth it.

This is looking back into the crater. That's the parking lot. And the yearly pass my boyfriend and I have only allows us to walk into the park so our car is parked about half a mile away from the parking lot, outside of the crater.

View of Waikiki from the top of Diamond Head.

Koko Crater: The Stair Master from HELL!

2009-05-15T16:23:00.013-10:00

On the outskirts of Hawaii Kai, there is an old railroad track lined with greenery (depending on what time of year you go) with beautiful views of Waikiki in the distance and endless ocean... but did I mention these railroad tracks go STRAIGHT UP A MOUNTAIN?! 1,208-feet straight up to be exact! These railroad tracks, or "stairs", are an old World War II-era track system that used to transport military personnel and equipment up to the bunkers at the top of Koko Crater. Now days, the "stairs" are mostly used for exercise. It's not uncommon to start the hike and have people running by you, up and down the trail. I's pretty incredible actually.

My boyfriend and I have done this trail only about 5x so far, but can't wait to get back there more often this summer. It's about a 20 minute drive from where I live, so not too bad. I usually take my dog, Poki, with us so she may be in some of the picts on this blog. :)
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This is a picture of the hike on our way to the beginning!

At the start of the "stairs" looking up...

A little over half-way up the mountain looking back down. The baseball fields in the background are the beginning of the "stairs".

Picture taken at the same spot as the one above, but looking up towards the top. That isn't even the end of the hike... you can't see the top from this angle.

Almost to the very top looking back.

Finally at the top and looking on the other side of the mountain. The weather was really bad and all that rain in the picture hit us as we worked our way back down.

The side of the mountain that we just climbed... sunny and hot!

Can you believe that some people actually hike this ridge?

Here we go...

2009-05-14T08:31:00.007-10:00

View from the top of Koko Crater Stairs

I am fortunate enough to live on a gorgeous little island in Hawaii. I was born and raised here on Oahu and although I've lived here my whole life, I have only recently (since September 2008) started hiking to help in my weight-loss journey (check out my other blog to follow my progress). Because the scenery is so beautiful here, thought I would keep my pictures and thoughts organized here. Enjoy!