2015.11.28-29 Maui - part 2/3 - the rainy east

The road to Hana is narrow and extremely windy. It was also pouring. The only good thing about driving at night is that there are very few cars on the road, and you see them coming. So easy to cut corners. By the time I reached Waianapanapa state park (meaning: sparkling water), it was almost 10pm (40 miles but 1:50 hours from Makawao). Good grief, not raining. All cars parked at same parking area. A short walkway leads to a grassy area with big Sea Almond trees that drop big hard shell fruits. Feels like walking on rocks at some places. There's a mild smell of rotten fruit. Restroom has only 2 stalls, a changing area. No soap, no drying mechanism. Outdoor shower: 2 shower heads. It took me a bit to find a spot. I pitched my tent, with a view of the ocean, and went to the restroom. Just then, it started raining in earnest, stranding me inside, as my tent is not close by. Windy and muggy here. 76F at midnight. Rained more at night. Woke up a couple of times, too hot, yet not warm enough not to use my sleeping bag.

11/28 Saturday. Woke up at 6:40, too late for sunrise. Windy. Walked about the state park. Lava rocks, crashing waves, blow holes. Super scenic. I got sprayed upon a couple of time. Thanks to the wind, it dries up quickly. I found out that I camped right next to a graveyard! A leisurely morning. Finally took a short shower. Even at 76F, cold shower is still cold. Washed some clothing, laid on top of the tent to dry. Half of the campers are gone by 9am. This is a very pleasant and picturesque park. $18+tax reserve ahead online. When I booked it 5 days ago, there was only 15/60 available, the busiest day of the week. I don't know how it can accommodate 60 people. It didn't seem that busy to me. I saw about a dozen tents last night. No one checked my receipt.

At 10:30am, headed to Blue Pool, a few miles west. I ignored 2 "road closed" signs, drove the bad gravel road to just before Kahanu Garden, because water was a half foot above pavement. I packed a bit of food and water, started walking. More or less in shade, under tall trees. African Tulip's big showy flowers scattered about. Passed an abandoned truck (found more of those throughout the island). Passed a big sign "Blue Pool Closed, Turn Around Here". Walked to the road end, about 1.5 miles, passing many homes on the sides, one with a beautiful tall waterfall. The last couple of hundred meters is not drivable. A big sign "Private Property, Trespass Is A Crime" and a road block. I turned back. Luckily a group of 4 was walking towards me. One local said "join us", so I did, to the ocean, just a hundred yard away. Here you need to wade across a serious creek. With all the recent rain, water is rushing, no wonder it says closed. I tried twice, gave up. Water was waste high, footing is also not stable. I saw one guy of the group made it across using a long tree branch. I looked for one too. Even with its help, it was difficult. At least once I thought I was going to die. After the crossing, it's boulder (lava) hopping, maybe only 100m to read to the pool at the bottom of a thundering waterfall. It's not blue: too much splashing. On the way back, I crossed the river where that guy did, because he said he'd make sure that I could make it back. It's at the river mouth, not the best spot. The group was there watching over me, and the guy was true to his word, standing right by the water waiting to help. At one point, water was chest high! I thanked them, and walked back to my car, chewing my food. It was already 1pm. 3 cars were parked next to mine. They drove here to see Hale O PiIlani temple, very disappointed because the garden was closed. I saw the guy (seems like a guide to his friends), and one of the ladies picking at some plants. So I inquired. She showed me Job's Tears.

Hana Bay is not much to look at. Few surfing beginners. Large restrooms, a food stall, a big picnic shelter with ~10 tables. At its far end, follow a foot path, over some landslide, 2 small red sand coves, is a big volcanic rock marking the birthplace of Queen Kaahumanu - queen regent, and the one who embraced Christianity.

At the turn from Hana Highway to the Red Sand Beach, is Wananalua Church - the oldest continuously running church in east Maui. It was built on lava rocks.

Venus Pool MM48, east of bridge, park to east at telephone pole #88. Lots of cars park along the road. Walk over a fence onto a flat grassland for a few minutes, until you hear screaming and laughing. A couple of daring kids were jumping into the stream, which were then hauled up by ropes tied on to the rocks. This is a cool place. The stream cascade down creating small natural pools.

