Veteran's Day weekend

This past weekend ushered in some rain.  Unfortunately it cancelled our backpacking trip in the north Koolaus.  Friday night I told the group it would be miserable if we went, I felt bad because we had been planning it for weeks.  So instead we went chasing waterfalls.

Saturday morning it rained and rained.  We decided to sleep in a little and get a late start.  We met at Swanzy beach around 1 pm and hit up a 300+ ft waterfall I had seen almost a year ago.  It only forms when there is heavy rain.  Near the beginning of the trail head we were greeted by a fast flowing stream.  Amanda and Will's dog Tango, led the way.  We got to the first obstacle where the group had to carry Tango up a fast flowing waterfall that was two tiered.  Cory helped out with that because he's and expert climber.  We got to the waterfall shortly after.  It was just like I remember the last time I visited except it had a little more water coming down.  The wind generated from the waterfall was making it chilly so Katie and I posed for a few pictures but went downstream to wait for everyone else because it was too cold.  We came back out the way we came and went to a restraunt with some ramen to warm us up after.

Saturday night the rain didn't let up.  We planned to hit more waterfalls!  Our first stop was in Nuuanu.  Nuuanu is notorious for waterfalls.  But the waterfall we wanted to see is really rare and only a handful of people seen it's full effect up close.  There are stories of an upside down waterfall.  We went search and we definitely found it.  

Driving up the Pali highway on Sunday it was so cloudy and rainy but through the clouds we saw it and were super excited.  We met up with a few friends.  Emma, Jessie, Will and Amanda met up and headed to the obscure trail head.  We headed Mauka for about thirty minutes and hit the wall.  The rain was falling and water was misting everywhere.  The waterfall wasn't running against the wall but instead falling and getting blown up by the wind hence, "upside down waterfall". The name is Waipuhia and we hit two of the chutes on our initial approach.  We had to hug the wall and scramble a little to hit the third and final chute.  This one was flowing well!  Sometimes the water would fall and sometimes it would be blown by the wind.  It was extraordinary to see and just VERY different than any other waterfall I had ever seen.  When we were finished watching we headed back to our cars and went to our second hike.

Our second hike was Koolaupoko Chutes.  This time we only visited chute four and one.  It wasn't flowing as well like the last time we went because we went later in the day when the rain let up a little.  As we were hiking there we could see that all four chutes were going but not like the last time we were there.  Chute four was going good, we visited there first.  On the way there I got some nasty cats claw thorn stuck in my fingers, it hurt a lot!  Passing chute three and two we headed straight to one after that.  Because it wasn't flowing as well I could actually take my DSLR out and shoot a little.  The wind coming off the falls wasn't string either.  After hiking to all of these places we decided to finish there.  Tomorrow was going to be our grinder hike.  

Veterans Day we did the "Going against the flow" hike.  I was really looking forward to it because this time around the water levels were a bit higher which made for a more challenging and technical hike.  We had a larger group this day than the other days.  Our friend Garvin decided to join us on today's hike.    We hit over eighteen waterfalls.  Most of which you have to climb or have the aid of a rope to help you up.  We celebrated at the last falls with some beer and snacks.  

Veteran's Day weekend was great even though we didn't get to do what we originally planned.  Hopefully we get to do our North Koolau trek soon!

 Friday waterfall hike.

First hike on Sunday morning.  Upside down waterfall.

The second hikes 4th chute. 

Where the water falls into at the 4th chute.

The biggest falls we saw all weekend. 

Hard to imagine the last time I was here I was being blasted by mist.

Our Veteran's Day hike consisted of climbing series of waterfalls like the one pictured above. 

Veteran's Day weekend from Ryan Chang on Vimeo.

2nd is best

I love hiking to waterfalls and today was no different.  This weekend I thought the showers would go away and there would be clear summit views with cloudless skies.  I was wrong!  Last night I made a last minute decision to hike again with a new group.  I was invited again by Kyle, we hiked to some waterfalls in Palolo other wise known as Ka'au Crater or Waiamao stream.  I got to meet a new group of hikers today and they are called W.H.O.R.E.S. (We Hike Oahu's Really Enjoyable Summits) led by Del.
Today I noticed at the trail head that there were so many cars.  More than I had ever seen before for this hike and it made it difficult to find parking.  I quickly got ready because the group had been waiting for me for the past 5 or so minutes and I noticed that the ground was really muddy, water was flowing down the street and light rain was falling.  I was stoked because that meant there was going to be some nice waterfalls.  We pushed off a little after 9 and hiked down to the stream and followed the river bed and pipe.  About 15-20 mins we ran into a few groups of hikers.  These were the guys that had taken up all the parking at the trail head.  I had some small talk with them, asking if the had done the trail before... A lot of them haven't even done it and I told them that they were in for a treat today!  Our group passed a group or two and we made a single file line behind another group arriving at the first waterfall.  I and a few other hikers from our group decided against it because literally there were about 15 people down at the first falls and in front of the pool.  All I wanted to do was take some pictures alone or with the company of my group.  We arrived at the second falls and it was really gorgeous today!  (I had always thought the second waterfall is the best on this hike.)  The rest of the group followed suit and came up shortly after us.  We took a group picture and some shots of the waterfall; we exchanged stories of previous hikes and such.  After snapping some pictures we decided to part ways and a few of us had to return for lunch plans, I on the other hand had to start some homework I've been procrastinating on.  So me and two other hikers from our group trodded back to our cars all muddy yet satisfied on our mornings journey.

 Stoked to see her flowing (shaka)

 Of course the group picture

 Where unicorns drink water from

 Sheeting on a cliff