End of an Era: A Local's Take on the Closure of Haiku Stairs
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 พ.ค. 2024
- So now that the famous Stairway to Heaven, or Haiku Stairs, hike is being removed, I wanted to share my experience on the hike, as well as my thoughts on whether its removal is a good idea. I know a lot of people enjoy the view at the top, but having done the hike, I've always told others it's not worth it. But seeing as people will probably continue doing the hike from the Moanalua Valley side, maybe the City and/or State can come up with a good solution to ensure that would-be hikers are safe.
Intro - 0:00
Storytime of When I Hiked Stairway to Heaven - 0:24
Why I Can't Recommend the Hike - 6:22
What I Think They Should Do With the Hike - 8:30
Filmed using the Panasonic VX1.
#hellofromhawaii
#stairwaytoheaven
#hawaiihikes
📷 IG - / hello_from_hawaii
I'm so thankful that I got to do the Stairway to Heaven hike back in the early 80s when I was at UH. That was when it was still under the auspices of the Coast Guard, which had a building in the back of the valley where they worked out of. Back then you parked and checked in at their building to sign a liability waiver. Then you did a short walk to the head of the trail.
A couple of my friends and I did the hike all the way to the top where the Omega radio antenna was located, and the view was incredible! Of course, you could see much of the Windward side, but you could also see over to Halawa Valley and Pearl Harbor on the Leeward side of the Ko'olaus. The trail at the time was still maintained and in good condition, but I remember the part that was scariest to me was the stretch between the block house that they used to haul up the materials to the top and the building where the antenna was at the very end. There was no rail on one side and the remaining rail was rusted and corroded, although it was wider than the ladders that made up most of the trail. Not good for someone like me with a healthy fear of heights.
I went down the trail the same way you did - facing away from the mountain. It took about 2 weeks for my quads to recover from that hike. That was so painful, but it was absolutely worth it! And, I have photos of the valley pre-H3 as my reward. It's sad to know that the trail will no longer exist. It's so historic and unique. Sadly, too many people have unapologetically taken liberties by trespassing on the neighbors' property. I wish the State or county would have maintained the hike over the years. At least, then, the trail would have been kept safer and made the possibility of keeping it open more feasible.
Glad to know that I'm not the only one who experienced sore legs. And that photo pre-H3 is priceless. 🤙
Never did the stairs…but I did skateboard down the H3 before it opened. 😜 I’ll always have that.
Was that on the preview day? I still remember we walked up from the bottom and got to see the tunnel before it opened.
@@HelloFromHawaii pretty sure it was unofficial.
The stairs may be gone, but the legend lives.
🤙
Aloha n howzit Chris🤙🏼 While stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe from 1981- 1984, for one of our physical training sessions we took our entire platoon up Stairway to Heaven during summer of 1982. It was a bit physically challenging but an incredible experience I’ll never forget, and the views were amazing. It was a clear sunny morning and once at the top we had spectacular views of both sides of the island. It got a bit tricky heading down, as it began to rain…as usual for Windward side! We all made it back down safely and back to the base.
Sorry to see the stairs going away 😔 the stairs were in pretty bad shape in 1982, I’m sure the stairs are far more deteriorated now making the hike even more treacherous. Got some great photos and great memories of Haiku Stairs🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
Mahalo for sharing. That must have been a tough workout. 🤙
Regardless of location, hiker rescues should ALWAYS be paid for by the people needing rescuing. If your skills are not up to being in a certain wilderness area, then you bear the responsibility if there is expense and/or risk involved to save you. The Haiku Stairs got blown up on social media specifically because of the risk and illegality of it and the desire to create clickbait. Those taking the risks should bear the financial responsibility of the repercussions of taking such risks...the locals already have to deal with enough repercussions from such people.
I wonder if the hike would be popular if it were made legal. It would lose part of the danger and charm. Maybe the appeal is the danger.
I totally understand what you're saying, but what you say makes absolutely no sense at all. So if a pro surfer takes a wipeout at Pipeline, and a lifeguard on a jet ski saves him, and he needs to be flown, by helicopter, to a hospital in Honolulu, should he have to pay for all that rescue? Also, just because someone slips and gets hurt hiking on a trail it DOES NOT MEAN that they "don't have the skills" and shouldn't be hiking. People trip, fall, and get hurt every single day just walking down the sidewalk, walking down stairs, and even just walking in their own homes.
I am an experienced hiker. Yet I've slipped on trails many times. I could have easily sprained or broken my ankle while 8 miles in. It's just good fortune (and some luck) that i've never broken anything when I accidentally slipped on a root or a wet rock.
I never did that hike.
