Koko Crater Hike with Phoebe

First step is the hardest?

  My good friend Phoebe was in town for a few days so I thought I would start her Oahu vacation off with a challenge, the infamous stairs of the Koko Crater hike. Over a thousand stairs heading up an old tramway translates to some calf burning, lung busting exercise that stays with you for a while. But the view from the top is totally worth it. Luckily this morning was cool but still clear and beautiful.

Triumph

  From the top of Koko Crater we could see across the Kaiwi Channel to Molokai, down to Hanauma Bay, and out to Diamond Head and Waikiki. Cactus hint at the dry climate although the rainforested tops of the Ko'olau range can be seen in the distance. We strained to look for whales in the calm morning waters of the Pacific but none could be seen.

From Hanauma Bay to Diamond Head

  Usually when you get to the summit on a hike like this the hard part is over. However, on the Koko Crater hike, the fun has just started. Muscles are taxed on the way down, making sure you don't fall through the cracks. One slip could mean a fifteen foot fall through the old tramway tracks to the ravine below. We persevered and made it just in time for me to get to work. EMAC (Early Morning Adventure Club) back in action!