10th Street Hike Re-visited

It is the rainy season here in Oahu. There are downpours at night and the days are alternating mists and a soft stream of water. When the sun comes out you feel like you are in a steam bath!

Tucker, Matt and I planned to hike the 5 or so waterfalls off 10th Street. Tucker and I had done it and I had also taken Krista and her friends up to the first waterfall. This is not a hike for the clumsy as the stream crossings tend to be slippery and sometimes steep. The path climbs alongside the steep wall of the mountain without much in the way of footing. Add rain to the mix and let's just say it can get exciting.

We picked yesterday (10/25), a Saturday to climb this adventurous trail. Tucker and I wanted to show Matt the many different waterfalls. On Friday it rained. It rained a lot. There's a gallon bucket outside our house and it was full. On Saturday morning it seemed to be clearing. Tucker and I looked at each other and thought the same thing ... the stream might be running a bit fast.

Below is us at the car getting ready.


We got to the site and started our hike. It misted slightly as we climbed down from the road to the ravine. The rocks and tree limbs were slippery. I saw the huge tree that Krista banged her head on as we climbed down.
The ferns and plants were in full growth making it hard to walk without getting soaked. The path was blurred by so much greenery. We did our best to make our way down to the stream.

It wasn't a stream anymore. It was a river ... a raging river ... a torrent of brown water that brought with it mud, muck and a number of sticks, branches and boughs. It was impossible to cross.

Go back? We all looked at each other. We decided to climb around and bush whack our way upstream to another part of the trail. It was tough going climbing around the trees, the rocks and yes ... a car ... or what was left of it!



We found a spot that was a little wider meaning that the water was spread out and maybe not rushing as fast. Below is a video clip (thank goodness for the waterproof camera) of Tucker making his way across the river. Look how deep it is! Matt and I stayed strategically down stream to catch him if he fell.

We crossed several times and each was a bit of an adventure. Back and forth we went getting soaked up to our hips at times. The trail then headed uphill and up we went. The path was narrow and slippery. On the left was the hill going up and on the right, the hill going down with only small bushes to stop you if you slipped. It was here that I took a tumble and my feet went out from under me. I slid down a few feet but thankfully the bushes were thick enough to stop my slide. Tucker grabbed my armpits and helped me up. My backside was muddy from my shoulders to the backs of my thighs.

We moved on and each of us took turns slipping and sliding ... and then it started raining some more.

I thought about the river. What if more rain came? What if we couldn't cross it on our way back? I mentioned it to the lads and we decided to press on to at least the first waterfall. After several twists and turns we heard what sounded like a jet engine on full power. It was amazing the difference in water flow from the last time I was there!

Here is a picture from last time:

I'm not sure the pictures do it justice but you can make out Matt on the lower left side of the picture below.

50 yards away, Tucker and I got misted by the falls.

To get the full effect watch and listen to the next video clip!

It began raining again ... not misting and I got worried about the level of the water. We hustled down the trail ... and yes, I fell again ... right on my backside but not to worry, the rain had me cleaned off in no time!

Getting down was easier than going up. We made our way back to the car fairly quickly compared to the tough time going up. Isn't always easier going down than going up?

Soaked to the bone, we dried off and changed shirts and headed home for some rest and relaxation back at the house.