Located on the Kohala Mountains on the island of Hawaii is a protected natural area which encompasses 10,000 acres of montane bog forest and native shrublands. With the help of the Kohala Watershed Partnership, many volunteer hours have been invested to revitalize the area which includes replanting of native plants and restoring the land back to its original state. Most, if not all, of Kohala Mountain's native forest was decimated due to commercial ranching as far back in the 1800's.
On October 2013, we took a trip to Pu'u O Umi Natural Area Reserve to see first hand the restoration work in progress and to experience the mystical feeling of walking in a cloud forest surrounded by native plants and it's boggish environment. There has been numerous stories of hikers getting lost or disoriented due to thick fog cover, obscuring their pathways from around noon onwards; as the inversion layer forms between the cold mountain air and the warmer ocean breeze.
The area extends down to Highway 250, also know as the Kohala Mountain Road. At the five mile marker, we turned off the highway through a metal gate, into the neighboring ranch land. It was a good thing we had a 4-wheel drive vehicle as the road was quite bumpy with rocks strewn all over. We followed the road, or the lack of one, along a ranch fence line; which demarcated public from private lands.
The drive from the first gate to the reserve's gate (aka the "red gate") was nothing short of spectacular with its amazing views and cool mountain air. As we approached the red gate, we noticed how vast the entire area was. We could see as far as Mauna Kea with its top dotted with observatories, Mauna Loa and Hualalai. The landscape consisted of a sea of grass and pastureland, with an occasional cinder cone standing out like a sore thumb.
This time, we had done some research before hand and were told that the best way to approach this hike was to avoid going through the red gate directly into the reserve as the path wasn't marked properly and it is often said to be muddy. Instead, it indicated to walk along the edge of the reserve, following the enclosure fence until one reached the third wooden stile. This would conclude the easy part of the adventure.
Hence, we skirted around the fence line and trudged through the spongy grass that was annoyingly uneven due to the tracks created by the cows in the area. We soldiered on, full of excitement, even with the grass and unkempt foliage constantly brushing at our faces. It was a good thing we both had long sleeves and pants on.
We past several gulches, mostly bone dry or with just a trickle to it. Some were more muddied than others, but all had moss and lichen covered rocks and trees. It felt like walking into the mythical land of Narnia.
The jaunt so far was not so bad, as it was still quite out in the open and we got the occasional breeze that kept us cool. However, that was about to change as we finally came to the key landmark of wooden stiles. We climbed the stile and head up towards our key destination - Pu'u Eke. From there, we were told that we would be able to see the highest point of the Kohala Mountains - Kaumu O Kaleihoohie.
Upon entering the forest past the stile, the open grassland gave way to a denser forest, lined with many old Ohia trees, covered in moss and lichen. The humidity level jumped by two to three folds, as we could feel water vapor condensing on every inch of our bodies. We were soaked, not just from our sweat working up the hill, but by the moisture collecting on us.
There were ferns everywhere. From giant hapu'u (Cibotium) to musk ferns (Phymatosorous), covering every inch of the forest floor. Trees were covered in peat and sphagnum moss. The ground that we walked on felt plush and cushy, like walking on sponge. It was also saturated with so much water that each step we took made a distinctive squishy sound. This had to be nature's water collection bowl. At this elevation of approximately 5,000 feet, the fog zone caused by an inversion where warm moist ocean air meeting drier cooler mountain air defines the term cloud forest. The fog belt at this elevation does change, depending on the overall global temperature. As water condensates it drips down into the soil and filters through the semi porous volcanic rocks before turning into streams. It is this crucial process that makes part of this ecosystem a protected watershed.
We lost the path several times, but each time we picked up the path again, thankfully. There were some old markers here and there, and most must have either fallen off or deteriorated from the dampness or age.
Soon enough as we sloshed through the boggish floor towards the top, we found a slight break amongst the trees; providing a glimpse of the area ahead. We could see a valley in between us and the Kohala Mountain range with its highest point in the distance. We wondered if it was possible to trek from here to the peak without getting any more lost than we likely to be.
Reaching the summit of Pu'u Eke was a bit of a let down. We couldn't see much as we were surrounded with tall Ohia trees. There were also many signs of wild boar activity; as evident from the top soil being churned over and tilled in a profuse manner. These wild pigs cause major destruction in this environment.
We rested here for a short while, photographing some of the native endemic plants that can be found here. We were cognizant of the time as we did not want to be trapped in the noon time fog that normally rolls in obscuring our way back.
The plants in the area were definitely intriguing. We saw more natives than ever before - all in one place. It was also alarming to see the amount of non-native moss competing with the native plants. Every square inch was teeming with life, as we took the time to observe and photograph the many types of fungi in the area.
There were also many Ohia of all types, shapes and sizes. The Ohia blooms were vibrant against the green forest.
We could have spent hours just looking through the foliage, but there was also a sense of urgency to get back out of the reserve, at least to the car, before the fog set in. We could already see it forming as we quickly made our way back. Despite the a few orienteering hiccups here and there, we managed to get out before the entire hill was engulfed in a fine mist and clouds.
What a relief it was to be able to see the trusted fence line again, reaffirming that we were right on track. We reflected on the success of this mini adventure; as it was a fun-filled time of experiencing and capturing the native forest of Hawai'i.