More Pictures from Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven

This past weekend I hiked Stairway to Heaven with some of my friends. It was one of the coolest/scariest things ever. I loved every minute of it. You have to get there really early in the morning before the security guard to go up it. We got lost and didn't find it till about 6:30am and the guard was already there so we thought we weren't going to get to go, but then he told us to hurry up and go five at a time and if anyone gets hurt to say that we got there before him. So me, Chase, Greg and two randoms got going right away. Immediately it gets really steep and stays that way most of the time. It is about 3,000 feet up to the top, and it was tiring. Some parts are so steep you are using the stairs as a ladder. If you fall, you're dead, but it really isn't that big of a deal, its pretty easy not to fall and always feel pretty safe. There are four platforms a long the way. When you get to the first one you are about halfway, and it feels like there is no way you could go any higher, but there is a lot to go. At the top are two satellite dishes on a building that are all abandoned. It was really cloudy and rainy for us the whole time. We are going to do it again sometime and try to get it when it is sunny. I want to do it every 2 weeks just for the workout. It really is one of the coolest things to do on this island.

Old Footage in Slow Motion

More Pictures from The Kilauea Lava Flow

Kilauea Lava Flow

One of the nights on our Big Island trip we went to the Kilauea lava flow. It was incredible. We wanted to get really close to the lava, but to our disappointment, they don't let you get very close at all. When the lava was still in Volcano National Park boundaries they were much more lenient. But now it is flowing through private property and the rules are a lot more strict. We got there in the evening and could see tons of steam on the horizon where the lava hits the ocean. The road in alone was amazing. Huge piles of frozen lava rock everywhere. It looked like it used to be a lake of lava that suddenly hardened, with big bubbling up sections and parts where the road got completely covered and they rebuilt over it. I loved the drive in. Then we parked (which was awesome because they have all the cars back in facing out just in case you need to make a super fast getaway, there wont be any traffic jams) and walked on lava rocks all the way to the lookout. You could see massive plumes of steam that was all bright orange and yellow from the lava glow right underneath it. Our friends went back later at night and got really close to the lava, and said it was the scariest thing in the world. They ran into a geologist who actually took them on a "lava tour". He said every morning he kisses his wife and kids goodbye before he comes to work, because it is very likely that one day the volcano is going to get the best of him. That kinda freaked them out, so they checked out the lava and got out of there. I was so jealous. I'm already planning another trip back just to get closer to the lava. I feel like it is something I have to see in my life. Even seeing it in the distance though was amazing, and I loved it. I cannot wait to get back there, and pay my respects to the goddess Pele!!

Secret Mini-Mini Ramp

Our buddy Rob just finished building a super mini-ramp in his garage. Its really small, and really awesome. This is Chris and I skating it on the first day.

Mauna Kea

Being on top of Mauna Kea was one of the coolest experiences of being on the Big Island, except for maybe Volcano National Park. It is like being on another planet, especially on the drive up with all the frozen lava fields all over the sides of the road. Mauna Kea is nearly 14,000 feet tall, and to get there you drive right from the coastline. I don't know where else you can drive from 0 to 14,000 feet in a few hours. The visitor's center is at about 9,000 feet, and you made it there then you already went up some pretty steep roads. Any vehicle can make it to the visitor's center, but you are not supposed to be able to go any further without 4 wheel drive. We proved them wrong. We drove our rented Chrysler 300 right up the unpaved, super steep road to the summit. Once up there we noticed other cars that had made the trek that probably shouldn't have, so its not that big of a deal. At the summit of Mauna Kea, there was snow everywhere. It was so awesome to see snow while living in Hawaii, its just too strange to be true. It was freezing cold with the wind blowing, and we were not properly dressed for it. There are craters everywhere up top, and with all the snow covering them, they look amazing. You can see the ocean way down below, which really puts into perspective how high up you are. There are a ton of observatories on the summit, and the weirdest part...snowboard and ski tracks everywhere. There are no lifts, but the locals bring their equipment and hike to the peaks and ride down. Snowboarding in Hawaii!!! Crazy. I did a couple of sprints around the area just out of excitement and trying to catch up to the group and nearly fainted cause of the lack of oxygen. Also after doing 4 backflips trying to get the right photo, I thought I would pass out. If your car sits low to the ground ike our rental car did, then be careful on the unpaved road to the top. We ran over a pretty big rock that did not sound too good on the engine, but luckily we had insurance for things like that.

Pictures from the Akaka Falls Trail

Akaka Falls

On our trip to the Big Island this year, we made a stop at one of the coolest Hawaii waterfalls I've ever seen. Akaka Falls was incredible compared to the majority of the waterfalls on Oahu. Most the Oahu falls are much smaller and don't have nearly as much water coming over them. Akaka falls is nearly 500 feet tall, and flows really powerfully year round. I guess the difference is that on the big island you have Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, two nearly 14,000 foot peaks covered in snow. There is a lot more land to be able to direct streams and rivers towards the waterfalls on the coastline. We went there on the last day of our trip. It wasn't as exciting as some of the other hikes I've done out here because it was more catered towards tourists. The trail was paved and really short. It takes you to a lookout where you can view the falls, but you cant get to the bottom or the top, which is what we wanted to do. We were going to walk up the stream at the bottom till we got to the bottom of the falls to swim in the pool, but we ran out of time and had to get going. You can also see Kahuna falls by following the signs to the right as you enter the trail. Kahuna falls is pretty cool, but its further away and not as cool as Akaka Falls. The trails between Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls used to be a loop, but the cement and railings got all bent up during some of the recent earthquakes on the big island. There are signs saying not to go up the trail, but just hop the fence and go, we did and the cement is all redone and is super easy to walk over. There are no railings, but there are also no cliffs so there's no need for a railing. The nice thing about Akaka falls was that you could make a quick easy stop on your trip there and be on to your next destination in no time. Also, on your way out leaving the falls there is a bakery, can't remember the name, but you'll see it as you go, (the guy's name was ed, maybe it was called ed's bakery, but I think I am getting confused with Ted's on the North Shore), and it is amazing. Such good Hawaiian pastries, jams, and jellies. If you're ever there stop by and get something on the way out. One more thing, there are some rad trees to climb....really good ones.