Honolulu officials have decide to remove the iconic 3,922-step Haiku Stairs also known as the "Stairway to Heaven" that span Oahu's Ko'olau mountain range, saying that it is . ", Despite warnings and hefty potential fines, A photo posted by Angelo Neto (@angelovianabjj), would be removed by a contractor within the next few weeks, taking steps toward demolishing the stairs altogether, proposed a plan to repair, maintain and manage the hike, To remove the stairs would be so shortsighted, If theyre swinging out over an open area, then potentially if they fell off, it could be fatal, A photo posted by Caressa Pitt (@caressame). The hike is a continuous and steep path to the old radio tower at the top of the Koolau's. What happens if you get caught hiking Stairway to Heaven? 1. I didnt want to miss the unique opportunity of experiencing the Haiku Stairs and taking my own photos of this unbelievably scenic hike before I left Hawaii, despite knowing it would be breaking the law. Each section of steel stairs was constructed to be 6 feet long and 18 inches wide. Fundamentally, it is inappropriate to have a high-use tourist attraction entering through this residential neighborhood, which lacks in the capacity to provide appropriate facilities or parking.. You can completely avoid the guards and security at the start of the trailhead if you follow the Moanalua Trail. 4. Dont wait for an accident to happen get insured! Recently someone managed to install a treacherous swing atop one of the peaks that allowed people to arc out over a 2,700 foot drop. On a single summer night during pre-pandemic times, Barboza hosted a stakeout with community members to count the number of illegal trespassers. Click the link above to read my full blog post about that trail. There is currently a $1,000 fine for those caught trespassing at the stairs. Despite warnings and hefty potential fines, daredevils have been flocking to the mountainside staircase, also called Haiku Stairs, for years. Stupa of Takht-e Rostam: Cosmic stairways into the heavens? The Stairway to Heaven hike on Oahu, Hawaii, also known as the Haiku Stairs, is possibly the greatest attraction on the entire island. 4th time I climbed it. In fact, you can go quite a far way down the stairs because the guards and police usually only wait at the bottom. Hawaii's 'stairway to heaven' is set to be removed after reports of injuries and illegal trespassing. She said she believes theres a way to maintain the stairway for recreational use while reducing the impact on the surrounding community. In 2015 a huge storm damaged several sections of the stairs to the point where they were severely mangled. Houska Castle: The tale of "the gateway to hell" is not for the faint of heart! Hundreds of articles and videos about the so-called Stairway to Heaven saturate the internet. For a long time, there have been efforts to keep hikers away from a stairway located in O'ahu, Hawaii but those efforts have proved abortive. The view may be beautiful, but the experience is certainly not worth the risk. The walkway started as a simple ladder, before being upgraded to a wooden staircase, that was later replaced by the metal stairs that exist today. As of 2003, the Haiku Stairs have been completely repaired, which cost the city $875,000. Last year, nearby Kuoloa Ranch (the filming location for movies like "Jurassic Park" and "Jumanji") offered to take the stairs onto their property and build a ticketed attraction if they were ever removed from their original location, according to Hawaii News Now. Ive made several successful claims with HeyMondo and find their customer service very quick and helpful. Meaning Behind Led Zeppelin: "How The West Was Won". This was chaos. The city is close to finally deciding the fate of Haiku Stairs. Choosing your route: First things first, choose your route. McNeely was a 21-year-old in the Navy. Flanagan said the stairs started to see more recreational use when a 1981 episode of Magnum P.I. was shot there. It took us less than two hours to make it to the beginning of the stairs. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. As soon as we stepped out of the car a neighbor came rushing out of his front yard yelling at us with his phone pressed angrily to his ear. The land was deemed unfit for homestead development. Due to liability issues, the stairway has been off-limits to civilian hikers since 1987, with multiple signs, and even guards, set around the base of the stairs to keep people off of them, but none of this seems to have worked very well, since people regularly make the scenic hike despite the danger and possible fines. Its unclear how long the swing remained in place, but after a video of a hiker nearly slipping off to her death went viral, the local government decided enough was enough. Require all people to purchase a permit for $10 from the Parks and Recreation Department before hiking the Stairway to Heaven. From here you will have to decide whether you trespass and jump fences or attempt the Stairway to Heaven trail from the back entrance. About. HAIKU VALLEY, Hawaii ( KITV) -- After months of deliberation, the famous Haiku Stairs or 'Stairway to Heaven' will be dismantled. Right now there is no date as to when the Stairs could start to be dismantled, but its likely at least several months away. The hike, with its stunning views of Kneohe Bay and verdant landscape, has for decades drawn tourists and, in more recent years, social media influencers. A powerful storm passed over the island of Oahu in 2015 which caused significant damage to the stairway itself, rendering it dangerous and unusable. Im Jackson, an Australian adventure traveler who has been on the road for eight years now. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay informed and engaged. Well, that was an interesting start! After graduating with a journalism degree, I set off to explore the world while creating adventure travel guides featuring hikes, waterfalls, beaches & adrenaline activities. 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.". October 23, 2022 7:19 pm. In the end, we didnt clamber through the bamboo forest as many others do, we took a deep breath and walked straight up to the guard. stairway to heaven hawaii. It's completely illegal. