Kauai, HI Master Thread

[efflpetzel]

TR?

It should be somewhere in the thread, was with [mention]MosheD [/mention] & [mention]high end hobo [/mention]

[SSLPhD]

It should be somewhere in the thread, was with [mention]MosheD [/mention] & [mention]high end hobo [/mention]

https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=60862.0

Must've missed it in the first search.

[Traveler718]

I did the whole hike, I wouldn't sacrifice my trip for that,
go to mile 2 enjoy the view & call it a day

Thanks @efflpetzel for your opinion, which is valuable since you've done the full hike. But I'm curious why you say it's not worth it? Most people who say that aren't hikers and haven't done the full trail, and most of those who've experienced what they call the magic of Kalalau Beach say it's the most beautiful place on the island and nothing else compares.

I do get the sense that some of them don't view life as I do and don't speak the same language, with one telling me that I'll find answers there to questions I never even knew I had lol. I'm no hippie or druggie, just appreciate beautiful nature. Do you feel they're overrating it, or why do you say it's not worth it? I'm considering a compromise of committing one full day to the hike, likely turning around about mile 8 or so. And with jetlag, if I start early as you guys did and daven around mile 2, I may even be able to get all the way to the beach before turning around. Thoughts?

[efflpetzel]

Thanks @efflpetzel for your opinion, which is valuable since you've done the full hike. But I'm curious why you say it's not worth it? Most people who say that aren't hikers and haven't done the full trail, and most of those who've experienced what they call the magic of Kalalau Beach say it's the most beautiful place on the island and nothing else compares.

I do get the sense that some of them don't view life as I do and don't speak the same language, with one telling me that I'll find answers there to questions I never even knew I had lol. I'm no hippie or druggie, just appreciate beautiful nature. Do you feel they're overrating it, or why do you say it's not worth it? I'm considering a compromise of committing one full day to the hike, likely turning around about mile 8 or so. And with jetlag, if I start early as you guys did and daven around mile 2, I may even be able to get all the way to the beach before turning around. Thoughts?

I answered you because it sounded like it's your first time in Kauai & you weren't going to be back in Kauai for a while,
it's a stunning island & I'd make the most of seeing it in the few days you have.

The kalulau trail isn't going away and you can always do it a different time.

The trail is something to savour so I'm not sure about rushing it in a day, regardless it all comes down to your fitness levels as I found out the hard way
The elevation changes are a killer

[Dan]

I answered you because it sounded like it's your first time in Kauai & you weren't going to be back in Kauai for a while,
it's a stunning island & I'd make the most of seeing it in the few days you have.

The kalulau trail isn't going away and you can always do it a different time.

The trail is something to savour so I'm not sure about rushing it in a day, regardless it all comes down to your fitness levels as I found out the hard way
The elevation changes are a killer

I have a different take. Kalalau trail permits are hard to come by. And the rest of the family will enjoy the other sights, but aren't likely to want to tackle Kalalau.

I'd definitely do Kalalau to the end if you're in shape to do it now. The other major sights (Helicopter/Waimea/Polihale) can be easily done in a day anyway.

[Traveler718]

Just got back from spending last week in the paradise of Kauai. A couple important updates for future visitors:

Kamokila Hawaiian Village is permanently closed, and with it the option for the short 5-10 minute kayak to the Secret Falls hike. The guy who used to run it said his lease wasn't renewed, and he still offers kayak rentals for $50, but from a much farther away starting point. Note that his website is still up, but he told me that's just so that people will call him and he can continue trying to get business, but the village and old kayak launch sport are gone.

The Kalepa Ridge trail should be considered a must-do. It leaves from Kalalau Lookout and is only 1 mile in each direction, with spectacular views that are among the best bang for the buck you'll ever find. The trail is officially closed, but the trailhead is easily accessible by following the security fence at the lookout to the left and then starting the well-marked trail where the fence ends. You will soon come to another fence, which you should follow briefly to the right to find a section in the fence that can be opened and climbed through, and the clear trail continues from there. I met other hikers on the trail, and it is definitely still in use. Note that it is not recommended for small children or anyone scared of heights, as the trail is narrow with steep dropoffs.

Another hike I didn't do but wish I would have known about beforehand is Sleeping Giant, which can be climbed via 2-3 different trails from different directions, but all are quite short and offer great panoramic views from the top.

