Sommer and I were on a roll! We
"hiked" every Saturday in June! Yay for us getting out of the house and not letting an infant give us an excuse to vegetate on our "day off"!
For the first Saturday in July we headed up the O`ahu Windward Coast to try
Hau`ula Loop. I had never done this trail, so I was looking forward to a new adventure. Sommer strapped Hōkū into her ErgoBaby and off we went.
We headed in a clockwise direction on the loop. I had read that the clockwise trek gives a quicker elevation climb to the ridge, then a nice gradual descent back to the start of the loop.
Sommer is such a trooper! She carried Hōkū the entire length of the trail!
When we attained the first ridge topping out we stopped and took some family pictures.
Once you gain the first ridge the trail meanders in and out of some minor valleys and gains a second ridge that the trail follows for a while before heading back into the same valley, crossing the same stream you crossed higher up on the trail.
Along the last ridge section there are some great views of
Kaipapau Gulch and the Ko`olau Summit.
On the slow descent back to the start of the loop you hike through a large Cook pine grove.
Before you know it you're back at the start of the loop and walking down the road to your car and heading off to
Papa Ole's for some giant kalbi ribs!
Rest of the pics
here.
