The Tripler Ridge hike is both rewarding and challenging. I set out last Thursday with my favorite hiking buddy, my son Brenden, with the intention of hiking the Moanalua Valley trail to find the Moanalua Falls. Apparently we were supposed to head off onto the Kulana’ahane trail to locate the falls, however we didn’t find the trailhead. We were happy enough spending time together in the woods and working on our photography skills.
Although I had done a little research before our trek, I was unable to get a signal on the trail, and did not realize that we were on the Tripler Ridge Trail until we were high up the mountain and almost to the summit. This trail is incredibly beautiful with several creek crossings and variations in flora and fauna. Tall Grass I especially loved the section with the tall grasses, but the mucky and muddy sections weren’t my favorite. Mud seems to be a reality for almost any Ko’olau hike, however, so it’s always good to bring microspikes to get through the challenging areas! Today we hiked a total of 10.7 miles on an in and out route and climbed to 2,700 ft. elevation. Further research shows there are several ways of doing Tripler Ridge, however our route started and ended in Moanalua Park. I’ve decided to invest in a topographical map of this area and will bring my compass on the next hike so as to be more prepared to find the correct trails and to explore this area more safely.
One of the highlights of the day was our interaction with what I’ve learned to be a Black Witch Moth. It’s as big as a small bird and is the largest Nuptial moth in the world. Apparently there are many legends regarding this creature, most of them involve death. The Hawaiian legend states that when seeing one you are being visited by the spirit of a loved one who has recently deceased. Interesting! Thanks for visiting my post. The gallery photos were taken by Shannon Jammin’ Photos and by Brenden McNally. Mahalo and Malama Honua.