Cleaveland National Forest to Santiago Peak

Ku‘uipo and Mike decided today was a great day to hike Santiago Peak.

Ku‘uipo walking her motion sickness off.

To get to the general area of Holy Jim Trail, they had to drive up Laguna Creek Road till they got to a parking lot.  The rude was horrendous for Ku‘uipo.  The road was extremely rocky and uneven.  People who drove behind them had to turn around to avoid wear and tear on their vehicles.  About a half mile away from the parking lot Ku‘uipo was practically hanging out the truck window, trying to get air as her motion sickness came about at full-force.  She demanded to be let out.  She told Mike to keep driving because he was driving slow enough for her to keep up with.  After about ten minutes of walking, she got back in the truck and they continued to their destination.

On arrival, there is a parking lot on the left hand side. There are 3 trails.  One is off limits to the public, leading to a private property.  The other is a road going up to the upper Holy Jim Trail, and the other is the one closest to the parking lot with a sign on a fence saying, "Holy Jim Trail."  That's the road to go on, however that is not the trail head, and your car is not welcome as it also includes homes.

While walking along the dirt road there are homes and cabins on both sides.  At the end is a fire station.  They have a wagon of waters for a small donation.  Take one and give a small donation, even if you have water, just to make sure you have enough.  If at the end of the hike you have enough, return the water or give it to someone else who might not have enough.  Once passed the fire station, the trailhead to Holy Jim Falls begins.

The first part of the walk is forest and rocky.  There is even a small creek.  It's beautiful.  At about a half mile from the trailhead, there is a sign where the trail forks.  Going right will take you to Holy Jim Trail.  Going left takes you to the Main Divide road.  Ku‘uipo and Mike took the Main Divide road as it takes you up to the peak.

Mike taking a picture of the sign with his phone.

Mike's picture of the sign.

The beginning of the trail to Main Divide Road wasn't bad at all.  At about 3 tiers up, Ku‘uipo's cursing began.  It was mainly just dirt paths on the edge of a cliff, and at the end of each path is a turn.  Each turn meant a new incline.  Each incline felt a little tougher on the calves.  Ku‘uipo would temporarily stop to stretch, rest, or sip water.  The pain was immense for her.  Mike is used to walking a lot at work and has always had good leg strength so for him it was a cake walk (at least for awhile).

Ku‘uipo looking beat from walking 3 miles upward.

About half way up is a 3 mile mark.  It was a bittersweet moment.  Ku‘uipo was excited to see a milestone, but at the same time, it was a reminder that they had 4.5 miles of inclines.  She stopped to rest near it for two minutes.


After passing the 3 mile mark, there is a small enclave created by trees and inside there's a few rocks.  Mike and Ku‘uipo took a five minute break to sit and enjoy the breeze and shade. An old man walking back from Santiago Peak stopped to chat with them and asked if they have enough water.  Ku‘uipo and Mike thought they did.  He said he didn't think so and that Mike should take Ku‘uipo back, or at least show her the wildflowers growing just around the bend, but then take her home.  Ku‘uipo was very irritated.  She wouldn't let a man with his legs taped up and 40 years older tell her she couldn't do it.  So, after he left, she looked at Mike and said, "Let's go."

While passing the wildflowers, there was a rocky point and then forest to go through with more rocks.  It was a small climb up the rocks and it took them to an actual road.  The signs said, "Bear Springs" and "Upper Holy Jim Trail" on the right and nothing for the road on the left.  Ku‘uipo thought she would take the Upper Holy Jim Trail.  At about a mile of walking, a man coming down the hill from the towers at the peak pulled over and asked them if they had enough water, as they stood against the wall of the mountain to let them pass.  Ku‘uipo and Mike were not positive they did.  The man with the Tower business truck got out of his vehicle and gave them 4 ice cold waters.  He told them to share with anybody who needed it if they didn't drink it all.  He drove off.  They walked in the direction he was headed.

After about 2 miles of walking, according Mike's Smart Watch, and the consistent decline down the mountain, Mike stopped Ku‘uipo and said, "We're going the wrong way.  We should be at the peak by now.  We just need to turn around and go home and do this another day or we'll lose light.  We don't have the time and we've wasted our energy on this decline."

It all clicked, the man who gave them water thought they were walking uphill to the peak where the towers were.

Ku‘uipo turned around to look up the hill they just walked down.  She wanted to scream.  She began cursing and was mad at herself for the error.  Mike got very annoyed with her negativity.  She swore that if someone were to come up the hill, she would stick her thumb out and hitch a ride up hill to where the fork was.  Nobody came.  Once they got to the top of the road, at the plateau, Ku‘uipo pulled out her sandwich to eat.  It tasted nasty and hot.  She drank the rest of her cold water and they headed back to the forest.

Despite the disappointment, Ku‘uipo was all smiles.

Before they got to the end of the road, they stopped to take a picture.  Ku‘uipo and Mike set up their camera, sat on a rock and took a picture to bid farewell.

While half way down the mountain, a few bikers in white/black uniform came up the mountain.  Ku‘uipo said, "You scare me.  I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself," as their wasn't enough space on the path for walkers and bikers at the same time.  Ku‘uipo pressed her body against the wall of the mountain and the biker slowed and said, "It isn't me I'm worried about.  I'm worried about you guys.  Have a nice descend down."  He and his cycling partner went up around the curve and then came back down and Mike and Ku‘uipo let them pass.

By the time they got to the bottom of the mountain and back into the Cleveland National Forest, the sun was beginning to set.  There were no other people in sight.  Everything was a little darker but the fact they could see all the early landmarks they first saw was a happy moment.  They were closer to their vehicle and closer to home.

All in all, it was a great day to be in the Cleveland National Forest.  Next time, they know to make a left.  Ku‘uipo and Mike WILL do this hike again...the right way (more water, and make a left at the divide).

Note:

• Lots of deer flies.  They WILL bite you and follow you.  Wear Deet or some other bug repellant.
• Lots of water.  Mike and Ku‘uipo brought 4 Electrolyte drinks at about 24oz each.  After someone gave them 4 12oz bottles of water, they drank all those, as well.  
• Trail mix and/or well-balanced lunch.  It's energy-draining walking up many inclines.
• Camera - take many pics, it's breath-taking.