Scaling a Mountain on Christmas: Koko Head
Channel: Outdoor Pursuer
Date: 22/01/2020

In this video, I attempt to conquer Koko Head Trail hike. This trail starts out in a residential community park and slowly becomes steeper the further you climb up. If you are at all in shape and are not already beat from a previous hike such as I was from the ten hour hike of Ka'au Crater less than two days before attempting Koko Head , this trail can be accomplished in roughly 20 minutes. I began recording right at the beginning of the steps and reached the top in 43 minutes, according to the continuous run time on the GoPro. The beginning of the trail is very slowly becomes more steep until you reach a ravine. For roughly 50 yards the trail crosses over a ravine where there is empty space (40 foot drop) between the railroad ties and the ground. For this portion of the trail there is also the option of taking a safer, alternative route dirt path carved into the hillside. Halfway across the ravine, my friend did not feel comfortable continuing on due to the high wind and the soreness in hers legs (factors that increase the likeliness to lose balance) and turned back. I respect that decision and considered it myself, but pushed on. I am nonetheless extremely proud of her for doing as much as she did and conquering Ka'au Crater prior to this hike. Following the ravine it only gets steeper as you go further up and at some point it feels like you're almost climbing vertical for a while until it begins to level off and you eventually reach the summit. From the base when the "stairs" railway ties first begin to appear to the top there 1,050 steps. Many of these steps have wider distances between them and are much taller than conventional stairs making this hike even more of challenge. At the top, which for me showed 1,184 feet in elevation, the views are amazing as the crater overlooks much of the island on one side of the crater (90 degree view) and the other side overlooks much of the pacific ocean (270 degree view). There is also several bunkers, a rusty pulley (to pull carts up the hill), and a cave system carved in behind one of the bunkers (I saw this but did not explore). At the time when we did this hike, on Christmas Day, there was a Christmas tree at the top on one of the bunkers. I do not know if this Christmas tree is there all the time or if it was there for this special occasion.

Now for a little education and history of Koko Head Railway Trail. Koko Head is the headland that defines the eastern side of Maunalua Bay along the southeastern side of Oʻahu. Koko Head, at 642 feet, is an ancient tuff cone that is dwarfed by the neighboring tuff cone, Koko Crater, with its peak, Kohelepelepe, or Puʻu Ma, rising to 1208 feet. Koko Head itself has three significant depressions or old vents, the largest of which forms Hanauma Bay. Koko Head's last eruption was 30,000–35,000 years ago and it is part of the Honolulu Volcanic. As for the bunkers at the top of the crater, the US military created lookout pillbox bunkers during World War II.  A railway was created on the Koko Crater trail, and used to haul cargo and supplies up to the top.  Today the abandoned railway is used as hiking stairs to reach the old military bunkers and ridgeline.