Sitting around the common room in our hostel, the topic of the epic Stairway to Heaven hike came up in conversation. Eager to find out more I turned to my trusty guide book for more information, but for the first time I was let down. There was no mention of the hike at all. Upon further research (google never lets you down) I found out that the Stairway to Heaven or Haiku Stairs are situated on the Koolau Mountain Range and lead up to the summit of Puu Keahiakahoe. Originally the 3922 stairs were built in 1942 during World War II to give the military access to a radio antenna 2000 ft up the mountain. They were later replaced with steel stairs (previously wooden) in the 1950s and used by the U.S Coast Guard. Once the station ceased to be used, the stairs were no longer maintained and became dangerous. The state officially closed them to the public in 1987.
However, if you wanted to climb the stairs and could find a local who was willing to be your tour guide, the best time to go is before sunrise. Apparently, the guard starts his shift at 4am and works till noon, so you would need to get to the bottom of the mountain before 3:30ish (just in case he starts early). The main entrance is in a neighbourhood and the residents do not appreciate troops of people walking around, talking loudly at all hours in the night. Proper shoes, water, food and a headlight (you can pick one up from Walmart for $10 USD) is a must.
The first hurdle will be a two meter fence with barb wire on top and a large sign that says NO TRESPASSING. Once over this, you need to find your way through a bamboo forest and avoid slipping over in, the sometimes ankle-high mud (wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty). After a 15 min walk you will reach another fence and once on the other side you will end up on a dirt track. Try not to use your headlights for this bit and be guided by the street lights from the highway above you. The track will eventually widen out (this is where the guard sits) and veer left into a forest. You will need to walk up a gentle incline where a third and final fence will stand between you and the stairs.
The stairs start immediately on the other side of the fence, easy at first and then progressively getting harder and harder until you are climbing a ladder up the side of the mountain. There are three main platforms on the hike and the beginning part from the ground to the first platform is apparently the hardest and the longest section. As it is so dark, you will have no idea how steep the mountain actually is and it’s imperative that you watch your footing on the stairs because some are loose. Do not attempt in the rain and you must have an adequate level of fitness to climb the 3922 stairs to get to the top.
Once at the top, you will have a stunning views and you could watch the sun rise from here. An even better location though would probably be from the middle platform, because it is more likely to be below the clouds that caused an impeded view from the top. Climbing down is just as much a spectacular experience because in the light you can now see where you are going and take a good look at your surroundings. For those with a fear of heights, this descent can be a bit nerve wrecking when you realise how high and how steep the mountain actually is.
Depending on how long you stay on the mountain, when you reach the bottom you may see the guard. Apparently he is pretty relaxed as he sits there sharpening his reconstructed machete and he may even ask you how your climb was. Alternatively once you have started the walk back though the bamboo forest, he may call the police who will be waiting for you at the bottom. If the police are there they have every right to arrest and charge you for trespassing. Alternatively they may show leniency towards you if you are a tourist and give you a warning and a stern talking to about how dangerous the stairs are. If one person slipped they could bring everyone else down with them and if you needed rescuing this would be extremely costly to the individual and to the government.
It would be great tourist attraction if the State re-opened the stairs. At the moment, according to ‘Friends of Haiku Stairs’ there are 100-150 people a week climbing the stairs illegally, which if anything happens to them will cost the State regardless. Legal climbing would also mean creating proper access to the trail, which would stop people roaming around the neighbourhood at night, so local residents will be happy as well.
Every Country 