The Decompression of a Boomer

So of course, weather permitting, you can’t visit Kauai without checking out Waimea Canyon. Princeville is on the north center shore of Kauai and as the crow flies, is probably only 20 miles from Wiamea Canyon. Except, to get there by car you have to circle about 3/4 the way around the island to the town of Wiamea and then drive north about 10 miles. The drive takes about 2 1/2 hours. Here is a link to pictures of the island so you can locate Princeville and Wiamea Canyon.

We eat a hearty breakfast and hit the road from Princeville about 9am. Two hours later we are traveling north on Wiamea Canyon Drive – soon the canyon comes into view! And Wai ‘alae Falls:

We pull into the parking area at the Canyon trailhead. First order of things: pit stop! I head into the ladies room – this sign is posted over the toilet:

Huh. Tourists! Are we that stupid? Anyone educated enough to read the sign needs that much instruction in what not to flush down the toilet? What would etc. include? Tinkertoys?

We’re at the trailhead now – trying to figure out the sign.

Okay, so the trail one way is 1.8 miles. You reach the trail intersection in .5 miles. Except any trail you add on to .5 miles doesn’t add up to 1.8. (???)
Steph, Eric, David, and Victor, all whizzes at math, are involved in this discussion.

Oh well. Let’s just go! Uh, warning ahead:

With a visual provided in case you can’t read English. “The ground may break off without warning and you could be seriously injured or killed, or really spoil your picnic.”

And more warnings:

No diving or jumping? Into Wiamea canyon?

We have hiked the first .5 miles now. Tourists have added valuable information to the sign. Turn left to get to the Falls:

Turn right to jump.

We checked out the Cliff View Point.

Pretty magnificent!

Back on the Canyon trail we meet this sign:

Well the Black pipe trail might be all right, but we really want to see the Falls. (Who put up these signs? Is this some kind of joke on tourists?)

Hiking along the canyon now.

I guess if you seriously intend to jump, this would be the place.

David took a video right here. Check it out:

You can see there’s a bit of a drop-off from where we are standing.

We’re at the Falls now. The Waipo’o Falls:

We all pose for pictures:

Steph and Vic

David and Jody

Eric

Hiking back now

Palm trees will grow anywhere

The lone palm tree

Time for a beer break. I took a picture of the great tasting organic beer we were drinking – you know, to see if we can find it back in Idaho:

Beer still-life with limbs

Anyway, good thing we took a break, because we had a steep climb ahead of us.

Elbow close-up

We’re back out now. None of the tourists that enjoyed the hike during the same time we did jumped, dove, or broke off the edge of the trail into the canyon.

We stopped for lunch at the only place in this area you can buy lunch: The Koke’e Lodge. Here is a photo of the Lodge from my archives, that I posted in a previous blog:

Near the entrance we were met by the Rooster Brigade:

No matter. We made it in safely, ordered chili with rice and cornbread all around. Although the food here isn’t all that great, I’m starving. You know, on account of back there at that pit stop at the beginning of the Canyon hike, I flushed yesterday’s boxed leftovers down the toilet. Hehe.

Tags: Kauai, Wiamea Canyon hike

This entry was posted on February 12, 2015 at 5:06 pm and is filed under Kauai, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.