The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-30
HIGH TRAILS
OF PARADISE
The Secluded Mountain Nooks
That Now May Be
Visited.

The new "Pauoa PATH has simply
just about doubled the outing facilities
or possibilities of the hills back of Ho-
nolulu. 1t is W. R. Castle S latest pub
lie service contribution, rather more
ambitious than his brother George s
lighthouse trail on Diamond Head and
a fit mate to his brother James trail
back of Hauula, in Koolau, over the
Pail.
To encounter or consider another of
these outdoor gifts of one of the Cas-
ties is to recall that excellent story of
George P.'s swimming tank and the
street boys. A number of the latter
We're one day disporting themselves in
Mr.. Georges pool when member of
the gang proposed some liberty with
the plant that to a companion seemed
unduly bold 'This is private prop
erty, isn't it?' inquired wise lad
Then a wiser one answered without de-
lay: "Of course it ain t. 1t belongs
to George Castle.''
Well, the "Pauoa Path" belongs to
the Hon. VIM. r. in the sense that he
directed in its construction for some
weeks a force of fourteen men and
luna. He secured the necessary rights
of way, consulted members of the Oahu
Walking Club on route and features
and finally erected signs reading "Pau-
GA PATH" but everyone calls it the
"'Castle Trail !" 1t begins on the
Punehbowl "hogbaek," to the rear of
the residence of the director of the Uni
ted States Experiment Station, winds
along the side of Tantalus above Pauoa
valley to junction with trail on which
Tantalus peak may be assembled from
the mauka side; to junction with a
trail on which descent may be made
into Manoa valley; to junction with
trail up Konahuanui; TO junction with
the Pacific Heights trail; to the Nun
anu ridge at a point where it will be
met by a trail which Mr.. C. NJ Cooke
Will build up from the neighborhOOd
of Luakaha; to junction with the old
trail up the center of Pauoa, past the
Chas. Booth and Judge Dole home
steads
Let it be repeated that Mr.. Castle,
VIM r., this time, has doubled the joys
of those whose footsteps are led to
the green slopes and the timbered up
per land by the manifold attractions
of the peaks and their approaches.
There is a by-trail or backpath, also.
This lands one near the eauseway or
bridge at the base of Tantalus, near
Mr. Thurston s place. Here IS one of
the finest views of the locality. The
whole of the main trail from back of
Punehbowl is "easy walking full of
charm and surprises. Many of its
secrets. most of its choicest prizes viii
be revealed only after dozens of trips.
The writer has been over it about ten
times and its grip grows, for it has
9 infinite variety sure enough. Sew
There has been not a little blasting.
The soil ranges from loan to fresh
cinders, land-shell preserves
are tapped, MALE may be found, ginger
and lehua blossoms plueked; there are
wild oranges and bananas and guava
groves. There is even a cave. The
cave NAV sometime have housed the
shop or laboratory of an illicit distiller,
for the ii plant is plentiful along the
walk. At points there are sheer drops
from the shelf. where there might easily
be enacted a tragedy. At some of the
sharp cuts back from Pauoa are sug
rested possibilities for swinging bridges.
Below is peaceful and productive Ma
nOa with japanese small farmers at
the head, Portuguese hOmesteaders at
the mouth and Chinese taro planters
between. Is this little picture pro-
ohetic. or without a hinti
They say that General Grant never
looked back nor turned back. Well, he
never tramped to Tantalus for pleasure.
In the early part of the walk you look
back on the town. on Pearl Lochs, on
the eanefelds of Honolulu, Oahu and
Eva plantations, on Palama, Kalihi and |
Moanalua. Now you might say this |
same thing about other trails. But on !
Zach one the views are vastly different /
md on each one the pictures seem more !
magnificent in setting and in eoloring. /
The Castle trail. for distinction, gives !
he sense of elevation, for at no point /
$ il any great distance from the west 4
Tantalus ridge and all objects down in !
oauoa look small and distant, while as 1
,ach iutting is rounded the lofty peaks
# the range that divides Oahu comes /
nto view and greets one with a fresh
,reeze. 4 third of the way on the trail
-ou enter the woods. where there are
lative trees and vines and flowers
My. 1t is through this forest that the
Jew is Of the ridge side beyond Pa
life Heights. At one spot on the Pa
life Heights side is the best grass
casting on the Island. Sometimes here
f Sundax morning or afternoon Won
viI see upwards of a hundred boys and
iris shooting down the sleeps on their
ileaf toboggans and not only are their