Kipahulu campground below the entrance of Haleakala National Park (MM41 - #s going down) has a large flat lawn. 2 outhouse buildings, each with 2 pit toilets. No water! I walked towards ocean, tented under a Hala tree. There're 2 sites like this, each with its own picnic table. It's a short but muddy walk, but definitely worth the trouble for solitude. Cell signal is 3 bars, none at the visitor center. The restroom there has flush toilets, but every faucet in the sink is duct-taped shut. Why? (I was told later, they are changing the pump.) 2 drinking fountains still work, where I saw people washing their feet!

Drove a mile west and looked for Charles Lindbergh's grave behind Palapala Hoomau Congressional Church. His tomb is standalone to the east, closer to the little Kipahulu Point park. Then I continued to Kaupo. Road deteriorates a bit. Narrow cliff side blind turns. Quite scenic. I turned back around 5:15, when everyone else seems to be going west, against me.

I failed to find Alelele Falls TH (my hiking book states: Park in the middle of a 1 lane bridge, walk 15 min up stream). For the future, if continuing west, need to check out:

1. Huialoha church and Halekii Bay for snorkle, fisherman and monk seal.
2. Nuu Bay. Petroglyph. Gate MM30.75.
3. Natural Arch. MM28.5 at Poo Pooo Bridge. Walk on the top of the Arch. MM29 at Waiopai bridge, access arch.
4. Manawainui Gulch MM27.5, better look of the Arch.

Back to camp, a bit late for the sunset. Still nice colors. Had to drive up to the visitor center to fetch water for dinner. Ocean is quite loud. Rained occasionally throughout the night.

11/29, Sunday. Waited for sunrise near my tent. A couple of people got up for that too. After breakfast, went to Ohe'o Pools. Due to the heavy rain, they are closed for swimming. Had to go over closed railing to get near the pools. It was early enough that I saw no one else. Sat by one of the many overflowing pools, soaking my now stinking hiking boots. This is a splendid place. Saw two Red Crested Cardinal when I returned to the parking lot, waiting for the tour.

10am, join ranger-led hike on Pipiwai Trail - again, I reserved a week ago. Walter is a 3rd generation Hawaiian park ranger. He's very knowledgeable about the history, conservation effort, flora and fauna. I highly recommend his tour. Only 1 other couple (happens to be from Issaquah, 10 miles from my previous home) signed up. We learned stinky Noni - a tonic, Kukui - for its nut oil, Milo - for food container, Hau - for canoe and rope. Lots of people on this muddy trail, all ages. A big Banyan tree. A gorge with the towering Makahiku waterfall. A substantial bright over Palikea cascade. The bamboo forest is quite impressive. The bamboos are very tall, blocking the light, makes it feel like dusk at noon. Boardwalk over the mud is smeared with mud, so quite slippery. You can see the tall Pipiwai Falls, as well as Waimoku Falls (not at the same time) before crossing the ankle deep stream, which posed some challenge to my fellow tour members who wanted to keep their shoes dry. Only a dozen steps further is the end of the trail. I proceeded over the railing for a better view. Waimoku is 400' tall, tumbling down a semi circle of granite. Due to the recent rain, next to it, 2 small falls trickling like thin veils. Gorgeous, if you ventured outside of the boundaries! Back to the visitor center around 1:30pm. Had a leisure lunch under a plum tree. The picnic table is stained purple. Some guy came and sat at the same table. His company shipped him and his car here. He lives in Kihei. This is his first time to the east side of the island. I found it odd.

Driving back towards Hana. Took Haneoo Rd to check out Hamoa Beach. You know you arrived when you see many cars parked by the rode. Walk down the stairs to the beach. Restrooms, outside shower. I like Koki Beach better: nobody, better view, more park like surrounding. There're 2 picnic tables under a thatched roof. Didn't see a shower stand.

Stopped in Hana for Red Sand Beach. A 10 minute walk, somewhat steep cliff side trail. Still quite some people left at 4pm (when I drove by yesterday around 2pm, couldn't even find a parking spot). Few were fishing on tall rocks. Very scenic, with jagged lava rocks and crashing waves.

