Hiking Leahi – Oahu’s most famous Volcano Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Read this entire feature FREE with photos at http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/globe02/Hawaii02/oahu/DHead/diahike.htmlOctober 2001 - terrorism, anthrax, airports in turmoil and still it took us only nine hours door-to-door from our Winter Palace in fabulous Las Vegas to our luxurious accommodations at
Aston Coconut Plaza Hotel five blocks off world reknowned Waikiki Beach. The Coconut was to serve as our stalwart base of operations during our two night layover on Waikiki.
We're on a 20th anniversary mission to Maui, with a hike to Diamond Head as a warm up. Neil, cool desk guy, checks us in in no time, recommends a bar and we're at Shore Bird Bar & Restaurant on beach. Mango Margaritas, spring rolls and sound of surf prime us for a short stroll towards Diamond Head. It's now about five pm local time and Waikiki comes alive, Tiki torches flicker and live music wafts through air at each hotel we pass. Duke's is choice for dinner; it's Waikiki cool, fresh fish done Duke-style - on open air patio and we're sippin' a '99 Duckhorn Sauv. Blanc and savorin - every minute of this paradisical respite. (Vintage wines abound on this tour, '97 cabs long gone in stateside wine cellars were to be found all over Islands.)
We're up early next morning, not hard to do with time difference, another advantage of being on Hawaii time. We've planned to hike from hotel, down beach, past zoo, aquarium and park, and up steep grade through a small neighborhood to top of Diamond Head - so called because western traders in 1700s mistook crystals in rocks for diamonds.
Finally we reach trailhead, pay $2 admission, make our way past T-shirt vendors and flashlight salesman. There are dark passageways on way to summit - trail was built by U.S. Army as part of a coastal defense system in 1908. My wife, Pam and I, begin 1.3 km climb from Diamond Head crater floor.
The infamous steps to Diamond Head.
The weather is hot. This is steep, rocky terrain, so in addition to our flashlight we've bought, we are attired in appropriate hiking shoes, plenty of water, sunscreen and bat repellant. The trail winds through crater floor as we climb 560 feet to upper gun emplacements - 74 concrete stairs, a 225 foot long narrow tunnel, a second stairway consisting of 99 steps, which leads to lowest level of Fire Control Stations. Finally we climb 54 step spiral staircase and find ourselves atop a piece of history, with best view on Hawaiian Islands.
We've made it, after 227 steps and an equal number of Japanese tourists. We discover a light breeze, a light sunshower, a rainbow, a million dollar view, blue skies, and an ocean that goes on forever. Behind us tower lush, green, tropical Koolau mountains covered with billowing white rain clouds, more rainbows, another damn rainbow - alright, enough with rainbows.
That's when we run into Mitch. Mitch looks like a tour guide on Safari African Adventure ride at Disneyland - Mitch looks like his name should be Steve, as in Tao of Steve, as in Steve McQueen, Steve Austin or (how appropriate) Steve McGarret. He's sporting Aussie hat with one side turned up and he's giving a speil to a group of us eco/hiker/tourists about his nature hike through rain forest later this same day. Mitch is part of Hawaii Rain Forest Foundation, it's non profit; tour is three hours and only US$15 per person, (other comparable tours, and non-tax deductable, cost between US$80 and US$150) and they pick you up at a designated hotel on Waikiki strip. At first we decline Steve's, er, Mitch's speil and wander away to try and get away from all rainbows, when we decide we've got some time and bat repellant left so what . . . We sign up with Mitch and head back to Coconut for a refreshing dip in hotel pool and then to designated hotel.