I used to just grab a length of rope and climb the mountains of Palolo Valley. Try getting to the ridge of Palolo Valley and having to crawl on hands and knees on the narrow ridge hoping not to fall off the sides.
That climb is definitely sketchy!
There are a few hikes that have ropes. The one by Temple Valley comes to mind. Super slippery when it rains.
Been hearing about Stairway to Heaven since before internet days (when info was harder to come by) and it has always been on my bucket list. But 25 years later, I just never get to do it (plus I moved away to mainland.) It will remain a legend for me :)
It's a nice view, but I think there are other views that are just as great without the worry of the stairs.
@@HelloFromHawaii Exactly. I've hiked up to all of the major peaks on the Koolau and Waianae mountain ranges. I could have easily done Stairway to Heaven, but I knew it was illegal, so, out of pure respect for the laws of the State of Hawaii, I purposely did not do it.
Good Video
Grandpa got his wish done and he knew you would get it done🤙🤙🤙🤙
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Maybe grandpa didn’t want to go alone
Possible. Still don't know why he wanted his ashes up there. 🤙
I lived in Pupukea and looked at the steps and building at the top of the ridge with my dad's binoculars. My uncle climbed to the top. I never had an interest. Sad this is happening; however, for the local residents and emergency services personnel. About time.
Another good one! With age you gain wisdom. I have been hiking there a few times, when it was ok (?) 70s and 80s... I also think the base was blocked with a fence which was broken. It was an enjoyable hike back then, was more fit then... thanks for sharing.
I think there were holes in the fence, but we didn't see them at the time. Fastest way was the climb over it.
I think they are planning on taking those stairs down. I agree, going through other people's yards to get to the stairs is not cool. I've never done that hike, but sounds like it would be a good one from the other side.
I'm not sure how it is from the other side. Not sure I'll ever try. The Moanalua Valley Trail is nice as is.
I was there around 17 years ago. As a tourist, the signs warning about imprisonment and $50,000 fines convinced us no to climb. A local I spoke with later in the day said the secret is to start so early in the day the security guard isn’t yet there, and that when you come back down, the guard will say nothing.
I forget when we did the hike. Wasn't too early, but when we got down the security guard just talked story with us. Nice guy 🤙
You can also easily hike to stairs from Aiea. Hi highly recommend this route!
Hiked to the Haiku Stairs from the Moanalua Valley trail two years ago, and walked down and back up the stairs. Sad to see the stairs go. Really an awesome hike.
Glad you made it back safely.
Those breaking the law is immature & risking the lives of our first responders, their jobs already risky enough but they will always go out to help those in need. No need make it any harder they don't get paid enough for their dedication. Dld these violators forget the 3 rescuers lost in Sacred Falls accident or their families? Time for some people grow up & stop being selfish , think of our rescuers ❤
That's a good point. It often comes up when we hear about hikers needing to be rescued from illegal hikes.
I agree with you that they should just tear the stairs down. Its a liability.
Just a small correction. The Kuliouou ridge trail entrance is located in the back of Kuliouou Valley. It is well worth the hike up because you will go through a couple of different types of forests and you will be rewarded at the end with a spectacular view of the Waimanalo coastline from the top of the Koolau ridge. It isn't recommended for families with small kids because it has a couple hazardous areas. Love your channel!
I think Kuliouou is an underrated hike. Not sure why a lot of people don't try it for the amazing view of Waimanalo. Love when it changes to that pine tree forest.
@@HelloFromHawaii yes! The pine forest is amazing, but the ironwood forest is spectacular! The thick carpet of ironwood needles makes it feel like a magical place.
Thank you for talking story. Good memory from your youth. Mahalo.
🤙
that's why take the safe and legal way. I was there last Sunday. and i actually did it 2weeks in a row and never get tired enjoying the view all i can say is "What a creation"
Wow, you must be good shape to not get tired. I couldn't walk to the car. lol
Perhaps the trail can be blessed w/ thorny bushes & sword grass to keep the haoles away … 🤙🏼
lol. It's already pretty unkept from what I heard.
I asked the Hawai'i Sierra Club Chapter about that hike decades ago and they advised against it.
Yeah, that's probably a safe recommendation. Lots of other hikes on Oahu.
Were you at the Winward pool, recreational facility Chris? Mahalo.
This was Kaneohe District Park. There's a pool by the gym.
@@HelloFromHawaii Ah yes. Kanehohe District Park. I did summer fun and swam a lot there growing up in Kanehohe. Chris your videos keep me connected to "home" even if I now live in Arizona. Mahalo sir.
