Goin' to Hawaii

[dgilligan02]

A more recent account of going from Pololu to the next valley. Seems like that would provide enough for most

My son and I started going up from the black sand beach headed that direction, got maybe 1/3 of the way up and we’re like “ah, no…”.

We hadn’t planned on it, he was 11, and we needed to get back to mom and bro at the house. I’m not a big hiker, but getting up and out of there was no stroll. Same elevation as getting down to the beach but with much less of a path. Prob woulda been cool as hell tho.

[phatty]

My son and I started going up from the black sand beach headed that direction, got maybe 1/3 of the way up and we’re like “ah, no…”.

We hadn’t planned on it, he was 11, and we needed to get back to mom and bro at the house. I’m not a big hiker, but getting up and out of there was no stroll. Same elevation as getting down to the beach but with much less of a path. Prob woulda been cool as hell tho.

Yeah, I wanted to try it, but family shot me down. Those cliffs are something else and the valley is gorgeous.

We also stopped at KeoKea Beach Park close by Pololu. Locals were surfing huge waves and friendly locals grilling up dinner. Nice quiet spot.

[AK47bp]

My son and I started going up from the black sand beach headed that direction, got maybe 1/3 of the way up and we’re like “ah, no…”.

We hadn’t planned on it, he was 11, and we needed to get back to mom and bro at the house. I’m not a big hiker, but getting up and out of there was no stroll. Same elevation as getting down to the beach but with much less of a path. Prob woulda been cool as hell tho.

Is that the black sand beach where the super steep road takes you down? With the guard shack not allowing any vehicles without 4WD Low?

If so, cool place.


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[dgilligan02]

Is that the black sand beach where the super steep road takes you down? With the guard shack not allowing any vehicles without 4WD Low?

That’s Waipio Valley.

[AK47bp]

That’s Waipio Valley.

Thanks.


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[bennymac]

There’s a video of a couple guys on gravel bikes starting at that beach and biking to the island summit - some crazy vegan bike guy.

[Marshall Tucker]

That’s Waipio Valley.

This was the view from our rental april 1990.

[altasnob]

There’s a video of a couple guys on gravel bikes starting at that beach and biking to the island summit - some crazy vegan bike guy.

Lance Armstrong road up the road in 9 minutes. It's 800 feet up and only 6/10ths of a mile long, with a grade of 25-40%. Lance also says his favorite roadbike ride on earth is the Old Mamalahoa Hwy nearby. I drove that and would agree, it looks like an amazing, and tough (up) road ride. Almost no traffic as the main highway is right nearby but there are not many roads between the two.

[altasnob]

There’s a video of a couple guys on gravel bikes starting at that beach and biking to the island summit - some crazy vegan bike guy.

Lance Armstrong road up the road in 9 minutes. It's 800 feet up and only 6/10ths of a mile long, with a grade of 25-40%. Lance also says his favorite roadbike ride on earth is the Old Mamalahoa Hwy nearby. I drove that and would agree, it looks like an amazing, and tough (up) road ride. Almost no traffic as the main highway is right nearby but there are not many roads between the two. Great restaurants, grocery store poke, and non-touristy culture in Waimea at the top of the highway.

[AK47bp]

Lance Armstrong road up the road in 9 minutes. It's 800 feet up and only 6/10ths of a mile long, with a grade of 25-40%. Lance also says his favorite roadbike ride on earth is the Old Mamalahoa Hwy nearby. I drove that and would agree, it looks like an amazing, and tough (up) road ride. Almost no traffic as the main highway is right nearby but there are not many roads between the two. Great restaurants, grocery store poke, and non-touristy culture in Waimea at the top of the highway.

Are you talking about Waipio valley?

That road is crazy steep, I hiked it and a pickup was coming down, seems like if someone slammed their brakes that truck would of tomahawked end over end.

Couldn’t imagine a bike.


