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Photo: Russ Lem
Highlights:
- Discover rainforest trails in Koke’e State Park
- Visit an endangered beach area
- Snorkel the Pacific
- Sight rare endemic birds of Kauai
Includes:
- All meals. Vegetarian option is available
- All transportation, including pick-up and return to Lihu’e Airport
- All accommodations in shared cabins
Trip Number: 09042A
Price: $1645
Deposit: $200
Capacity: 12
Leader: Colleen Kearney
The Trip
Photo: Russ Lem
Our hiking oriented trip will allow us to explore the diversity that is Kauai, the “Garden Island”. We will hike magnificent ridge-top trails of Waimea Canyon, or “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” as it is called, we'll get contrasting viewpoints of Kauai's spectacular cliffs or "pali", viewing them from high atop their ridges and from sea level. We'll explore the Alakai Swamp and witness crashing ocean surf as we hike dramatic coastal trails. Our days will mingle shorter walks with more athletic “scrambles”. Our longest day is a nine-mile hike through rainforest and along shear cliffs. We will also allow for more typical Hawaiian pleasures, including sleeping on a beach, snorkeling or simply catching up on that novel you have been intending to read.
Photo: Russ Lem
You will be picked up at the Lihue Airport and transported back to our local
accommodation for the week. The weather of the day might well determine which
hike or swim we want to do, as rain conditions around Kauai vary considerably.
Some hikes will have cliff-top views out over the ocean itself, with the beaches
4,000 feet below. We might well have White Tailed Tropic Birds soaring below
us as we try to take pictures of the scene. On other days we will be hiking along
the shoreline, with those same pali towering above us. As a Sierra Club trip,
we will also have a service component. We may remove invasive ginger plants and
we may also prune excess growth as we hike along trails. Since this is Hawaii,
swimming and snorkeling will be almost daily options. If there is sufficient
interest, a surfing lesson (optional) can be arranged!
Our cabins are one-room affairs, and will be shared with other participants.
You will have minimal privacy, so be warned! Toilet and shower facilities are
nearby, but are not within each cabin. We plan to "eat local" and participants
should come prepared to experience the eclectic cuisine of a tropical island
prepared in the style of the different cultures, including the original Polynesian
peoples who migrated east. Island foods are fresh and healthy for hikers. In
typical Sierra Club fashion, participants will take turns assisting our cook
in meal prep.
Photo: Russ Lem
Our day-hikes are between 5 and 9 miles in length. The trail surface varies but
participants should be prepared daily for slippery mud and some scrambling sections.
Trekking poles are quite helpful. Because of these conditions, consider a 9 mile
hike the equivalent of a 12 mile hike at home. The swimming and snorkeling will
be determined by each person’s desires.
Because we are not backpacking or camping out and because dress on Kauai is casual
at all times, pack lightly! We will have a chance to do laundry as there are
machines near our cabins. A daypack is needed, trekking poles suggested. A swim
suit is important!
A more detailed list will be sent upon signup and acceptance.
- Beckwith, Martha, Hawaiian Mythology
- Carlquist, S., Hawai'i: A
Natural History
- Daws, Gavin, Shoal in Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands
- MacDonald, Gordon, Volcanoes in
the Sea
- McBride, L.R., The Kahuna: Versatile Masters of Old Hawaii
- McBride, L.R.,
Petroglyphs of Hawaii
- Morey, Kathy, Kauai Trails
- Sohmer, S.H. and R. Gustafson, Plants and Flowers
of Hawaii
- Zurick, David, Hawai'i Naturally
Conservation
Sierra Club sponsors outings so members may experience new places, people, and
activities. Specifically, we aim to heighten awareness of the global environment
and encourage participants to take action to protect our shrinking world and
its inhabitants -- human and otherwise. On this trip, we will concentrate on
Kauai and its local issues, which we can often translate into our own community’s
issues. We will also learn about Hawaii's land conservation issues.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details
about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.
The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Colleen Kearney lives in Walnut Creek, California, and fell in love with Sierra Club National Outings as a participant on a Kauai Trip. She now hopes to share her enthusiasm and passion for the island with you. She has led day hikes with her local San Francisco Bay Chapter of Sierra Singles, and has served on their Executive Committee. A former dancer and fitness instructor/personal trainer she will provide stretching sessions to help prepare for excursions and assist in recovery from our hikes.
E-mail: cekearney@comcast.net
Jill McIntire lives in Berkeley, California, and has led trips on the main Hawaiian Islands and on Midway. She first went to Hawaii on a Sierra Club bicycling trip; since then, she's cycled, kayaked, and hiked the islands. Warm weather and birds are two of her passions, so Hawaii fits the bill beautifully.
E-mail: jillmcin@lmi.net
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