Safety in numbers
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Every year, thousands of hikers meander through Hawai'i's trails in search of food, flowers or just plain adventure.
John Hoover • Special to The Advertiser
And sometimes — as the case with 106 calls for land searches by the Honolulu Fire Department the past two years — hikers find trouble.
Whether going on an advanced hike, such as to Koko Head Crater, or on an easy hike, it is better to be with others than to attempt it by yourself.
All the more reason, hiking and safety experts say, why people should join O'ahu's hiking clubs which offer camaraderie, nature lessons, and most importantly safety.
"When you join the hiking clubs, we have a hike coordinator who is there to give you instructions and information about the trail," said Mabel Kekina, a member of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club who often organizes searches for missing hikers. "A lot of times, it's the person's first time on the trail. The hike coordinator will point out dangerous spots.
"All these people who get into trouble, they should start hiking with a club to gain experience, to learn the trails. They shouldn't just go out on a trail that they aren't familiar with."
Trouble can strike all
Most short hikes can be accomplished with minimal equipment, but there are a few essentials that hikers should have, according to hiking and safety officials. • Wear a pair of boots or shoes, and some quality socks to protect your feet. • Wear a hat, a long-sleeve shirt and long pants and use sunscreen. Brightly colored clothing is recommended. • Carry a light bag for water, snacks, rain gear, a whistle, a mirror, a blanket and a first-aid kit. • Carry a fully charged cellular telephone. • Plan ahead. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. • Research the trail so you know what to expect. • Check the weather conditions before the hike. Call the National Weather Service at 973-4381 for the latest information. • Stay on the trail and watch where you step. Watch the time and avoid risks.
Sometimes, even experienced hikers run into trouble. On Monday, the fire department rescued a 58-year-old man who called for help on his cellular phone after he fell from a Wai'anae Valley trail and spent the night stuck in a tree. The man was hiking with the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, but separated from the group, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Safety tips
"For us, our main concern is safety," said Capt. Kenison Tejada of the Honolulu Fire Department, which responded to 55 land-search calls last year, and 51 in 2001. "The more experience you can get with a hiking club, the better it is for us."
John Hall, a former president of the 500-member Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, said hiking clubs offer safety in numbers.
Hall, who has served as club president four times, has been a member of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club since 1962.
"Our mountains do have a lot of potential hazards," Hall said. "It's not unknown for lone hikers to disappear and never be found again. If you have another person with you, it certainly reduces the risks a great deal."
Clubs offer events
There are three major hiking clubs that lead weekly group hikes on O'ahu: the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, the Sierra Club and the Hawai'i Nature Center.
The clubs charge a small fee for their hikes. Some clubs offer additional benefits such as educational nature lessons and access to restricted areas. Every club offers goodwill because "you're with people who enjoy the same thing you do," Kekina said. "That's how friendships start."
Mary Roney, senior environmental educator for the Hawai'i Nature Center, said the organization leads weekly hikes on Saturdays and Sundays, meeting at various locations.
"A lot of our hikes go to areas that aren't always open to the general public," Roney said. "On some of the hikes, we have to get special permission or a permit, something only a non-profit (organization) can do."
A family affair
Roney said the Hawai'i Nature Center has about 300 families as members. She said one of the organization's goals is to teach children the importance of nature and conservation with hands-on lessons.
"It's fun, especially with kids," Roney said. "We'll have activities and crafts to keep them interested. We want to hook them young and get them interested in the outdoors here in Hawai'i."
Hall said Hawai'i's trails attract hundreds of hikers because of the state's favorable climate that allows for great hiking throughout the year.
"It's a wonderful, calming experience," Hall said. "It's almost a spiritual sort of thing."
• • •
HIKING CLUBS AND INFORMATIONAL WEB SITES
The Hawai'i Nature Center
2131 Makiki Heights Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822. Telephone: 955-0100. Website: http://www.hawaiinaturecenter.org/.
The center offers many programs for young children.
Weekly hikes are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays, meeting at various locations.
The fee for non-members is $5. Annual membership is $25 for individuals, $50 for families, and includes activities and other privileges.
The Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club
P.O. Box 2238, Honolulu, HI 96804. Telephone: 674-1459. Website: http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/3660/.
The club offers hikes every Sunday, meeting at the mauka side of Iolani Palace at 8 a.m.
A $2 donation is requested from non-members over the age of 18; those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Occasional Saturday hikes meet at the palace at 9 a.m. Hiking schedules are available from hike leaders. Annual membership dues are $15 for individuals or $25 for families.
Prospective members must complete three hikes with the club.
Sierra Club
P.O. Box 2577, Honolulu, HI 96803. Telephone: 538-6616. Website: http://www.hi.sierraclub.org/.
The O'ahu Group of the Hawai'i Chapter offers weekly hikes generally on Saturdays and Sundays.
Unless otherwise stated in the description, hikers meet at 8 a.m. at the back porch of the Church of the Crossroads, 2510 Bingham St.
Requested donation for participants age 14 and under and Sierra Club members with a membership card is $1; donation for all others is $3.
Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Hikes are also offered on Hawai'i, Maui and Kaua'i by the local groups of those islands.
Annual membership in the parent Sierra Club is $39, $24 for students and senior citizens, and includes membership in the Hawai'i Chapter.
OTHER RESOURCES
• State of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources: http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/.
• Hunter Education Office: 587-0200. The office also offers firearms and archery safety as well as survival and first-aid tips.
• State of Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife: http://www.dofaw.net/.
• The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i: http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/hawaii/.
• A comprehensive guide of Hawai'i trails: www.hawaiitrails.org.
• Gabriela Canalizo's hiking webpage: http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~canaguby/hiking/hikes.html.
• Dayle Turner's Hike Hawai'i: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~turner/htmc/hi-hike.htm.