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Honolulu, Hawaii Similar Experiences LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Oahu Shark Dive 1,018 from $89.00 per adult Hidden Gems of Oahu - Circle Island Tour with Waimea Waterfall 1,411 Full-day Tours from $139.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* However, many Hawaii residents believe the iconic stairs, which have been in place since World War II, should be preserved. The view of Kneohe Bay from the Haiku Stairs. Each steel section typically contains 8 steps and handrails on each side. HIKING THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN! Built in the 1940s by the US Navy, the stairs became off . Fortunately, its time will be short-lived. This blog post will be updated regularly with information that many people share with me about the topic so that you can be best prepared for your hike up the infamous Stairway to Heaven hike on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. In her resolution, Kiaaina listed some of the major disturbances to the neighborhood around the stairs, including strangers in the area, hikers parking in private driveways and trespassing. A Hawaiian stairway to heaventhat you can't climb. The trailhead area below the stairs is patrolled by a security guard around the clock, and sometimes the Honolulu police are called. So you just cant get caught at the summit and you are all good. No purchase necessary. Its ridiculous but thats a heads up on the rules Im aware of. 2 #307 of 489 Outdoor Activities in Honolulu. And of the non-local, there was probably, I would say, 60%, tourists and 40% military, Barboza said. Unfortunately, this wont ever work because people will still hike up to the summit and without the stairs, there may be a higher risk of injuries or fatalities for hikers. He was last seen boarding a bus in Waianae, Oahu. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. by Joseph Guzman | Sept. 14, 2021 | Sep. 14, 2021. When asked about the possibility of a public-private partnership, she said she does not believe anyone can manage to deter illegal trespassing due to the other points of entry to access the stairs. The jerry-rigged contraption, constructed with metal chains, is affixed to two rusted poles atop a ridge in the lush Koolau mountain range, looking over the east side of Oahu. As an avid adventurer, Nakamoto wanted to be a solution for the Haiku community while bringing legal access to the stairs back to the Hawaii community. I think the breakdown was 70% not local, 30% local. Charge tourists/out-of-state visitors $50-100 to hike the stairs while the hike remains free for residents of Hawaii. Both sides are lobbying hard. As time passed, the instances of the $600 fines being handed out seemed to have become more commonplace. Its not helping our cause to have people up there, and we certainly dont condone it. The city of Honolulu spent almost a million dollars repairing the stairs and was considering re-opening the stairs in 2002 but resident complaints and safety concerns halted the re-opening and the stairs have been closed ever since. I highly advise you guys to hike Stairway to heaven this way. I dont ever want to get a phone call about any of my kids because of something that could have been prevented, may God comfort the families going through such a terrible loss.. Which island is the Stairway to Heaven on? My nervousness about being caught kept my desire to attempt the hike at bay. This illegal stairway to heaven on the island of Oahu is a narrow, rusty staircase that weaves up through the steep ridge-line in the Hawaiian mountains. It was on the news. Save them or tear them down? These are four items that I using right now and this list gets updated every year! I had two friends visit and had promised them if the opportunity arose we would try and do the craziest hike they could imagine so they were already pumped for the Stairway to Heaven. Yeah, there is a $1,000 fine [if you get caught]. Residents shared the big issue is the trespassing and hikers being disrespectful of private property. We were almost free. 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. The hike down was a photographers dream with hundreds of prime photo opportunities. Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for. Sudden Surge Of Water Caught On Camera 00:43. Seig Lu. Not to mention watching the sunrise/sunset from the top of the ridge is always phenomenal. A grueling 3,922 stairs lead up the imposing mountain ridge, often at an almost vertical incline, with only a handrail to catch you from falling into the valley below. That hasnt stopped locals, hikers, and tourists from sneaking past a guard who is posted at the bottom of the stairs to experience the thrilling 4000ft long climb along an 18-inch wide staircase reaching heights of above 2000ft. Couple spots were sketchy due the stairs being knocked down and twisted up. No respect for nature. Thrill-seekers nearly falling to their deaths. Startled by the old man walking towards us we quickly shuffled away to the main entrance only to find someone jumping out beaming a flashlight at us. On the way down from the Stairway to Heaven, the scariest thing is if you're going to get caught or not The official name of the stairway that winds through Oahu's Ko'olau mountain range, is the Haiku Stairs. Honolulu officials have set . Although hiking in the Hawaiian Islands offer residents and visitors many opportunities to experience unique natural environments, climbing waterfalls and following narrow ridge lines or gulches off the trail can place you in great danger. There is currently a $1,000 fine for those caught trespassing at the stairs. In recent events, 27-year-old hiker, Darlene Feliciano fell 500 feet to her death in mid-April from the Makapuu Tom-Tom trails in East Oahu. America is changing faster than ever! The final section of the hike has boards rather than stairs, which create a catwalk 2000 ft in the air on top of a sharp ridge. One of the best experiences I had on Oahu was swimming with the beautiful spinner dolphins on this exact tour. Thank for your continued support. Here's a selection of photos so you can experience the illegal rush secondhand, without putting your life on the line. 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