We met at the parking lot of the Ka`ala Learning Center at 9am
(as
planned). After everyone had the belts and packs and boots in place we
walked up to Linda's place. There we met Dr. Dodge who had climbed this
ridge years ago and was the inspiration to do it today.
At 915 we began walking the "pipeline trail", alls well
so far. Soon we
came to the stream, crossed it and turned right to the old plantation dam
and the intake to the pipes that feed the loi at the Center. After
crossing
the stream again we climbed the bank on the left, then crossed a dry stream
onto the right bank. Due to my cold and my diminished lung capacity I soon
fell back to the next to the last position. Wing was behind me. The
trail
was the same one that Linda led us up on Wed. BUT somehow I missed a left
cut off and I led Wing and myself off to far to the right.
By the time I realized this it was to late to turn back and look
for the
correct turn off so I said to Wing "well just have to bush whack our way
across till we hit the correct trail. We were in contact with the others
via radio and yelling. I thought we were above the contour trail and as
Wing and I hiked thru the brush we dropped some altitude. After crossing
two dry gulches and following pig trails that ran out after a few minutes we
came upon a stream with flowing water and a pipe line.
I said "Ah ha, I know right where we are!" Wing and
I then followed a
faint trail up along the water pipe and after maybe 1/2 hour we hit the
contour trail. We turned right and soon came to the Stairs. I told
Wind
that if he were to walk maybe 100 yards beyond the stairs on the contour he
would come to a jeep road that went straight down the valley. Any way we
climbed the stairs and in about 5 minutes were back on the contour. And at
11:20 according to Wing's clock we reached the Hobbs' Ridge trail head.
There we took a short brake and I drew a map on a piece of "paperbark"
showing how the contour continued in and out of 3 valleys and then down a
long overgrown grass slope which would lead him to the paved road. This
was
the path that Jay, Peter, and I followed this past Wed.
Wing and I turned up Hobbs' Ridge and soon were huffing and puffin
as it
is quite steep but open and with lots of trees to grab onto and pull ones
self up and along. We could hear the progress of the others who were way
above us on the ridge via the RADIO! At 1200 Wing and I reached the
table,
YES a picnic table way up here in the middle of no place. We guess that at
one time this was a Pakalolo growers camp. After about 20 minutes I drew
another map for Wing. This time on a small piece of paper. I showed
3 ways
to get out. Perhaps that was my mistake. I should have let him
follow the
original plan of taking the contour where I drew the first map. Any way I
headed up hill and Wing down.
Using the RADIO! I kept in contact with the climbers above
me. The
first person coming down was Linda, who said with no shame that although she
still had energy, she no longer had the "guts" to continue along the
ridge
which was getting narrower as it rose up to the summit. Around 1:00
pm I
met Bill. I was at an altitude of 2750' and according to Dayle who used
his
RADIO I still had 450 feet to go. I decided then that my cold weakened
body
would not make it another 450 feet up, and so I turned around and headed
back down.
Bill and I met Linda who was waiting at the contour trail were Wing
SHOULD have turned right. We sat around for about 1/2 hour waiting for
those who made it to the summit to arrive. We then continued down Hobb's
Ridge crossing the contour and soon spotted Wing's orange ribbons. OH OH!
He didn't turn at the right spot. Down we went on the open trail
that Wing
described and soon landed on an old jeep road. This is were Wing made his
second mistake. He went right thinking this was the contour trail I was
talking about. We went left for about 5 minutes, came to a junction with
another road, turned right and walked down this jeep road. After about 1/2
hour we came to "Look Out Point", where the road makes a sharp turn to
the
right. There we climbed the bank and followed a trail that took us to the
"pipeline" trail on which we started hours ago.
Down the pipeline trail we went all the while wondering WHERE THE
HECK
WAS WING! And would he get out before dark. Back at the cultural
center at
3:30, we sat by the Hale cooling off in the shade and looking back to
Hobbs
Ridge trying to spot the 75 feet of white rope that Dayle left for future
hikers, and looking into the valley where we knew Wing now was and
wondering how long it would take him to get out.
After a rest of about 1/2 hour we said goodbye to Linda, an Dr
Dodge who
parked at her place, and walked down to the parking area where we left out
cars and COLD DRINKS. We drank our drinks, and talked of happy time hiking
and WONDERING WHERE THE HECK IS WING.
And now we know since Wing as reported his is safe and sound at
home.
Alls well that ends well.
Pictures follow on following pages. Two per page.