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[bennymac]

Yeah I’ve also hiked down and back up it - crazy steep. Starting your morning biking up that and then continuing to climb all the way to the summit of one of the volcanoes is impressive.

[AK47bp]

Wow. Starts at the 24 minute mark. Didn’t realize it was the steepest “paved” road in America. Crazy.


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[oldnew_guy]

If you look across the valley you will see some switchbacks that are part of a trail that take you to the next valley over. Out and back from the Waipio overlook is a nice hike with an overnight.

[bennymac]

Up thread is a link to guys who hiked the whole way north to south through all the valleys. I think going south to north into the next as you’re describing would be adequate adventure for me.

[Marshall Tucker]

Thanks for all the help herein, great trip. Though probably not going to be an issue soon, we both had QR codes and I had no problem getting the bracelet in LA (ATL=>LAX=>KONA). They said that while Ms. MT had a QR code that she had not uploaded her Vax card, so we took a picture and uploaded it during the 1.5 hr layover ultimately no issues. We did 5 nights Mauna Lani, 1 night by the Waipio valley, and 4 nights at the Fairmont Kea lani / Maui.

this is from the blacksand beach at the mouth of the waipio valley looking at the east side / goat-track you have to drive down (seriously, this thing would go toe-to-toe with anything in Romancing the stone). if you look along the ridgeline from the two trees at the top you can make out some airbnb's right on the canyon lip. this is where we stayed in 1990. I think with a good 4wd jeep 2-3 nights here would be a seriously fun and cost-effective vacation.



looking at the west wall. if there is a bridge over the river in the middle of the valley I couldn't find it and did not see any cars west of the river. Hard to make out but there is a trail that ramps up from the valley floor that hits about midway. If I'da been better prepared I'da brought some decent shoes and hiked to that first ledge on the west side; heard the views are spectacular. Old growth jungle-forrest in the middle of the valley; kept expecting a T-rex or Zolo to show up.



signage at the start of the trail up the west wall



And this dude checked us out on a dive directly offshore from Kihei, Maui. Fuckin seriously big animal.

[bennymac]

Awesome. Well done.

Upthread is a link to a TR on people hiking east/south (multi day) and finishing down that west wall trail. Definitely type 2/3 fun sounding.

[smmokan]

We stayed at one of the Airbnb’s at the top of that road back in 2015, I recently looked it up and it’s not horribly expensive ($250/night or so). The view from the porch was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

https://www.stevemokanphotography.co...15/i-P3jhqDp/A

[phatty]

We stayed at one of the Airbnb’s at the top of that road back in 2015, I recently looked it up and it’s not horribly expensive ($250/night or so). The view from the porch was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

https://www.stevemokanphotography.co...15/i-P3jhqDp/A

Awesome pics! Now I'm anxious to get back to the Big Island.

[Marshall Tucker]

it’s not horribly expensive ($250/night

In 1990 there were exactly two (2) rental units on that ridgeline. $39 a night. I read that the standard rental car w/o 4wd does not have gearing low enough, and you'll chew through the brakes and then some on the way down; and if you don't kill yourself doing that cars will stall and not get in gear on the way up.

[jono]

Physics are different on Pele's land.

[Name Redacted]

That whale pic was worth the trip!

[neufox47]

Any restaurant or other recommendations for Kona? Specifically the NE side?


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[SkiLyft]

For fancy stuffs the 4 seasons has great offerings — check out beach tree.

Da poke shack is killer, strong “hole in the wall” vibe.


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[rideit]

Not on the NE side, but we had excellent food at Shaka Tacos, really good. You can also get poke at any grocery store deli, sushi grade fish was about $8-9 a pound when we were there in November. We also bought fresh fish every morning from a chick on the highway, and grilled at the condo. Saved tons of money.

[dgilligan02]

Wanna say +1 on the GyPSy App…enjoyed all the facts and history driving around Maui for spring break.

Also the Sol Bros food truck in Kihei had a DAMN GOOD rib sandwich.