When I was little, I was tickled by the idea of animals that carried their “home” on their backs—snails, turtles, tortoises and such. I think I liked the idea that these creatures were so self-sufficient wherever they went. A turtle waddles its way through the garden, gets sleepy…and can just curl up in its shell for its nap!
I wonder sometimes if this is partly why I gravitate to backpacking. I know I like this activity mainly because it’s a way to experience some of the most exquisitely beautiful parts of the planet without a heavy footprint and the madding crowds that follow developed infrastructure, but I think it’s also because I like the notion of having everything I need—at least for a day or two—on my back. Or Drew’s.
Last month Drew and I finally embarked on the backpacking trip we’d been dreaming of for years—the magical, mysterious Waimanu Valley, on the eastern side of Hawaii Island. Cutting across this side of the island are seven majestic valleys, stretching from Pololu in the far north to Waipeo on the easternmost side. Polulu and Waipeo are two of our favorite lookout points on the island, but they are certainly not remote. At any given time there are usually dozens of tourists ogling the view, snapping pictures, and dropping sticky ice cream wrappers in the volcanic dirt.
We had heard about Waimanu through some online research, and local lore suggested that it was not for the faint-hearted. In the rainy season, the trails are washed out and the seven rivers that wiggle out like snakes between Waipeo and Waimanu are too swollen to cross. There are wild boars, bugs, and an initial ascent of 1300 brutal vertical feet on what is called the “Z Trail.” We postponed our trip all winter, blaming the weather but in all honesty not capable of working up the courage and stamina to attempt the trip. Finally, in our last remaining week on island before moving back to California, we committed ourselves to three days and two nights out in the lush landscape of one of Hawaii’s most sacred and remote regions.
As a spoiler, I will say now that the trip was absolutely incredible. It was definitely a lot of hiking (about eight miles each way), but it was not nearly as hard as locals had made it out to be. It helped that while it was hot and strenuous, the hike was not too technical—no scary boulders to clamber over or tides to watch out for like on the Lost Coast, thankfully. The main challenges were the two major river crossings at the beginning and end. The first crossing was at the start of Waipeo’s black sand beach, where Drew and I held hands to steady ourselves and carefully side-stepped through with our backpacks on, the water pressing strongly around our calves. At the second one, only a stone’s throw away from the campsites, the water was significantly higher—we hoisted the backpacks above our heads and waded through, this time the water coming up to just below our chins. Thankfully we made it safely across without any mishaps.
Here are a few shots from our hike in:
Waipeo Beach
View of Waipeo from Z Trail (two pics above)
After eight miles and the second river crossing, we were rewarded with a view of what I can honestly say is the most beautiful valley I have ever seen. Words cannot do justice to Waimanu’s soaring peaks, dotted with waterfalls, and lush green interior, but this photo may give you a sense:
We pitched our tent at a campsite right next to the beach, sheltered by big black oval-shaped rocks, smoothed down by the sea, and palm trees that made a sort of lean-to structure. The only downside was that it was about a 15 minute walk into the valley to pump water at a mosquito-infested spring, but once that was done we took off our shoes, pulled out the therma-rests and proceeded to make a feast (highlights being ramen noodles with eggplant and our famous ‘mexican hot chocolate’). After the long hike in and the multiple dinner courses, we fell soundly asleep to the sound of crashing waves, the Pacific Ocean in all her glory at our feet.
Me resting the next morning….
…while Drew pumps us water!
I think my favorite part of the trip was the fact that we camped out for two nights, which meant that when we woke up the first morning, rather than pack up and out, we had an entire day stretching before us, beckoning us to lounge around gazing up at waterfalls and craggy peaks while resting our weary limbs. We had no reading materials and so were forced to switch between staring endlessly at the panoramic view of the valley around us, hopping in the ocean for some quick dips and munching on dried bananas and sausage (guess who was eating which?). Poor us. Here are some pictures of our most enjoyable and relaxing second day:
The third morning we said good-bye to our lovely surroundings and made the long trek back. We made good time and rewarded ourselves at the Waipeo black sand beach with peanut butter and date sandwiches and a quick swim. We managed to get a lift up to our car from a nice local guy in a verrry old truck, and loaded ourselves back into the Golden Beast. We had sushi dinner with Mona and Jia Ching on the horizon, but I couldn’t resist stopping for a little Roselani treat on our drive through Honoka’a. Ice cream never tasted so good.
clarebeardrew 