Lastly, I'm happy to report that I managed to successfully dayhike the entire Kalalau trail to the beach and back in one really really long day, which was made that much harder since it was the day that the wind gusts that fanned the Maui wildfires were also trying to push hikers off of Crawlers Ledge! 24 miles, almost 8000 feet of elevation gain, more than 12 hours of hiking plus chill time at the beach left me with epic memories, really sore feet, and likely the DDF record for a dayhike!

[yoohoo]

Just got back from spending last week in the paradise of Kauai. A couple important updates for future visitors:

Kamokila Hawaiian Village is permanently closed, and with it the option for the short 5-10 minute kayak to the Secret Falls hike. The guy who used to run it said his lease wasn't renewed, and he still offers kayak rentals for $50, but from a much farther away starting point. Note that his website is still up, but he told me that's just so that people will call him and he can continue trying to get business, but the village and old kayak launch sport are gone.

The Kalepa Ridge trail should be considered a must-do. It leaves from Kalalau Lookout and is only 1 mile in each direction, with spectacular views that are among the best bang for the buck you'll ever find. The trail is officially closed, but the trailhead is easily accessible by following the security fence at the lookout to the left and then starting the well-marked trail where the fence ends. You will soon come to another fence, which you should follow briefly to the right to find a section in the fence that can be opened and climbed through, and the clear trail continues from there. I met other hikers on the trail, and it is definitely still in use. Note that it is not recommended for small children or anyone scared of heights, as the trail is narrow with steep dropoffs.

Another hike I didn't do but wish I would have known about beforehand is Sleeping Giant, which can be climbed via 2-3 different trails from different directions, but all are quite short and offer great panoramic views from the top.

Lastly, I'm happy to report that I managed to successfully dayhike the entire Kalalau trail to the beach and back in one really really long day, which was made that much harder since it was the day that the wind gusts that fanned the Maui wildfires were also trying to push hikers off of Crawlers Ledge! 24 miles, almost 8000 feet of elevation gain, more than 12 hours of hiking plus chill time at the beach left me with epic memories, really sore feet, and likely the DDF record for a dayhike!

well done, congrats on fulfilling that feat. Yes, the view from the Kalepa ridge trail is from the most awe inspiring views ever imo

[Dan]

Just got back from spending last week in the paradise of Kauai. A couple important updates for future visitors:

Kamokila Hawaiian Village is permanently closed, and with it the option for the short 5-10 minute kayak to the Secret Falls hike. The guy who used to run it said his lease wasn't renewed, and he still offers kayak rentals for $50, but from a much farther away starting point. Note that his website is still up, but he told me that's just so that people will call him and he can continue trying to get business, but the village and old kayak launch sport are gone.

The Kalepa Ridge trail should be considered a must-do. It leaves from Kalalau Lookout and is only 1 mile in each direction, with spectacular views that are among the best bang for the buck you'll ever find. The trail is officially closed, but the trailhead is easily accessible by following the security fence at the lookout to the left and then starting the well-marked trail where the fence ends. You will soon come to another fence, which you should follow briefly to the right to find a section in the fence that can be opened and climbed through, and the clear trail continues from there. I met other hikers on the trail, and it is definitely still in use. Note that it is not recommended for small children or anyone scared of heights, as the trail is narrow with steep dropoffs.

Another hike I didn't do but wish I would have known about beforehand is Sleeping Giant, which can be climbed via 2-3 different trails from different directions, but all are quite short and offer great panoramic views from the top.

Lastly, I'm happy to report that I managed to successfully dayhike the entire Kalalau trail to the beach and back in one really really long day, which was made that much harder since it was the day that the wind gusts that fanned the Maui wildfires were also trying to push hikers off of Crawlers Ledge! 24 miles, almost 8000 feet of elevation gain, more than 12 hours of hiking plus chill time at the beach left me with epic memories, really sore feet, and likely the DDF record for a dayhike!

Pity about Kamokila Hawaiian Village.

Congrats on Kalalau! Can you share more pics and tips?

[Something Fishy]

Note that it is not recommended for small children or anyone scared of heights, as the trail is narrow with steep dropoffs.

I beg to differ. I'm scared witless of heights (yeah yeah cue the jokes) and I still recommend it. Definitely one of the most incredible hikes I've ever done.

[Traveler718]

Pity about Kamokila Hawaiian Village.

Congrats on Kalalau! Can you share more pics and tips?

Not sure what exactly you're looking for, but I'll start with this and anyone who has any follow-up questions is welcome to post/PM:

The first thing to know is that Kalalau isn't a trail for the inexperienced. If you try a hike in your local national or state park and you're not up to it, you can just turn around at any point. If you're in really bad shape, you or a passerby can call for help.

