If you are a hiker and live on Oahu, Mt. Ka’ala looms in your head just like it does on the top of the Waianae mountain range. It is the highest peak, reaching up to 4,025 feet and there are several options to make the summit. You can come up from the west side or hike up the Dupont Trail just behind the Waialua Intermediate School. The hike is tough, but the views and sense of accomplishment make it worth it, especially after you finish the hike and look back up at the summit thinking to yourself, “I was just up there.”
Bring plenty of water, a light fitting pair of pants, and food because this hike will take all day and potentially the night. There is a diversity of plants and vegetation for every change in elevation and the views ring true at the peak of each ridge. It gets slippery and steep at times. There are several cable and ropes to guide your way, just make sure they are strong before you put your life in their strands.