We lived in the neighborhood at the foot of the Haiku Stairs during the Pandemic winter. There were about two 'copter rescues per month or more. Problem is, the hikers get part way up and the weather changes. The fog sets in and you can't see. It starts to rain. The stairs get slippery. It gets dangerous up there. I read someplace that over the years, probably hundreds and hundreds of ankles got sprained on those stairs. That's not even considering that you have to hike through private property to get to the stairs and park your car in a residential neighborhood that's not set up to accept dozens of hikers' cars at one time. But I've read that the hike from the other side is harder, "more technical," is the phrase they use. So - tough choice. But glad for our former neighbors that the stairs are coming out. Some of those hikers were not pleasant.
Mahalo for sharing. I remember encountering clouds at the top. Definitely didn't plan for that, as the stairs were slippery. Hope that the community sees less rescues and trespassers.
I cant wait to climb up once the stairs are gone! Do they know when the project will be pau?
I heard the removal has been paused, but it was supposed to start at the end of April.
Tearing down the stairs on the H3 side, it's overdue. It's a liability as long as it exists. The argument on the rescue costs for Haiku stairs, might be not much difference if a helicopter was needed to rescue paddlers to the Lanikai islands, rescue off Diamond Head or any other copter rescue. Or sending a dozen or more firemen to rescue a lost/injured hiker on any part of the island. Are rescues necessary? You'd think Hawaii being the second smallest state in the nation, with other states, like Alaska, California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and any other state with vast landscape, mountainous terrain, deserts, marshlands, swamps that there must be metrics on the number of people rescued from being lost, injured and the costs spent by the counties/states. Are we to believe that only rescues occur here? Alaska's a pretty big state and sparsely populated, yet how often are they sending personnel to go searching for someone lost? I don't think the effort of resources spent to find someone is lost/injured is as easy as Oahu, we have cell phones and fairly decent coverage. I think those lost/injured are the fortunately lucky ones that they were rescued, compared to some of the locals that were never located. Definitely, lucky lost & found in Hawaii.
Hopefully we can start seeing the numbers of rescues on Haiku Stairs go down.
My platoon from K-Bay climbed stairway to heaven in 1984 before we sailed out on a West-pac.
Can somebody from Hawaii explain the best mountain view spots on any of the islands? I have never been to Hawaii and would like to go someday.
Depends on what you like to see. Waimea Canyon State Park has some nice views. Kuliouou is also nice. Lanikai is nice too.
those stairs were part of the ridge trail which had cabins.
I have done this hike hundreds of times. Go through Anchor church for easy access. You will not bother anyone..
Not sure if I should pin this comment or hide it. lol 🤙
The hike and climb up to Mount Ka'ala is much more challenging.
I bet your grandpa was having a good laugh. I worked for the military for a couple of years. It was a thing for a lot of the people on the military bases. But I have cousins in Kailua who always said that it was super dangerous so I never went.
I'm sure he was 🤙
I believe it’s a Hawaiian sacred access more popular than Maunakea. Just ask your Grandpa if it’s sacred. It was an awesome once in a lifetime hike. So sad that it’s not open all those people who spent time and effort to carry those stairs will be rolling in their graves.
Bummer!
I still remember 16yo Daylenn Pua who went missing in 2015. they were all searching for him with no good ending
I did the Stairway To Heaven hike in the 80s. Scared the hell out of me ... the coming down part ... lol! Back in those days we had to sign a waver at a little office run by the military (I think) ... anyway, it was an adventure!!! 🤙
Wow, interesting that there was a waiver back then. Wonder if they could do something similar if they ever decided to maintain the trail.
Some people see the removal of the stairs and think: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
I know. Hopefully they monitor the foot traffic and we see a decrease.
District Park.🤗
One of my favorite parks. 🤙
I like the idea of keeping the safer route up. People will still try to do the hike just for bragging rights.
I still don't understand why, though. With so many pictures online, it would be easier to fake it.
@@HelloFromHawaiiadrenaline rush.
I know it’s not the right attitude, but I’m gutted I didn’t do it when I could. That stairway is part of history. Maybe they should’ve made it safe and make the hikers pay for a hike?!
I'm not sure they could charge for the hike, but they could probably take ownership of it, maintain it, and require hikers to sign some kind of waiver. The view is pretty nice.
Those stairs challenge even the fittest.
Did the steps in 75, the navy was p off, i couldn't walk for two days
🤙 lol
Why not apply the same criteria to all risky activities on Oahu? Lanikai pillbox has rescues every week. There was even a death from a fall 2 weeks ago. But why stop there? How many people die or get rescued at Hanauma bay, Pipeline, Third peak Olomana and China walls every year? Do we shut it all down? Haiku stairs was a safe activity in comparison.