On this trail you're really on your own, with no cell service, very few passersby once you pass mile 2 (beyond which you legally need a permit), and potentially dangerous or even fatal conditions in the form of 6 river crossings (3 each way) that can flood and prevent you from safely getting by, plus of course Crawler's Ledge. It's not for nothing that there are designated helicopter landing spots every 2-3 miles along the trail. You must also know how to safely filter water from the multiple water sources along the trail so that you don't end up with a nasty case of leptospirosis as a souvenir.

Add to this that the weather is hard to predict in advance, can easily change in just a few minutes, and isn't even necessarily the same from one end of the trail to the other. I was blessed with dry conditions that made the river crossings a breeze and meant no mud on the trail, but I was also up against wind gusts that started at 20-30 mph but were definitely over 50 mph in the afternoon - just when I needed to get back across Crawler's Ledge for the second time that day! The delay I experienced there set back my whole timeline, and I ended up hiking out the last 2-3 miles by headlamp, which I definitely do not recommend.

Another unique challenge is that on most trails, the hard work is usually on the first half, when you're on the way up to a viewpoint or overlook. That's when you're the most rested and enthusiastic. On the way down, you might be tired and have lost a step, but at least it's downhill which doesn't need so much effort and concentration.

On Kalalau, 50% of the elevation gain is on the way there, but the other 50% is on the way back, and let me tell you that the quite reasonable elevation gain in the first couple miles will no longer feel so reasonable when you just want to get back to your car, especially if you're doing it in one day and it's not miles 1-2 but miles 23-24!

So with all that said, the most important tips I can give are to start early before it gets hot and humid, to maximize your daylight hours, and also to beat the slow and out-of-shapre daytrippers that clog the first couple miles of the trail and will slow you down if you try to start too late. I parked my car at 6:30 am and was on the trail by 6:40 am, when the only people out were serious hikers (plus a guy with a bow and arrows trying to hunt feral goats and pigs!).

The second important tip is to pack as light as possible. All those extra comforts you want won't be so comfortable over the course of 24 miles - ounces add up to pounds, and pounds add up to shoulder and back pain. One reason I chose to dayhike it was to avoid having to carry a 30-pound pack with tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, tallis and tefillin, extra food, and more. I had 2-3 liters of water, food, and emergency supplies, which was much more manageable and maneuverable, especially on Crawler's Ledge.

That said, I wouldn't recommend doing what I did unless you have a lot of experience with 15-20 mile hikes with thousands of feet of elevation gain. I myself wasn't sure how far I'd get on Kalalau until I did a warmup hike the week before near Whistler that was 19 miles with 5000' of elevation gain and saw that I was up to it. Most people divide the hike in and hike out over 2-4 days, which lets you rest up and enjoy the Kalalau Valley (which I unfortunately had to skip), though it then becomes that much more important to be weight-conscious when packing.

Oh and one other really important tip is to sign up for a free 7-day Alltrails+ trial that allows you to download trail maps and use them for offline navigation (hike in airplane mode to conserve battery). The trail is generally well-marked, but there are a few places that people make wrong turns, especially on the other side of water crossings, and using Alltrails to keep you on trail can be critical. Without it I definitely could not have hiked out in the dark and would have had to wait until the morning.

Hopefully that should give anyone considering this trail some food for thought. Here are some more pics of my journey:

Approaching Crawler's Ledge (the path in the middle):


The infamous Crawler's Ledge shot (yes, this is the trail):


First sighting of the beach (at 3:00 - unfortunately it's still quite a walk to get there)


As I approached the beach, I couldn't believe my eyes and was so excited to see a boat on the beach, which I hoped I could pay to bring me back. Until I discovered that the boat had been anchored overnight and at 4 am was capsized by the hurricane winds, which flooded the motor and they were lucky to somehow get ashore in the dark. Worse, the waters were so choppy that nobody could come to repair the boat or rescue them. One upside of the lousy weather was that I didn't see any commercial boats and only a couple of choppers the whole day, which usually disturb the peace of the hikers, but they couldn't make it out in the strong winds.


This waterfall is a landmark at the end of the beach, where tired souls go to wash off and filter water. But even here you must be careful, as there are stories of hikers getting hit by rocks dislodged by goats above (as the sign shown here warns):


Even this seal didn't want to deal with the choppy water and came up to the beach to relax:


The beached boat with the beach landscape behind it:


This cave marks the end of the beach. It's only accessible in the summer, and some choose to camp there for added protection from the elements.


