Stairway to heaven hawaii how many steps

I can definitely understand why neighbors would be annoyed with people jumping this fence every night. From here we had to sneak our way through knee-high undergrowth as quietly as six, tired and anxious people in the dark can.

A silhouetted figure appeared in the foliage twenty yards behind us and began yelling but we quickly scuttled towards the path and out of the shrubbery. We were now approaching the guard and we could make out a car in the distance. Already on private property and having passed multiple no trespassing signs we were understandably quite nervous.

No one was standing by the car so we walked straight past it and towards the stairs. It felt like we were safe and could now enjoy our 3 am hike up the Stairway to Heaven. In a huge storm damaged several sections of the stairs to the point where they were severely mangled. A number of the stairs are loose and each step had to be taken with that in mind. We hiked without headlamps and the full moon guided us up the narrow, damp staircase.

I stopped frequently to peer down at the Highway that continually got smaller and smaller as we climbed towards platform one. The full moon illuminated the stairs ahead of us and the smell of damp metal covered our hands as we made sure to always have a good grasp on the slippery railing. We continued to make our way carefully up towards platform two, where we found an abandoned cabin with old machinery lying inside.

It felt as if we were on a post-apocalyptic movie, the last survivors searching for any other signs of life. After almost two hours we were moments from reaching the summit. The final section of the hike has boards rather than stairs, which create a catwalk ft in the air on top of a sharp ridge. At the summit, we found another old cabin with huge antennae on top.

We wandered around, investigating our playground in the clouds before we returned to the warmth of the bunker to wait for the sun to rise. Packing a spare change of clothes was a game-changer. Being able to put on a dry shirt and jacket made a huge difference in combating the wind at the summit. After a short wait, the sky began to glow a pale blue, then a purple, and all of a sudden the sun attempted to break through the haze.

More than thirty people witnessed the sunrise with us and we watched them begin the descent down the group by group.

We began to contemplate when we should head down and which way we should go. The Moanalua Trail , is a 6-mile route down that would help you avoid the guards but you would also miss the views of the stairway on the way down and it would take times as long. We decided to follow the crowd and headed down the stairs, only one old man remained at the summit when we left.

It is amazing to walk up in the dark and then see where you hiked as you descend down in the daylight. It took us less than two hours to make it to the beginning of the stairs. It was his response that made us feel better about the whole situation. Even the guard knows it is a bunch of politics stopping adventurers from hiking this trail. Winding our way in and out of bamboo shoots we emerged from the forest inside an elementary school to the dismay of a worker, who had clearly seen it all before.

We apologized and put our heads down and followed his orders to take the gate out. We were almost free. Making our way towards the final gate, we spilled into the neighborhood and saw no signs of any police or angry neighbors. We knew we were now literally out of the woods. This is truly one of the wonders of the world and makes you feel incredibly small, almost like an ant climbing a hill. The atmosphere of the hike is dreamy, eerie, and feels like Jurassic Park.

It is definitely something you should attempt when visiting Honolulu if you are up for the challenge. I recommend that if you do this hike, try as hard as possible to attempt it with someone who has been before.

Show respect for the neighbors as much as possible and know that you are likely trespassing and breaking the law. As I mentioned earlier in the blog post, there is an alternate route down and therefore, also an alternate route up. You can completely avoid the guards and security at the start of the trailhead if you follow the Moanalua Trail. The hike begins at the Moanalua Valley road trail and is a 9.

You will get muddy and it is not easy. Although it is legal, it is still a tough hike. There are multiple sections with rope climbs and very steep, muddy ascents.

Once you reach the top you can walk down the stairs and get some cool photos. In fact, you can go quite a far way down the stairs because the guards and police usually only wait at the bottom. I think they are too lazy to chase people up the stairs every morning.

So, for the photographers out there, you can get all of the angles and shots you have dreamed about… legally. This route also does a good job of not waking up the neighbors as you jump fences and sneak around at 3 am. Keep in mind, according to the rules, if you step foot on the summit you are breaking the law.

I highly advise you guys to hike Stairway to heaven this way. You will still get the same shots of the stairs as you would going the other way just with a bit more effort.

You also get to hike Moanalua Trail, which is an awesome hike too! If you are interested in climbing the back legal way up to the summit you can contact mike. There have been several possible solutions thrown around about the future of Stairway to Heaven on Oahu, Hawaii. How could it be possible to make the hike open to the public and also respect the neighbors right to privacy and safety in their own yard?

Here are the options that have been discussed so far in the media, forums and by the state. The money can be spent on creating a small parking lot, maintaining the trail and creating a safe entrance and exit points. This paper would need to be shown at the entrance to the stairs or checked at any time during the hike. This would take the liability away from the state and is similar to the rules and regulations for camping grounds.

Paid tours with guides could remove the liability from the state and put the responsibility on tour companies who would need to act responsibly and safely with their clients. Close the hike, pull down the stairs and the liability is then gone. Use a lottery system similar to other national parks, which allow only a small number of lucky lottery winners into the park each month.

What do you think the best solution could be? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Pack the basics. The main two things to pack that are make-or-break for your experience are the headlamp and the dry clothes for the summit.

