Distance: 2.3 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 4284'
Elevation Gain: 712'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.5
Round trip time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Recommended water: 16 oz.
Parking/Fees: $20 State Parks Fee at Pu'u O Kila Lookout ($10 + $5/person)
Difficulty: Easy (muddy and slippery)
We drove to the top of Waimea Canyon and parked at the Pu'u O Kila Lookout. Cloud completely enveloped us so there were no views. Our target was Pihea Mountain, a short hike from the lookout, but it there was a steady mist coming down on a notoriously muddy trail. We started by dropping about 200' in the first half mile, using trees to control the slippery and muddy descent. We were in a full rain forest and the entire trail was sloppy. We gave up trying to avoid the mud and slogged through it. The trail rolled gently up and down, then we caught a glimpse of Pihea through the clouds and mist. The final quarter mile had a couple of short scramble sections that were tricky on the slick packed mud. Fortunately, there were ample, sturdy roots to propel our progress and at the end a metal fence for solid holds. We reached the summit and found a benchmark, but it was probably too popular for a register. There was a sign warning of danger and explaining the purpose of the fence. The sun tried to burn off the clouds, but they stubborning refused to part. It was tricky getting back down, and we ended up caked in mud, but made it back without a fall. We passed a few other parties on their way up, some better prepared than others. One lady had microspikes, a good idea in the rain. On the drive down, we stopped below the clouds to get a photo of Wimea Canyon. This was a fun, short hike, and worth the drive.
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