Hawaii Advice? pt 2 (Nohea & other climbers in Oahu, Maui??)

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Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic

reddirt

climber

subarwu

Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 19, 2008 - 02:03pm PT

looks like tons of beta was posted on:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=569887
I've printed it out so I can pore over it later on.

I stole a Conde Nast traveler that features HI from the dentist's yesterday (as well as got a lot of CondeNast-esque beta from him) but wanted to root around for more (down-to-earth) beta.

I'm gonna be tagging along on some conference at the Honolulu Hilton? in Aug. I'll have 4 days...

Is the climbing worth it? Its featured on the cover of R&I July '08 (but the issue also sings the praises of Katahdin, so it makes me wonder).

Should I pay the extra $$ to the airlines & bring a rope & draws?

After Oahu? I'll be headed to Maui for another 4-5 days. I have very little on the itinerary... any thoughts, opinions, ideas?

cheers,

jpw

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jun 19, 2008 - 02:32pm PT

J,

I've got some beta on Maui bouldering. ping me later.

Munge

caughtinside

Social climber

Davis, CA

Jun 19, 2008 - 03:34pm PT

I think you'd have a much better time just doing the hawaii beach/swim/snorkel thing personally.

The body surfing at Sandy Beach on oahu shouldn't be missed, every ride is a barrel.

Largo

Sport climber

Venice, Ca

Jun 19, 2008 - 06:08pm PT

Just bring shoes and a chalk bag and at the very least go up to Waimea Bay and do some high bouldering over the sand. There's a day's worth of fun stuff there - some a bit tall.

JL

landcruiserbob

Trad climber

Vail, Colorado

Jun 19, 2008 - 06:53pm PT

Largo is correct, the Bay is the best. If you park at the sport area's leave your vehicle unlocked.

There is a decent long traverse on Maui but not worth it. Take the ferry from Lahina to Molokai & hit the sea stacks on the north shore. rg

Karl Baba

Trad climber

Yosemite, Ca

Jun 19, 2008 - 07:41pm PT

When in Rome, do some Roman stuff. Ocean, beach, jungle.

Screw climbing in Hawaii. At a max, bring shoes for bouldering.

peace

karl

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jun 19, 2008 - 07:57pm PT

Maui Mini Guide- in case you too are called to go to the island and still want to try and get a few problems in.

Dragon's Teeth at the Kapalua Ritz- park at the golfer's bridge where Lower Honoapiilani road and Office road meet. Walk out the golf course edge avoiding buried Hawaiians to the rocky point. Couple very easy problems. VB- VB. Some over the water bouldering possible on the West side of the point. Look for sea turtles. Walk the big circle and leave some kine for the bouldering and surf gods. Not a real bouldering area. Don't bother with bringing climbing shoes. Nearby Honolua Bay has good snorkeling, shot this pic of an eel. sik.

Kapalua Beach (also near the Ritz)- Park where Iron Wood and Lower Honoapiilani meet 100 yards west/down from the golfer's bridge. Use public shore access to get to beach. Walk to West end rock wall. Two to three fun clean VB problems on a grey colored fin shaped formation (Shark Tooth). Left of this formation is a longer easy traverse (Kapalua Kling) with possibility for a couple hard slab problems. Only bring shoes if you have plenty of space in your bag. These landings aren't horrible, but holds sometimes look really friable.

Scramble over this wall to the next cove for more serious potential. However, landings suck and this area will only take off with people actually bringing multiple pads and spotters. On Maui? Doubt it.

Haleakala (2 locations) long drive to reach these, plus fee to enter National Park

Upper Visitor Center- one easily accessible bolder with a couple good problems. Hop behind the rail on the South side of the visitors center. High altitude bouldering on an island. weird. The Keiki Problem good holds to lay back crack and up. The problem faces into the crater.

Kalahaku Overlook- look for sign to silversword area. see NPS map of park. the overhanging bolder at the parking area. obvious. two known problems. This is the best bouldering I found on the island. However, I did not search real hard. Established first week August 2006. However, very possible that visiting climbers powered these out in tennies on visits. No Ka Oi traverse. V0- in teva sandals. Start at the crack (possible to start before that) and go to the right til you run out of rock.

Nene V0- in teva sandals. overhanging problem 4-5' in from the right side. good jugs to a step left finish.

Other possible locations include (not personally checked out)-

Black Rock- over the water bouldering.

crusher

climber

Santa Monica, CA

Jun 19, 2008 - 08:00pm PT

I think one the most recent issues of either Climbing or Rock and Ice wrote up Hawaiian climbing/bouldering...

But I think you're wasting your time - for such a short trip there's so much more to do and see there than trying to find scraps to climb...

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jun 19, 2008 - 08:03pm PT

ignore the climbing haters, bring the shoes.

water is overrated

TrundleBum

Trad climber

Las Vegas

Jun 19, 2008 - 08:19pm PT

Before you get to Maui try to get a hold of Lescher.

A Number of years ago I showed him a cool place on the kaupo backside of Maui.
He may have done a lot of climbing out there by now.