Rain Jacket — Never hike in Hawaii without a rain jacket, no matter how sunny it is in Honolulu. Spare T-shirt — To change into at the top to be dry and warm as you will sweat through your original shirt while hiking: Dry fit hiking shirt I use: IceBreaker Merino Lite.

Headlamp — So you can keep your hands free instead of holding a torch. Snacks — Make sure you pack some granola bars as you will need to replenish your energy at the summit. Camera — This is a once-in-a-lifetime view so whether it is your phone, GoPro or camera make sure you can grab a snap as a memory. This map below shows the pin location of the satellite at the top of the stairway to heaven on Oahu. From here you will have to decide on whether you trespass and jump fences or attempt the Stairway to Heaven trail from the back entrance.

I highly encourage the latter. Pin it! What to pack for Hawaii? Luxury rooms overlooking the beach, a private lagoon and a free fireworks and dance performance show. Hilton is easily the most recognizable hotel on the Island.

Why I recommend this hotel: It has its own private lagoon. While lots of people love the beach it is perfect for families. Kids can kayak, swim and snorkel with no worries. There are no currents, waves or sea creatures to worry about. Sheraton Waikiki Luxury : A luxury resort with the most amazing infinity pool on the island, which overlooks the beach.

The bar and nightclub at the Sheraton is a great place to relax after a long day of island adventures. Why I recommend this hotel: The Sheraton is always exceptional no matter the location but imagine you are leaning over the edge of an infinity pool, the ocean is below you and you turn to your left and watch Diamond Head crater in the distance. Later on, in the evening Rumfire is a great bar venue, which is actually part of the Sheraton. It is open to the public and is one of the best high-end venues on Oahu.

It has a small dance floor but is mostly standing and seating areas for drinks, chats and good times. Luckily, there is an accommodation option on the edge of Waikiki that is excellent value. If you are like me, I never swim in the hotel pool anyway.

Waikiki Beachside Hostel Budget Choice : A budget alternative, which is still in an amazing location. Walking distance to Waikiki beach and a central location to base yourself for a week of adventures. Why I recommend this hostel: Unfortunately Waikiki and Honolulu, in general, are not cheap.

This location really is great. You are near a lot of attractions and can take public transport to a lot of great east coast beaches and hikes. It honestly feels like a theme park at times with just how many pools and activities are available.

If you can afford it, this is the 1 place to stay for families on Oahu. Why I recommend this hotel: Disney Aulani Resort combines luxury accommodation with family fun. The kids club and massage center are just among a few of the many activities included in your stay.

Attend ukelele lessons, free fire-pit story-telling at night and more and more! The stairs closed to the public in On top of that, most residents are not too happy about trespassing hikers who sometimes end up in their backyard.

We do encourage to respect the privacy of the residents of Oahu and therefore hike the legal way up. You can still see the beautiful Haiku Stairs, just hike the other way! The Haiku stairs used to be private property , so you will be trespassing when stepping onto the stairs. Guards patrol at the bottom of the stairs and police helicopters have been seen flying around the Haiku stairs.

Our hearts dropped when we actually saw a helicopter fly right beside us! Other hikers filmed the helicopter that was trying to land. You could see most of the people run away in the video that stepped foot on the stairs!

So use your best judgement when it comes to the Haiku stairs. The stairs are in bad shape with very steep parts. Another reason to hike the stairway to heaven the legal way! The Haiku stairs have 3, steps! But you will hike the stairway to heaven the legal way, of course…. We have hiked the entire way up to the stairs, and noticed different parts on the hike.

So, we have divided the entire hike into four parts. You will hike the Moanalua Valley Trail. You can easily find the location on google maps or enter these coordinates to find the exact starting point: There is parking in the Moanalua Valley Neighborhood park, however, parking space is limited. Keep in mind that the park opens at 7AM and closes at 7PM. We decided to park our car in the neighborhood that lies just before the entrance of the park.

This way we could start the hike early. You are able to enter the park by foot before the official opening time. You will walk about 3 miles on flat ground. There are many forks in the road, but they all lead to the same path. You will slowly transition to paths that are unmaintained. The grass grows high and can overgrow the path, but you will be able to see a direction of where to go. Walk until you see the signs depicted on the picture below. Do NOT continue straight , you will cross the riverbed instead.

There might be water flowing depending on which month you are hiking the legal way to the stairway to heaven. You will make an immediate right after you crossed the riverbed. Look out for signs that are marked on trees after you cross the riverbed.

The signs are not obvious. You will start to notice the elevation that does not seem to end. You will walk through this enchanted forest where you will find guava fruit on trees. Look out for the yellow colored guava, these are delicious! A great power snack to keep you going on the steep mountain. And although the stairs are not open to visitors, that hasn't stopped people from wandering onto the trail, often hopping residential fences and wandering through backyards in order to gain access.

In a recent meeting of the Honolulu City Council, the council unanimously voted to remove the stairs, due to soaring security costs. Consequently, my administration is aligned with the City Council's resolution to remove the stairs and we intend to move forward with the necessary plans. Earlier this year, a year-old had to be airlifted out of the area after injuring his knee while hiking the stairs, KHON2 reported.

Back in April , 3, people submitted testimony in support of keeping the stairs, while people submitted testimony in support of their removal. Top shopping picks. My favorite faux-fur lined boots for walking and bike commuting. Save leftovers and space with these airtight food container.