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Mariner’s Ridge Hike

Posted on February 17, 2013 Updated on February 19, 2013

Went on a super legit hike with some friends today, it’s called Mariner’s Ridge (or Kaluanui Ridge Trail), and it’s a ridge line that connects to the Ko’olau summit. Follow Kaluanui road all the way up and park before the dead end. There is a shingled house on the right, that a lot of folks call the “gingerbread house.” There is a “No Tresspassing” sign at the entrance to the trail… (O.o) dangerous.

We stumbled through some areas where the ground was a complete web of tree roots that were surfacing; creating a plexus of bark under our feet.

This hike has all different types of terrain compiled into one awesome workout. We started off with a dirt path, with brush and bushes on either side.

Then we went into forestry. This is the first hawaii hike I’ve done that had legit pine trees. The pine needles faced all directions off of the tree branches. Not much of the pine tree smell I’m used to experiencing in California.

Then the hike led into more of an open dirt path. I see draping valleys of greenery on either side of me as I’m standing atop the ridge line of the mountain.

Through some jungle like forest, I snapped a photo–now this is what most hawaii hikes I’ve been on have looked like.

Here and there, we happened across points that we could see different parts of the island. I have some semi-successful attempts at panoramic shots of the mountains and ocean.

About 40 minutes up the mountain and we reached a clearing with a full 360 degree view from atop the mountain. When I realized there was no more trail is when we made the conclusion that we had reached the top!