It is a long drive but if you do it 'holo holo' style and enjoy the scenary it is well worth it.
To get there drive the Haleakala hwy to the upper Kula road. Take that south around past the Tedeschi winery in Ulupalakua and continue east on the Pi'ilani hwy (downhill towards the Kaupo coastline).
You will go through a monster gulch named 'Mana Wai Nui'. There is possible climbing here but unless it has some recent development than it is not worth more than the site see stop. Further on the Pi'ilani hwy or Kaupo road as it is known, it will descend too right along side the ocean for a good ways before the village of Kaupo. At the point where the road meets sea level there is a place called 'Nu'u Landing'. Nu'u has some pretty wicked looking sport cave potential but last I knew was undeveloped.
Past Nu'u but shortly before Kaupo there is a black sand beach with a short columnar basalt (ish) kind of volcanic rock crag. It has mostly a great, soft black sand landing for bouldering. However if you bring a rope it is way easy to top rope any where on the cliff by parking on top and using your car for an anchor. Just move the car to where you want to top rope :)
It is pretty small area but it goes from vertical where it rises out of the water's edge and as it rises inland it becomes more and more overhung. The rock is fairly descent for volcanic however the situation is as good as it gets. A view across the Alenuihaha channel at the Big Isle while bouldering on a overhanging cliff on a black sand beach with no one around for miles :)

I think most of these people are right though.
With so much cool ocean and cultural stuff to do why look for climbing in the land of the most immature geology?

john hansen

climber

Jun 19, 2008 - 11:40pm PT

Definatly go to Wiamea Bay.

It gets really hot this time of year, and the water is the place to be.

This is kind of a long video but you can see the bouldering cliffs in the background a few time's.

Skip forward to about 1:45. At about 3;40 Jack Johnson kicks in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj9ROOFGw8M

Rent some snorkle gear and go to Haunama Bay, or Sharks cove on the North shore.

One secret spot I will tell you about,,,,

Park at Chuns Reef,(you may have to get a map) a mile or two past Haliewa heading towards Wiamea Bay, on the North Shore .

Walk north on the beach past the surf point and keep on going for about half a mile.

You will come to a protected little cove that sits behind a reef. A sweet spot for a swim. Not many people walk that far
down the beach, so it usally pretty secluded.

And ,of course , it is even nicer when you are there around sunset..

Aloha

Nohea

Trad climber

Aiea,Hi

Jun 20, 2008 - 04:43am PT

Hey reddirt,
I plan to be here about that time and may take some time off about then. Don't bother bringing rope, QD's just bring your essentials, we have plenty of everything else.
Waimea is good fun early in the day. Mokuleia has the most routes. As it gets closer shoot me an email, Maui also has some fun available, I have biked around the back side of Haleakala a couple times and rapped into the Manawainui gulch, there is some good climbing potential there. The road has been blocked close to there for about a year. I may bike thru there soon and see what side its blocked on. I have a few free suppa pheri tickets so I have been going over there to ride.

Look forward to seeing you out here.
Aloha,
wil

reddirt

climber

subarwu

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2008 - 07:23am PT

soopah psyched that this trip won't be totally devoid of climbing!

Thanks for the mini guide Mungester! I definintely owe you some belay time if/when I ever make it to Sonora.

Nohea- lookin' fwd to meeting up on Hawaiian rock. Very generous for you to offer gear as well! Will gladly return the favor when you guys head back to the mainland again : ) Chat soon!

cheers,

jpw

Gunkie

climber

East Coast US

Jun 20, 2008 - 11:40am PT

Forget climbing, go rent a BZ foam surfboard, paddle out at Ala Moana, give everyone the shaka, then paddle into a set wave [on the shoulder] while a big local [riding an equally large longboard] is in the barrel.

That will be a rush :)

And while on Maui, wait at Ma’alaea Harbor until that freight train right begins firing off the East side of the rocks. Then repeat the above instructions.

Or just go the Ho'okipa and paddle out right in front of the pavillion, but wear a shorty wetsuit with reef booties. And when you get out of the water, wander into the pavillion with your surfboard under your arm and grab a cold beer out of one of the coolers. The locals love this. You'll get to meet a lot of them very quickly.

Have fun.

Dr. Rock

Ice climber

Castle Rock

Jun 20, 2008 - 12:53pm PT

I was driving around the island counter clockwise from Diamond Head on a Moped, and all of a sudden these gigantic vertical cliffs appeared, and I am saying to myself, if that is not the most awesome rock climbing spot I have ever seen, I'll eat my shorts And my swim fins.
Pali Heaven.
Nobody there.

They look like about one or two thousand feet straight up vertical, maybe more.
Fog can be a problem at the top.

If you have someone drive you to the top of the Pali Highway, you can top rope down.
I think.
Maybe get shot by farmers.
Hanging there by your Beal Top Gun 2.
The buzzards would have your bones picked clean by morning.
Not to mention the Jungle Rot that will quickly set in.
No snakes, just huge rodents.
Wear camo.
And say hi to that girl in Makiki Heights that drives the black BMW.

Look at the Niu Valley on Google Earth.
It is 2000 feet straight up, I just checked.
Nice weather and great view.
Plenty of hand holds.