How to get there:
From Kona, take Hwy. 190 north, then turn right on Kaloko Drive.
Follow this road uphill for about 6 miles, turn left on Huehue street.
Find parking on the side of the street before it ends in a gate with
posted signs. The location is roughly N19.71666, W155.92279, elevation near 1560 meter.
Route::
This route mostly follows a 4WD road that is private and has signs
indicating that they do not like visitors.
A sign on the gate
where this road starts proclaims that one may
now do this legally, just book a trip (see picture). Such a trip
seems to cost between 400 and 500 USD for a party of two.
The road soon has a second gate, with a sign saying that the land
has cultural significance. Continue uphill, keep right but stay on the
main road. You will cross a third gate.
Eventually, the road levels out then traverses along the
south-west hillside. The road actually descends a little
to a small cabin,
then arrives at gate number 4. This gate has
a sign informing you
that you "will diminish the land for future
generations" if you continue. The road now turns uphill and climbs with
many turns to a higher area with trees. More ascent and the road finally
is about to crest, now with the summit up on your right.
This is the West summit or Puu Honuaula. Ascend towards this summit, but
stay on a course that will get you left of the summit. It is easy to find a
path that ascends between the bushes. You will reach the crater
rim, a quite impressive crater
will be on your left. Continue to move
left such that you cross the saddle between the west summit and the highest
summit which will now be straight ahead. You should gain the summit, marked by
a nice cairn, within a few minutes.
Comments:
I had read some trip reports, none of them seemed to think that
using this route could cause any issues. The road seems to see
little usa etc. It turns out that this route is likely to have
issues between the land owner and any peakbagger in the future.
The sign at the first gate may be part of the explanation.
They now run a guided service where you will be driven by
4WD truck almost to the summit. This involves paying several
hundred dollors.
The really bad thing is not that they try charging money, but that
they deliberaately speculate in ancient Hawaiian culture.
To post a sign several miles into the wilderness stating that
if you walk here, "you will diminish the area for future generations,"
then at the same time say that if you pay several hundreds of
dollars we will drive you in a noisy, polluting truck across the
same path and "no harm" will ever happen "to future generations."
This is really, really bad. What about charging a modest fee from
hikers that wanted to just walk on their own feet and not leave any
trace whatsoever?
I left at 0600, after only 15 minutes or so, a truck came up the
road from behind. I pretended to be an authorized hiker and did not
pay any attention. Fortunately, the truck just continued up
the road and out of sight.
First, well into the uphill section, I spotted the truck parked off to my
right. No people to be seen. I arrived on top of the mountain around
0855, so slightly less than 3 hours. A very nice day, I rested and
took pictures. Then descended back across to the west summit.
This summit
has a nice view down towards Kona and the nearest coast.
I left around 0930 and walked back the same road. High up, among the higher
trees a second truck was now parked. Again, no people to be seen. Lower down,
the first truck was still parked in the same location.
There could always be some chance that the new truck would drive back out and
overtake me, however, I did not think too much about it. i rather enjoyed
what had turned into a really nice day. My return hike went without any
incidents and I was back at my car already by 1120, so considerably
faster, I guess downhill does help.
