Stairway to Heaven

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

{aka- Haiku Stairs}

"The trail began as a wooden ladder spiked to the cliff on the south side of the Haʻikū Valley. It was installed in 1942 to enable antenna cables to be strung from one side of the cliffs above Haʻikū Valley to the other. A building to provide a continuous communication link between Wahiawā and Haʻikū Valley Naval Radio Station was constructed at the peak of Puʻukeahiakahoe, elevation about 2,800 feet (850 m). The antennae transmitted very low frequency radio signals from a 200,000-watt Alexanderson alternator in the center of Haʻikū valley. The signals could reach US Navy submarines as far away as Tokyo Bay while the submarines were submerged.^[2][3] Testers for RCA picked up signals on Long Island, and the signal also reached India, 6,600 miles (10,600 km) away.^[3]

When the Naval base was decommissioned in the 1950s, the United States Coast Guard used the site for an Omega Navigation System station. In the mid-1950s, the wooden stairs were replaced by sections of metal steps and ramps — by one count, 3,922 steps. The station and trail were closed to the public in 1987. Some hikers ignore the No Trespassing signs and continue to climb, contributing to the local community's misgivings about reopening the structure. The City and County of Honolulu has stated that there is currently no plan to open the stairs for public use, citing liability concerns." -Wikipedia

THIS is how we celebrated our birthdays this past weekend. Ya know, just two badass rebels. Okay, fine. I won't lie... I can't believe I was actually doing this/did this and was pretty darn nervous the entire way up. You have to get to the trail before 3/330AM to make it before the guard gets there. Otherwise he will tell you to turn around. So we headed out at 1AM, got to the trail about 2AM, snuck past residential area and crossed over the gates that block this trail. It was so sketch walking through this trail in pitch black. You have to go a certain way and it's understandable now, why many end up getting lost. Luckily we had someone with us who had done it a few times already and so thankful for that! And that it didn't rain.

 View from the first platform.

 

 We made it up the 3,922 steps and at 2,800 feet elevation!!! It was FREEZING.

Waiting to see if we would get to see the sunrise. It was so cloudy and the mist was so creepy! Waiting was not fun. We were one of the first ten people up there. It was crazy to see how many people behind up made the trek up. There had to be like 50 people up there at one point!

The old satellite. I can't believe people did this in shorts. Oh and we saw some people in flip flops.

We decided to beat the crowd and make our way down to get better views of the sunrise.

 Looking back at the very top and what we had just accomplished!

 

 Walking through the bamboo forest back to our car.

 

 So happy we got to share this moment together. Hawaii has changed me, in the best ways possible!

 *I do not condone doing this, as it is illegal. It's up to you if you'd like to take the risk. Should you decide to, please be respectful of the residents, don't litter, be careful and do your research so that you are prepared for all that this hike entails.