Stairway to Heaven The Return 2008

It has been a year since my last venture to the Stairway to Heaven in Oahu. Sadly access to the stairway has not improved. I understand that local enforcement slacked off for a while in the past year. However, in recent weeks enforcement has stepped up with the aid of occasional helicopter patrols....yes, there are places you can hide from a helicopter if you are small group. There are many places where you can not hide and once they know you are there they will watch for you. Believe me they will see you coming down you can not hide and there is NOWHERE to run. I had to do the bushwhacking thing last year and that only worked because they were not looking for me. If you check my blog from last year you will see that the vegetation is extremely thick making travel past watching eyes and ears impossible.
As a result of all the restrictions my nephew Michael and I decided to do the stairway at night. Fortunately for us the timing was right for a full moon. This year I learned about the main entrance to the stairway which is at the end of a court in the middle of a residential area. Michael recounted his experience of trying to go through the gate one day and being chased by a neighbor with a hammer and the following radio call on the police band to look-out for a group of males trying to access the Stairway to Heaven. I dont recommend that access point as there is no way to be stealthy. We used the same access point that I used last year (see previous blog) and which is stealth worthy and easy. I am not sure this access point is stealth worthy during the day so traveller beware.
It was a pretty clear night (as Hawaiian nights in November go for the windward side) but somehow it seems that the clouds like to linger on the top of the Koolau mountains over the Stairway to Heaven. We made our ascent in 1hr 15min. The views are great at night and with the full moon we could see all of the details of the mountains. Near the top we entered the clouds and lost view of everything except for what is immediately in front of us.

Michael at the top of the world!!!! Stairway to Heaven at night with the wind howling and the clouds blasting by make it wet and chilly with no view but fun.

Coming down the stairway in the clouds is really cool!!!!


Michael on the Stairway to Heaven at night just under the cloud layer on the way down.


This video shows some of the night views from the stairway, wish I had a tripod.


Just a note.....high up on the stairway you can see over the Koolau range to the distant lights which we decided was Makakilo. Checking the map afterward I believe the lights in the distance are Makakilo. I include this picture from last year as we could not take a very good pic at night.

RECOMMENDATION
A night adventure on the stairway should be done with a full moon. Try it you will like it and you dont have to worry about the complications of helicopters and cop patrols.