2021 Hike 7: Pipiwai trail
As I have mentioned previously, I am continuously amazed by the climate diversity on the Hawaiian islands. This his is in the same National Park as the Haleakalā Crater hike was, but instead of having freezing rain and arctic winds, it is 85 degrees, and sweltering.
Patrick and Brook on the trail
This hike is on the Pipiwai trail on the road to Hana. The road to Hana is an awesome drive, and fairly safe; the roads are more reminiscent of rural European roads that are technically two lanes, but have only just enough room…definitely not the types of roads that mainlanders in the U.S. are accustomed to. There was only one close call, but that was due more to driver error than any kind of road conditions.
The eastern part of Maui is more lush and vegetative, so the wildlife and domestic animals are much more prevalent; on the road to Hana we met:
Cats
Dogs
A wild piglet that challenged us in the middle of the road, forcing us to wave our arms out the window until it moved along
A cow, occupying one side of the road that we had to inch around
An overly friendly pink and white goose at a food stand
a weasel
horses
goats
The trail itself is about 3.4 miles out, and about 900 ft in elevation. As we began the ascent in 85 degree weather at 1000% humidity, I just had to reach a level of acceptance that I was going to be perpetually drenched in sweat, and that this was my life now.
The hike starts off at a pretty good upward grade, and takes us deep into the jungle, where banyan trees create an exotic canopy, and make the ground uneven in places (more on that later).
Patrick next to a giant Banyan tree for scale
After crossing a couple of bridges, we found ourselves in an amazing bamboo forest. This was unlike anything I have ever seen before. If you have watched any martial arts anime at all, you will know that this is the kind of environment that ninjas hide in, and attack from.
View from a bridge on the way to the bamboo forest
Patrick in the distance, in the bamboo forest - beware of ninjas!
After passing through the natural ninja habitat, we reached the falls themselves. usually there are one, maybe two waterfalls here. Since Maui experienced its most rainy week in 25 years, there were five waterfalls on the curved cliffside!
Patrick and Brook with the biggest of the 5 waterfalls in the background
Coming back down the trail was largely uneventful, except for the last half mile. Remember those banyan trees I mentioned earlier? One of their roots tripped Brook on the trail, and she twisted her ankle badly. For this reason, I will be hiking solo for the next hike as evidenced by the picture below.
Brook’s poor foot
That is it for the Hawaii hikes! Coming back to the Pacific Northwest next time!