Missing hiker search widens
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
Rescue crews will resume the search this morning for a 19-year-old hiker who has been missing since Monday night.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
Daniel Levey began his hike alone Monday afternoon at the Mau'umae trail above Maunalani Heights. His mother, Joyce, said he was an avid hiker and called her three times during the hike, the last time at about 6 p.m. Monday.
A helicopter with a search rescue team lands at Maunalani Community Park after it was unable to find hiker Daniel Levey, who was reported missing Monday night. Levey, 19, was hiking the Mau'umae trail above Wilhelmina Rise.
During their last conversation, Daniel Levey told his mother that he was walking on a "very narrow path" on a summit and could see Ka'au Crater and Windward O'ahu.
Joyce Levey said it didn't appear at the time that her son was in trouble.
"He did indicate that it was very misty and there were a lot of clouds and so when he looked down he was just looking at the clouds," she said. "He couldn't really tell which valley it was."
When he failed to return, she called police about 8 p.m. Monday. The Fire Department began a four-hour ground search about an hour later.
The search resumed yesterday morning and involved two dozen members of the Fire Department and the Police Department, as well as the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Fire and police helicopters also were involved in the search.
Fire spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada said the search began along the Mau'umae trail and included the Lanipo trail, and the Ka'au Crater, Wa'ahila and St. Louis Heights areas. The search was expanded to include the area from Kuli'ou'ou to Nu'uanu Pali.
Daniel Levey told his mother that he was walking on a "very narrow path" on a summit.
Police Missing Persons Detail investigator Phil Camero said foul play is not suspected. As of late yesterday afternoon, however, there were no clues as to where the hiker might be.
"No one came forward to say that he was spotted on the trail," Camero said.
"There was no physical evidence located on all the trails which we searched."
Camero said he was hopeful that the hiker may have just gotten off the main trail and will be found in good health.
Daniel Levey, a Punahou School graduate, is on summer break from the University of Oregon. The family lives in Kalama Valley.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
Joyce Levey said her son had gone hiking or swimming every weekend while home on O'ahu. She said he usually hikes with a friend or family member and she could not explain why he chose to go alone on Monday. She said she believed this was his first time on the Mau'uwae trail.
Dr. Joyce Levey, right, and her daughter await news about Daniel. Joyce Levey reported her son missing at about 8 p.m. Monday.
"I guess he was just bored, possibly, and didn't have a friend at the time and just went for it. I think it was a spur-of-the-moment decision," she said.
"He didn't really tell us he was going hiking — he just called us from when he was up there."
She said her son had a black backpack with him, an extra T-shirt and probably some water and snacks. But she said she didn't believe he had a flashlight.
"I think he didn't realize the length of the trail," she said. "I think this was more than he thought he was getting in for."
She said her family has many friends who are hikers and she has appealed to them for help. She also had some advice for other hikers.
"I would recommend to the public not to start hikes in the middle or late afternoon. Start your hike early and have a buddy," she said.
Tejada said the search will begin at about 7:30 this morning and will focus on "offshoot trails" along the Mau'umae trail. He said rescuers will be assisted by members of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club.
"We're going to cross our fingers that he didn't fall or anything like that, that he's still out there lost," Tejada said.
Daniel Levey is described as 5 feet 3, 130 pounds, with brown hair and eyes.
