Mariner’s Ridge
I hiked Mariner’s Ridge today with Lillian, Pat, Matthew, Erin, Chris, and Tommy. Mariner’s Ridge, sitting above Hawai‘i Kai, hosts the shortest and easiest of the East Honolulu Ko‘olau ridge trails, and I’ve been on it many times. It’s a great way to introduce people to the Ko‘olau trails.
After leaving the houses of Mariner’s Ridge behind, we climbed through dry grass and entered an ironwood grove.
There were vantage points along the way giving us views of the back of Kamilonui Valley. The cool breeze coming up the slopes from the valley was refreshing!
Kamilonui Valley is a remnant of the old Hawai‘i Kai, back from before Henry Kaiser ever came up with that name. It’s still farmland, a rarity among the upscale bedroom communities of East Honolulu.
The farms of Kamilonui Valley, on the east side of Mariner’s Ridge, seem a world away from the suburbs of Hahaione Valley, on the west side of the ridge.
We soon reached the summit. Waimānalo stretched below us.
There are two vantage points at the top of the trail. This view is from the right-hand vantage point…
…once more…
…and this one is from the left-hand vantage point.
Looking back at Hawai‘i Kai from the ridgeline.
A brief note on native plants. This is ‘ulei, one of the few native Hawaiian plants that I recognized along this trail. (‘Ilima was the other.) Aside from these two, the land along the trail was mostly populated by alien plant species. Definitely no koa, ‘ōhi‘a, or uluhe, the three plants that in my mind are emblematic of the Ko‘olau ridges.
August 1st, 2005 at 10:27 am
Hey, I can see my house! It’s the darkish green pixel in picture #4.
August 3rd, 2005 at 8:53 pm
Mariner’s Ridge! A gf & I used to race each other to the top with a bottle of booze every day after school! Is the “No Hikers” sign gone now?
August 3rd, 2005 at 9:03 pm
Now there’s an interesting image.
There was a “No Hikers” sign there? I never saw one, so it must have disappeared sometime before 2003.
September 22nd, 2005 at 8:41 am
The farms of Kamilonui Valley may not be sticking around much longer. The farmers are getting old and want to cash out and retire, and Kamehameha Schools is planning to sell the land to a housing developer.
March 13th, 2006 at 8:31 am
Eric,
What you said on 9/22/05 may not be true regarding …Kamilonui Valley may not be sticking around much longer. See Livable Hawaii Kai Hui web site http://www.hawaiikaihui.org/26001.html to get the full up to date news on what is happening in the valley. The Honolulu City Council, the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board and 3,500 signatures of concerned Hawaii Kai residents have voiced their concerns to keep the valley green and in open space.
I loved the article and pictures.
Tai
March 13th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Thanks for the update!
March 13th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
I agree with Tai Hong….don’t lose faith. The city made a commitment to keep the farmlands in Ag till 2020. Visit the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board meetings on the last Tuesday of every month. You will be surprised to see that they support the Farmers and no more development outside the Urban Growth Boundary, unlike in that past few years……The tune is changing in Hawaii Kai and people have had enough…
Great photos, I’d like to use the one looking down on the farms for the Livable Hawaii Kai Hui website, with your permission.
Thanks, Gayle
March 13th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
Gayle, permission granted. Just please credit me. Good luck!