I should have allocated an extra day in the east. Now doing Road to Hana backwards, only managed to stop at two sites. The Pua'a Ka'a State Wayside Park (MM22.5) has some cascades. Bathroom, picnic tables. Can walk to the falls and swim in the pool. Upper Waikani Falls (MM19.5) is a few minutes walk, as no good place to park at the bridge (tourists still do). Next time, need to check out Twin Falls at MM2 (2.2 mile RT), Huelo Pt Lookout at MM5 (I didn't find it), Ke'anae Arboretum at MM17 (1 mile RT to Keanae Overlook)

2015.11.26-27 Maui - part 1/3 - Haleakala Crater

2015/11/25 Wednesday 4:25pm flight from PDX. Friendly attendants, lots of kids, including one relentless screaming one. Theres an agriculture declare form, collected by the stewardess. Not sure if they are checked. Arrived at OGG at 8:30pm (2 hours behind). Upper 70s? From below 30F, I stripped to T-shirt. Pick up car at 9pm, but Hertz is so slow. By the time I have the car, it had past Sports Authority's closing time (9:30pm). I drove to Kmart to look for isobutane fuel canister, because when I called 2 weeks ago, I was informed that it carried MSR cans. But none. Kmart closed at 10pm. I tried Walmart which closes at 11. Only propane and butane. Called Target too, same story. No cooking for me for the next 2 days. Bought OJ and bread, used the restroom. Had to turn AC on briefly (yes this late).

The drive to Hosmer Campground of Haleakala national park takes 40-45 minute. All paved, but winding. I got a bit dizzy. The almost-full moon was so bright despite of the clouds. the view is nice. At about 3500', I entered cloud and mist. Broke in and out of clouds, drizzle at stretches. By the time I reached the camp, it was only sprinkle. 2 rather spacious pit toilets. 1 sink with foam soap outside. Pitched my cheap tent without needing my headlamp. Saw only 1 other car, 2 other tents. ~6860'. Warmer than I thought, maybe high 50Fs? Excellent cell reception.

11/26 Thursday. Up at 5:40am. Drove to summit visitor center (9740') at 6, shooting for the 6:30 sunrise. Slower cars slowed everyone behind. Parking lot filled up. I tripled parked in the bus packing zone, following examples. A short walk up to Pa Ka'oao. Another hundred people here. I might be a bit too late, the sun was up, just behind the clouds. Pretty. Walked down as soon as the sun broke out of the clouds: way too bright to see well. Reparked my car. At the small visitor center (open sunrise to 3pm), 3 employees, one outside, 2 inside. Here's where to get wilderness camping permit. Restrooms are in different buildings. Running toilet. Blow dryer. Foam soap. Outside has a drinking water fountain, that does not shoot high enough for my water bottle. Scatchy cell signal. Drive back to camp for breakfast. Chatted with a couple (Californian girl, Big Island boy), inquiring where they bought their fuel canister. Ace Hardware. They are to hike to Kapalaoa Cabin for the night.

8:45am. Ranger-led bird walk to Waikamoi Preserve. 3 hours. 500', 3 miles RT. 15 people showed up. I registered 1 week ahead as instructed. The group was already full, but since I'm a party of 1, the ranger kindly added me to #15. Very slow going, even though we were all there by 8:30. Our Maui born guide Keith is talkative, quite entertaining, caters to both kids and birders. He lent us binoculars and hiking poles. Saw some endemic plants, Koa, Ohelo, Aalii, Lobelia Grayana by a creek in the gulch. Saw one bird Iiwi clearly. Saw 3 of them flying, but that was too quick. Very pretty. Bright red. We finished at 12:30. Slow, muddy, wet, no good view to speak of. I also fell once on slippery rock, so muddier than most.

A couple of my options for the afternoon are closed for Thanksgiving holiday (Maui Wine, and Surfing Goat). Decided to take it easy and take a nap. Lunch at the camp. Drizzled at some point: drove me from my picnic table to the shelter. A group of local were starting their Thanksgiving picnic in the shelter. One of them commented on the rain-washed roads, and he had to drive longer to get here. So I may have to avoid the unpaved section of Piilani hwy around Kaupo.

