Trevor chose 'Aeia Loop Trail for a moderate hike. Back in the day, Trevor did some logging and removal of a few trees and clearing the paths in that trail, so knew the mountain fairly well.
The parking lot was beautiful and near a public restroom. A mother hen was nesting in the grass but became nervous and walked away, with about 9 baby chicks following.
The beginning of the mountain trail was easy and pretty, with roots in the dirt to help guide your steps. The plants were lush and green from the rain that always keeps the mountain moist. Moss lined the wall of the mountain, the barks of trees, the crevices of rocks, and the ground below. it was gorgeous. Trevor introduced Ku'uipo to the Waiwi fruit (pronounced vy-vee). He cut one open and split half with Ku'uipo. it was slightly tart with hard seeds inside.
The first height they reached had a bench and outlook over the cliff. The trail continued into the woods, but Trevor and Ku'uipo stopped to enjoy this particular section of the mountain. A couple joggers, with legs stained with mud, stopped to stretch and then continued on. It was a clue as to what Trevor and Ku'uipo were about to explore.
They took to the trail which became muddied, and muddier, and at some points they had to walk through the mud or deep puddles.
Word of advice: cleats, hiking boots, and/or hiking sticks would really suffice and is EXTREMELY recommend. Make sure to pack a spare pair of shoes or slippers/flip-flops in your car or backpack. You WILL get muddy and it IS dangerously slippery, especially on slopey areas of the trail.
The next incline Trevor and Ku'uipo found, had a fresh lilikoi fruit on the ground. They looked for the tree, but only found the fruit. It was Ku'uipo's first time seeing lilikoi. She was so fascinated that it looked like a tiny melon.
On the way down the incline to the trail, Ku'uipo's walking shoes proved to fail her (hence the recommendation for cleats or all terrain hiking boots). Ku'uipo slipped and had to jog out of her slip to avoid falling off the edge of the mountain.
Further into the mountain, the forest was thick with trees and rain. The ground was soaking wet at times. Trevor helped Ku'uipo through a few areas of the trail that could be potentially fatal if she slipped, as the trail was muddy and narrow.
Deep into the forest, fallen or cut trees blocked the walkway, and had to either be climbed over or crawled under. Toward the last part of the trail, Ku'uipo and Trevor found an incline off the path. it led to a beautiful view and allowed one to realize just how high up you really are. H3 could be seen below and the cars were small like ants. 900 Feet.
Trevor and Ku'uipo declined and followed the trail out. Soon enough, they were back to the first end of the parking lot which took an incline back up to the area they initially started. The incline back to the vehicle was the hardest.
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| Ku'uipo at the trailhead |
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| A memorial left near the beginning of the trail |
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| Beginning of trail |
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| Ku'uipo's first Hawaiian fir tree |
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| Roots. they look like an obstacle in the beginning but are very helpful when the ground becomes slippery. |
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| First wooded tunnel of many |
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| Waiwi fruit |
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| First real overlook, of many |
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| Secluded area of trail, Ku'uipo became FREE |
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| H3 freeway below |
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| You WILL get muddy |
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| Trevor's crazy ass, 900 feet up, over the side of the mountain. |
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| Ku'uipo's first kiss in rain, ever |
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