Regular boats weren't out today, but the winds and waves were no match for this cruise ship that I spotted on my return hike:


Another shot of Crawler's Ledge on the return, the afternoon lighting makes it look black-and-white even though I took it in regular color:


Getting ready for the last river crossing in the dark:


I had read that frogs come out on the trail at night, and I can definitely confirm that it's true! My headlamp picked up tons of them on my return journey:


My Alltrails hike splits - they're a little off from the conventional map because I started tracking from the parking lot, which is .3 miles from the trailhead, note that I was doing great until Crawler's Ledge around miles 7-8, and the increased winds on the return plus my overall tiredness slowed down my pace even more, until the last few miles in the dark were the slowest of all. B"H I got out safely and slept well that night (and was very grateful to be staying in Princeville and not in the south!). I had extra kavanah when bentching Gomel after returning home!

[yoohoo]

Incredible!

[efflpetzel]

kol Hakavod!
Bravo!

[Dan]

Not sure what exactly you're looking for, but I'll start with this and anyone who has any follow-up questions is welcome to post/PM:

Awesome TR, thanks for sharing!

Are there any boat companies that can bring in overnight supplies for you to use in Kalalau?

[efflpetzel]

Awesome TR, thanks for sharing!

Are there any boat companies that can bring in overnight supplies for you to use in Kalalau?

Sure, not legit though

[Traveler718]

Awesome TR, thanks for sharing!

Are there any boat companies that can bring in overnight supplies for you to use in Kalalau?

It's actually against the law, so definitely no legit established company would ever get involved in that. I have heard stories about sketchy locals claiming to do it, but it's a big YMMV with the results and definitely not a chance I'd ever want to take. If you hired someone the day I went with the crazy winds, even if they meant well, there's no way they could have gotten to the beach to drop off or pick up your gear, and you'd be totally stuck, plus with no way to communicate.

If you want to go there, don't count on anyone but yourself to get in with whatever you need. Or if you're desperate, maybe Something Fishy can hook you up with his water transport service lol (https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=130741.msg2692968#msg2692968).

And once I'm posting again on this topic, a few more points I forgot in my previous post.

First, I always hike everywhere with hiking poles, and I would consider them essential for this hike. While many people prefer only one pole on Crawler's Ledge so their other hand can be free to hold on to the rock wall for support, the river crossings are often the most dangerous part of the hike depending on the time of year, and a good pair of poles can be vital for crossing them uneventfully.

Second, I did this hike with all the proper permits, which have gone up in price sharply. The overnight hiking permit was $35, plus the overnight parking permit was $40 ($20 per day). It's true that rangers checking permits is pretty rare, but parking permits for the lot recently became almost impossible to come by, and you absolutely will get an expensive ticket without one. Your only other option will be taking the shuttle 20+ minutes each way at $35 per person and be bound by its schedule. I would have been completely out of luck finishing the hike at night when no shuttles run, many miles from my car in the shuttle lot.

But there's a separate ample supply of parking permits only for those who have a legal overnight camping permit, which to me justified all the expense, not to mention that I prefer to follow the rules and feel that my decision to do it legally definitely helped me pull off the dayhike despite the dangerous conditions.

Lastly, for those considering this hike, here's a helpful packing list that I found online. I obviously didn't take everything listed here since I was only dayhiking, but it's definitely a great guide for anyone thinking of doing it as an overnight. Hatzlacha!
 

[Cat18]

Anyone had recent success booking award stays at GHK? Looking for mid winter break '24, and while the monthly calendar shows "availability" @ 30k/ night, i can't book anything.

Does the GHK play games with points booking like other ones, where 7 or 10 days may be needed?

[yoohoo]

Anyone had recent success booking award stays at GHK? Looking for mid winter break '24, and while the monthly calendar shows "availability" @ 30k/ night, i can't book anything.

good luck. This is the same with popular hyatts across the globe. Try splitting up the rez. When I went in February I had looked multiple times a day for weeks. Was able to get 3 separate bookings with 1 night paying cash.

[Cat18]

how much trunk space is available in ford mustang convertible? i planned on putting 1 kid and a wheelchair in the back seat, so not sure how much additional room will be available in the back.

[Cat18]

does it make sense that the GHK has a "standard suite" available for points redemption but not a room?

any reason that the "standard suite" is available only as a points + cash redemption vs points only?

[yoohoo]

does it make sense that the GHK has a "standard suite" available for points redemption but not a room?

any reason that the "standard suite" is available only as a points + cash redemption vs points only?

makes plenty of sense. Good luck with the availability search