Drove up to summit (10023'). On the way, wash my muddy clothes at the visitor center. Sunny now. Great view all around: Big Island (from the pavilion), west Maui (from the red hill). The circular pavilion with glass windows shelters weather elements. Some photo illustrations inside. One showed a caterpillar (whose ancestors are herbivores) eating a moth. A bit windy. Not very cold for this elevation, maybe 50F? In the middle of the parking loop, a garden of Silverswords, an extraordinary plant. They live about 50 years, but only flower once, and when they do, it has ten to hundred thousands of flowers for a few weeks. Then, they die. I tried to nap, while drying my pants and socks in the car and shoes on roof: very warm in the car, as it's sunny. Unsuccessful. Ate, packed for tomorrow. Walked down the observatory road to Skyline trail. In 10 minutes, crossed park boundary. Asphalt cracked. Continued 5-10 more minutes, you can view the southern shore. Surprising, this trail is not marked on the park map, so I saw no one. Back to the summit for sunset. Parking lot filled up. Sunset is better here, because the crater was in shadow way before sunset. So the better view is to the west.  No cell reception. By 6pm, most people are gone. At 6:10, a bus of Japanese arrived, marked stargazing. When I stopped by visitor center restroom before heading to my camp, the minibus also arrived, finished their 10 minute stargazing? It's darker now, but light pollution from the restrooms and the cities below is significant. I could barely make out the milky way. At 7pm, moon was up, at the moment behind the clouds. 5 cars already at Hosmer Grove campground, when I arrived.

11/27, Friday. Up at 5:15am hoping to see better color before sunrise. A lot of commotion around 5, as people are getting ready to leave. Definitely more than 5 cars. After breakfast, drove to Halemauu TH (18 min, 8000'). Missed the turn, because I was passing slower cars ahead of me. At the visitor center parking lot, I was turned away. Parked in Halahaku Lookout, by the road, so many cars behind mine. Worried that I won't be able to hitch a ride at this hour, as everyone is driving down, rather than up. I drove up to the visitor center, used the restroom. Only started hiking at 7:20, over an hour past my plan. Sliding Sands trail is wide, gentle, most of the time very easy footing. Met a few hikers. Saw some Silversword, one blooming! First trail junction is at ~4 miles, where everyone seems to (re)turned. Here you are in the crater floor. I continued to Kapalaoa Cabin, at mile 5.9. All flat. Grassy. Pretty. Tried to eat, but the clouds were moving in, so I put on a poncho, didn't linger. One Nene (Hawaii state bird) approached. I took a bunch of photos. When I consulted my map for just a minute, he disappeared. It turns out that he went under the picnic table (rain shelter?). I squat to take one more photo, and found a second Nene under the table.

There're 3 trails going north close by the cabin. I chose the furtherest one, since I was doing okay on time, but didn't want to risk going all the way to Paliku Cabin, only 2 miles away (adding maybe 3 miles to my track, almost all leveled). Going over some lava land. Not many people hiked here. Trail is not obvious some times. I had to check my GPS map a couple of times. Maybe only 1 mile. Once it hits Halemauu trail, it was obvious again. No sign though. Drizzle in and out. West to Holua Cabin. Shower started. Here and north are green and grassy. 4 miles to TH. In 1 mile, you reach the crater wall and a gate. Going up zigzag for maybe 1.5 miles. It's my favorite part of the trail. It's so green, a completely different world than the southern part of the crater. However for better view, I had to wait for the brief moments when clouds dissipate somewhat. Once you reach the plateau, you lost the view of the crater, and I lost the trail. I consulted my GPS map (even Google map has these trails), until I found many orange/blue ribbons right on where trail is supposed to be on my phone. So I followed the ribbons and didn't look at the map again. What a mistake! Because it was by then very cloudy if not rainy, visibility was poor, by the time the clouds cleared out a bit, the ribbons have taken me way off, above the parking lot. Cross country over wet vegetation made me very dirty and soggy. My shoes were squeaking. That's a waste of ~1 hour, plus washing time later. It was already 3:30pm. Saw 2 Nenes at the TH parking lot.

Walked down the road a bit to wait at the hiker pickup pullout. Didn't wait long. The 4th car picked me up: a dad with 2 sons (one son was driving). He told me that they just drove the northern part of West Maui - another section banned by my rental car company. Entirely paved now. Parking at the visitor center turns out to be a good option: it allows me to wash up. My phone logged over 43K steps, maybe 16 miles, including detours, bad turns. A better route would be taking the left most (shorter) north trail from Kapalaoa Cabin, or if you start early, go all the way to Paliku Cabin, where it's possible to hike above the ridge NE for a view of the west east. I really like the two cabins I visited. I'm sure I'll like the 3rd.

