O'ahu Exploration: Wiliwilinui Trail

A two week break from family hiking adventures, and of course we pick up with a beast of a trail---Wiliwilinui Trail. I'm not sure that I can continue to trust online reviews of hikes. "Novice" is not the description I would use to describe a hike that required the Sierra Club to fly in stairs for a portion of the trail. That's just me. 

Our forray back into nature was especially exciting for the kids. The Wiliwilinui Trail has fruit picking and tasting opportunities for half the hike. Zach (5 years) was ecstatic to eat guava while hiking. Gabe (13 years) loved going off trail to shake trees for fruit. Isom (38 years) was happy the fruit was free. 

Wiliwilinui Trail is a ridge trail in East Honolulu that reminded me of a cross between Koko Head (steps, steps, steps) and the Hawaii Loa Ridge Trail hike. Let me add again for extra measure, that neither of those hikes are for the faint of heart.  So, of course, after two weeks of not hiking, in the worst vog we have had in recent months, with our two children...we decide to hike (at 11:30 a.m...😁) the "novice" Wiliwilinui Trail.

In the beginning, all smiles. It was quiet. Nothing to hear except birds, fruit falling from trees, and the soft clicking of my left knee (I'd claim an old sports injury, but at this point, I think it's just a being old injury.) 

Wiliwilinui Trail is high up so you immediately get ocean, valley, and city views. Unfortunately for us, some of the view was lacking due to the thick haze from the afore mentioned vog.

You know a trail is serious and means business when they have signs and boot brushes...you are not in Kansas anymore!

Decided some zen was needed to continue on...

⬆️ Someone didn't get enough zen I guess...

Wiliwilinui Trail ended up being a family triumph. We made it over several hills, walked around mud, over tree roots, through ferns, over rocky terrain, through the forrest, on top of steep cliffs...all the way to the almost end of the trail. When we reached the swinging ropes on the side of the muddy cliff as the only way to continue on, we decided to call it a day. We like to be responsible. 

The kids handled not completely finishing the trail well...they devoured a piece of Halloween candy and moved on. As kids do. They get over things and keep going (great tool for life). 

They even stopped to literally smell the flowers on the way back down. Proud of our little family for taking on a mountain. Wiliwilinui is no Everest, but it sure felt like we were accomplishing something momentous. One foot in front of the other, I'll take it.