Ocean safety is definitely a concern. Hawaii has a significant number of visitor deaths and injuries related to ocean safety. I'm not sure if Lanikai is in the same category as Haiku, though. Lanikai is much safer and accessible.
It's about time.
You may have told them not to go, but how many people have been ENCOURAGED by your story over the years? Afterall you basically got away with it in the end. No ticket, no warning, no record of any kind.
Hopefully the residents at the base of haiku won't have to deal with trespassers anymore.
Anytime someone asked me if they should do it, I told them it's not worth it. I don't think people were encouraged by my story, as I tried to highlight the dangers and how sore my body was.
But we'll see what happens. I assume that because this hike is in the news, there will be increased security and enforcement.
Apparently the legal way is significantly more dangerous than the stairs.
I haven't done the backside so I'm not sure. But there was a story on the news about a hiker who needed to be rescued from the Moanalua side, so maybe it's a tougher route.
Heard about it my whole life… just looks too risky. Plus social media is making it more dangerous by broadcasting it. It’s all fun and games until people start dying. Just like Koko Head. 25 years ago no one was hiking it. I’d see maybe 2 other people when I’d go. Now the parking is jammed up (causing a headache for the baseball families) and they send the helicopters up their several times a week to rescue people.
I wonder what we can do about the social media exposure. Having done both hikes, I'd probably never do them again. Too much of a challenge and there are better views.
They should have turned it into a tourist attraction & charged it would have been a great source of income to our economy because people were coming from all over the world to do this hike
I believe there were talks into private ownership of the hike, but not sure if they fizzled out. It would be great to see the trail maintained and more resources given to convert it to a legal hike.
Colorado has what is known as the CORSAR Card. Not insurance, but a small donation to that fund at least gets you rescued from the backcountry in case of an accident, and helps support the SAR teams. It is absurdly cheap...like $15/5 years. Ambulance ride and care beyond there is still your responsibility, but it at least helps support and fund the rescuers. Perhaps this model should be adapted here.
However, for those who are completely irresponsible selfish asshats and/or "influencers" that go places that are clearly marked off limits, no trespassing, kapu...then arrests and maximum penalties should be enforced, as well as costs associated with rescue.
Interesting idea. Never heard of that program in Colorado, but that may be a good solution for all of the rescues that continue to happen. 🤙
It's not a complicated issue. It's illegal. Enforcement is not strict enough for what is criminal trespassing to gain access. Cultural factors like self-aggrandizement, individualism, and defiance of authority are the primary motivators. Everybody wants internet immortality, even if they fall from "heaven".
Been up there many times even camped up there during the pandemic shutdown ✌️🍻 even buried an unopened bottle of Heineken years ago don't know why I did that
lol. I wonder if anyone has found the bottle.
Stairway to Heaven offers some of the best views Hawaii has to offer.
It does, but there are also other great views, like Pali Lookout and Kuliouou.
Should have watched The Big Lebowski before you tossed the ashes.
lol
They could have just rebuilt and made it a national park.
Not sure if it would qualify as a national park, but maybe a maintained official trail.
The solution seems so obvious to me: Privatize the hike stairs and have that company have a private rescue crew if those situations are needed, but have the customer/hiker incur the rescue costs. The access point can be managed by creating a suitable access trail on public land, or on private land if an owner is willing to sell an easement.
The history of the stairs and its ability to generate money and jobs for residents of Hawaii means that a decent solution exists, rather than simply destroying the stairs…what’s next, block access to the ocean because some people get injured or die?
PS your ash in the wind story is exactly what happened in the end of The Big Lebowski…
It's an interesting idea to privatize it. Not sure what that would entail. I think I remember Kualoa Ranch looking to buy it? Could be wrong, but seems like the trail would be a popular attraction.
Where would people park? How would they access it? All that land around there is private. So easy but not so easy.
@@user-ib5mx8ro4k The Koko crater stair hike is at least 1/2mi from the parking lot…if they have to make the walk 2mi from the Stairs hike from the parking lot, I suspect there would still be a market for it.
My only point is that this situation does not need to have been a binary one b/w change nothing and destroy everything..
Did I just hear a Chinese word?
Actually, I think it's Japanese, unless I'm mistaken. Bachi to my understanding is bad luck or a curse.
Japanese.
my husband and I did the hike in 1977- it was misty .gloomy.we were enveloped in low clouds and it was surreal -we were the only ones there ,it never occurred to us to ask for help or a rescue
It was what one did,enjoyed nature hiked shirtless in rubber slippers and took that risk ;nature had a private awe without the need for external validation.
I wish it could have been privatized with a fee or even a guide
🤙