I must have Alzheimer's, I completely forgot about my tent, drove down to Ace Hardware at Makawao to buy a fuel canister. Don't recall how I realized that my tent was still up in the mountain 6500' above. Sadly returned to fetch it, contemplating staying another night. It was 6:30pm then, and Hosmer Grove was a zoo. So many tents, people, cars parked on road. A gigantic tipi right by my tent. Stars were a bit better, as you cannot see the cities below. I packed up, cooked my dinner and drove out of the park (again).

2015.11.21-22 Cape Lookout camp out

First sunny weekend in November. 10 of us camped at Cape Lookout State Park. Beautiful warm afternoon, cold night (below freezing). This weekend, low tide ~3:30pm, high ~8:45am.

11/21 Saturday. Sunny. 9am meetup. Some delay, as usual. 11am at campground. Half closed, and the remaining half (C & D) is only 1/3 occupied. Yurts and cabins are open. Clean bathroom (2 total). The lady's side has 4 stalls, 2 sinks (cold water only), 3 hangers, a garbage can, paper towel, no soap. Each stall has a wooden stub inside as hanger. Shower room has warm water, 3 stalls. Many water spigots. Camp waste is only collected at the entrance in a big compressor and 4 recycle bins. $21/site, up to 2 cars and 8 person. We took 3 sites (5 cars, 10 tents) in D. No neighbors.

At 11:30am, we walked north along the wide beach. Sunny and unbelievably warm. I walked in Tshirt half of the time. Not enough time to walk all the way to the tip of the spit, we had lunch about 3 miles out, and turned back. At ~1.5 mile, the narrowest part of the spit, we cut across the dunes and vegetation to Netart Bay. Somewhat marshy. Calm and reflective water. I eventually got tired of walking on wet drift debris, cut back to the beach, however at a more difficult path, got many small scraches, as the bushes are thick and full of thorns. Nice to walk along the sunny beach, now much wider.

Back at camp, pitched tents. At around 4:30, almost everyone came out for the sunset. The temperature dropped quickly after. Ice formed on my tent, before it was even dark. My fellow campers brought out logs, and myriad of food and drink, and kept the bonfire going until after midnight. I sat on a bundle of log (to be burnt tomorrow morning) while others eased into their camp chairs. Fire kept us warm, and dried off our semi-damp shoes. I tried warm mulled wine - not sure if I like it . We have hearty drinkers among ourselves. Consumed 3 bottles of wine and some harder alcohol. Very cold at night.

11/22 Sunday, 7 of us hiked to the west most point of Cape Lookout. About 5 miles one way (first half on North Trail, 2nd half west on Cape Trail). There's a parking lot at the trailhead of Cape Trail, if you want a short hike. Not as muddy as I expected. At the western tip, where the trail ends, there's railing, as it dops precipitously a couple of hundred feet down to the waves. No view to the northern shore. Definitely a good place to spot migrating whales. Today, someone claimed to see whales. A month or two later would be better. 

The sun never totally broke out of the clouds. The sky is quite colorful at sunset, but we were already on our way back. Driving by the long Netart Bay at sunset is quite pretty.

My phone registered 26k steps on Saturday and 36k on Sunday, including walking 2 miles home from the hwy exit. I bought some greens and a $40 700W Ninja Nutri blender at Fred Meyer on my way. Made 3 cups of drinks the very evening. Super convenient.

2015.11.7. Mushrooming near Mt. Hood

Saturday. Rain in the afternoon. Stopped at 4 places, didn't find many. 3 of us. The other 2 found total of 4 matsutake. I picked some bolete and hedgehog. Saw only 1 chanterelle, but it was half rotten. Since it's a national forest area, we stopped at Zigzag ranger station and got a free permit (per person, for personal use). 1 gallon per day, up to 10 days, till the end of this year.

In the box, there're two unknowns. These left photos are one kind that looks and smells good. I even bit into it, and tasted okay. But when cooked, it tasted bitter, so I tossed it. It had a normal mushroom cap, brown, a bit curled at the edge.

These photos to the right are one golden mushroom, looks and smells fine. Tasted okay raw. When cooked, it turned to an alarming purplish red color. But tasted a bit sweet, so a keeper. At the time of writing up this post, it's 1.5 days after I ate the mushroom. No ill effects.