LIHU‘E — With an estimated 500,000 people hiking the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail every year, from Ke‘e Beach to Hanakapi‘ai, closing the trail for maintenance purposes isn’t really an option, a state parks official said.
But maintenance work needs to be done, and is being done, oftentimes on a start-and-stop basis to allow visitors and residents only semi-interrupted traverse.
And much like motorists grow impatient when construction-related delays temporarily close or narrow the island’s two major highways, sometimes hikers get irate over a 15-minute delay even when the goal is a safer, more-comfortable trail experience.
“We could close the trail but we don’t want to,” said Curt Cottrell, assistant administrator of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of State Parks.
Charlie Cobb-Adams, whose Native Hawaiian Conservation & Hiking Expeditions is subcontracted to do the trail-restoration work, pleads for patience on the part of the hiking public while he and crew try to get the job done by the November 2010 scheduled completion date.
Sometimes it takes a lot of time and effort to remove boulders that weigh several hundred pounds when they have slid onto the trail, said Cobb-Adams, who has permits to cut trees, move dirt and stone and remove water from the trail.
“For the most part the people are cooperative. Some don’t get it,” Cobb-Adams said.
And his survey research indicates most of the people coming to construction zones on the trail haven’t read a prominent sign posted at the trail head indicating there might be delays while trail-restoration work continues, he said.
Other than the demanding physical labor that includes day-on, day-off scheduling to allow workers’ (including his own) bodies to recover from the 12-hour sessions, he said the toughest part of the work is access, or lack thereof, because he isn’t able to use animals or vehicles to bring workers and equipment onto the trail.
That means workers haul between 50 and 96 pounds of gear with them when they hit the trail. This summer, they’ll be able to access the trail via Hanakapi‘ai Beach with inflatable boats.
“This is intense labor,” and dangerous as well, he said.
Part of his job is as a hydrologist, figuring out ways to divert or otherwise manage water on the trail, said Cobb-Adams, adding that walking on a wet trail is very bad for the trail. Erosion is another enemy.
The sheer numbers of people using the trail is also a disadvantage, because it is hard to start then stop then start again once restoration work is underway, he said.
Yet he is driven by his family’s history, as both his grandmother and great grandparents were born and raised in Kalalau Valley, and by the awesome beauty of his workplace that has hiker after hiker telling him they’d trade their office for his “office” any day.
“It’s a great project,” said Cottrell, adding that Cobb-Adams is one of the most knowledgeable trail-builders in the state. Cottrell formerly was statewide manager of the DLNR Na Ala Hele Trails and Access Program in the Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
Cottrell said the trail was designed in the 1800s for oxen and commerce, to haul coffee, livestock and other commodities out of Na Pali Coast valleys.
Historically, the trail was four feet wide, and now ranges from 12 inches to 15 feet wide, said Cottrell, though Cobb-Adams said portions of the trail are just six inches wide and very dangerous.
Regardless, Cottrell sees the project as a “world-class demonstration of restored historic trails, using skilled craftsmen. It’s an exciting project.
“This is a real piece of good news,” said Cottrell.
And it’s a true public-private partnership, with state Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau, ushering a rare state grand-in-aid through the 2007 state Legislature, with Gov. Linda Lingle releasing the $1.2 million in 2009.
The project started in September of 2009, with the Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance applying for and winning the grant, hiring Pono Pacific Land Management through a request-for-proposals process, with Native Hawaiian Conservation & Hiking Expeditions subcontracted to do the work.
Volunteers also play key roles, turning out two Saturdays a month to assist. The next volunteer work day is May 22, with volunteers requested to meet at the Ke‘e Beach trail head at 8 a.m., and e-mail that intent to kalalautrail@ponopacific.com or call 1-808-628-7545.
“It’s a really good partnership,” said Cottrell.
Cobb-Adams said the volunteers have proven adept at doing the grueling physical work. “We’re getting good results,” and sometimes visitors and residents hiking the trail have been moved to return to help with the restoration work, he said.
“Instead of talking, we’re doing. We are productive,” getting things done, said Cobb-Adams, adding that because of he and his crew’s advanced preparation an entire project can be completed in one volunteer work day.
The Friends of Kalalau Trail help out as well.
The KPAA hired Thomas Noyes as parks project manager, and convened a Citizens’ Advisory Committee to provide input as the work progresses.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
