Built during World War II by the US Navy and abandoned shortly there after, the Haiku Stairs on the island of Oahu have become a point of contention between locals and the state officials in the process of having them removed.

Closed to the public in 1987, the 4,000 metal steps that lead to the top of 2,800-foot mountain. Known as “The Stairway To Heaven” the vestige of WW2 have recently regained popularity in the age of social media.

The Honolulu City Council voted to remove the stairs in 2021 but the work has been slow. The stairs can only be removed in sections and then require a helicopter to airlift them off the mountain.

This week 14 hikers were arrested for accessing the stairs and charged with criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor crime punishable with up to 30 days in jail. A local organization named Friends of the Haiku Stairs have mounted a resistance to the stairs demolition and successfully received an injunction pending their ongoing lawsuit.

Friends of the Haiku Stairs view the unique landmark as a “historic monument that island residents have treasured for generations” and quickly point out that there have been zero deaths or serious injuries as a result of a fall and zero lawsuits to the city in its 80 years of existence.

• Zero deaths or serious injuries as a result of a fall
• Zero lawsuits to the City in 80 years

A local group called Friends of the Haiku Stairs is pushing back against the stairs’ removal, arguing that the $2.5 million process is too expensive.

Located in a remote area of Kaneohe, the only way to access the stairs is via a dangerous and unsanctioned hike.

“It’s incredibly disrespectful and self-centered for anyone to be on the Haiku Stairs, or on the Middle Ridge Trail, when it’s been made abundantly clear that these areas are off-limits for safety and natural resource protection reasons,” Jason Redulla, chief of Hawaii’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) said in a statement, which bore the ominous warning that “someone is going to get hurt or killed.”

According to DOCARE, all the people arrested in the past week have been charged with criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor that can result in up to 30 days in jail. Eight of the 14 were arrested on September 3, although it’s not clear if they were hiking together.

“It is dangerous for people to enter the construction zone and dangerous for them to try to descend the ridge. They need to think about the consequences if someone gets hurt, or worse, and needs rescue. It is a difficult place for first responders to reach, which could delay medical treatment,” said Redulla.

The Haiku Stairs, sometimes called the “stairway to heaven,” were closed to the public in 1987. But social media has brought the unlikely destination a degree of fame, with intrepid YouTubers and Instagrammers raving about the gorgeous views from atop the 2,800-foot mountain trail, with the stairs sometimes appearing to disappear into the mist above.

According to DOCARE, the hikers used climbing ropes to get to the staircase.

The stairs’ fame has brought headaches for the local community, including trespassers, added security costs and risky rescues of hikers who have been injured in the remote area.

In 2021, the Honolulu City Council voted to remove the Haiku Stairs. The work has been done in pieces, with one section of the stairs at a time detached from the side of the mountain and then removed by helicopter.

A local group called Friends of the Haiku Stairs is pushing back against the stairs’ removal, arguing that the $2.5 million process is too expensive.

Some of the deconstruction work had been completed when the Hawaii Court of Appeals issued a temporary injunction earlier this year.

HIKERS ARRESTED AFTER ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO HA‘IKŪ STAIRS CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Officials Fear Someone is Going to Get Hurt or Killed 

(HONOLULU) – 14 hikers have been arrested since last Thursday on the Kāne‘ohe side of the Ha‘ikū Stairs by the Honolulu Police Department, which then alerted the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE). Eight of the 14 were arrested this morning. They all face criminal trespassing charges.

HPD informed DLNR that the hikers reached the top of the stairs via the Middle Ridge Trail in the Moanalua Section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. DLNR on Friday announced the reopening of this section with a warning for people to stay off the Middle Ridge Trail. It is not a state-sanctioned trail and using it to reach the top of the stairs is illegal and dangerous.

While deconstruction of the entire stairs is on hold due to litigation, several modules comprising numerous stair cleats that secure the stair modules to the hillside have already been removed by helicopter. The hikers who were arrested used ropes from the top of the Middle Ridge Trail to get down to where stairs still cling to the side of the mountain.

DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said, “It is dangerous for people to enter the construction zone and dangerous for them to try to descend the ridge. They need to think about the consequences if someone gets hurt, or worse, and needs rescue. It is a difficult place for first responders to reach, which could delay medical treatment. Plus, it’s incredibly disrespectful and self-centered for anyone to be on the Ha‘ikū Stairs, or on the Middle Ridge Trail, when it’s been made abundantly clear that these areas are off-limits for safety and natural resource protection reasons. They fail to consider not only the risks they’re taking, but the risks emergency teams face when having to rescue people who are breaking the law.”

About Friends of the Haiku Stairs:

Our mission is to protect the historic Ha’ikū Stairs for current and future generations. By partnering with local grassroots stakeholders and the community, we can realize a shared vision of stewardship for Ha’ikū Valley through managed access solutions.

We need support, either through donations, signing the petition or volunteering, so the administration will not be able to hide behind backdoor politics and deals. The more voices heard, the stronger the impact. We can make a difference, together.

If you would like to save the Haʻikū Stairs, please consider donating through direct donations, membership or through the purchase of merchandise from our store. All proceeds directly support our mission to halt destruction and are tax deductible.

Why Save Haʻikū Stairs?

• They are an iconic landmark and historic monument that island residents have treasured for generations

• It is one of the safest hikes on the island:
  • Zero deaths or serious injuries as a result of a fall
  • Zero lawsuits to the City in 80 years
• Cost of removal could exceed $10 million with permitting, mitigation and remediation​​​
• Removal could also cause:
  • Serious harm to endangered species living in critical habitats around the Stairs
  • Soil runoff harming the downstream watershed leading into Kāne‘ohe Bay
• Public testimony and opinion polls clearly show the majority of Oʻahu residents support reopening the Stairs under managed access

• Closing the Stairs diverts hikers to the Moanalua “back way,” a dangerous route that has led to several HFD rescues
• People will still climb the ridge even without the Stairs
  • ​The City plans to leave behind support structures which climbers will likely attach ropes to on their way to the summit, increasing safety risks and environmental harm
• Evidence suggests there may be a secret backroom deal to transfer the Stairs to Kualoa Ranch. Don’t let the City give away public property

images from FriendsofHaikuStairs

More From Unofficial Networks

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Dozens of Hawaii residents will see a bit clearer thanks to the help of local doctors and nonprofits.

For the 4th year in a row, The Eye Surgery Center of Hawaii performed free cataract surgeries on Saturday as part of WikiVision’s Cataract Surgery Day.

38 uninsured and underinsured Hawaii residents benefited.

“It’s a life-changing experience for them. Where they can, it opens the world up to them again. They can see where they are walking. They can see their family and friends. They can see the leaves on the trees and the grass on the blades of the grass and things like that. And so it can be a very life-changing experience for them,” Ophthalmologist Dr. William Wong Jr. said.

The procedure typically costs upward of $10,000.

A fundraising concert featuring young musicians was held at Iolani School leading up to the surgeries, raising nearly $50,000 for the cause.

Donate to the cause here.

Find more information about the WikiVision here.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has taken drastic steps following an outbreak of norovirus among hikers at Kalalau beach on the island of Kauai. To combat the disease, the state has closed the entire Kalalau Trail from Ke’e to Honopu.

Officials report at least 37 people who were hiking or camping at Kalalau beach reported the highly contagious illnesses. The illness can cause copious vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. The Health Department recommends the area to remain closed until September 19th.

DLNR officers conducted a sweep of the area to clear out any remaining hikers and The Kalalau Trailhead to prevent reentry. Anyone trespassing during the closure can be arrested.

All comfort stations along the trail are being sanitized and a team from the Health Department is collecting water and soil samples. We will be sure to monitor this situation and update as more information becomes available.

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Statement:

ENTIRE KALALAU SECTION OF THE NĀPALI COAST STATE WILDERNESS PARK NOW CLOSED

Testing of Water, Soil, and the Environment Underway

The DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP), in consultation with the Hawai‘i Dept. of Health (DOH), has elected to close the entire Kalalau Trail section, from Kē‘ē to Honopu in the Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park. DLNR and DOH are closely coordinating the situation in Kalalau and taking appropriate action to ensure public health and safety.

The highly contagious norovirus has been identified as the cause of illness to dozens of backpackers along the trail. This viral illness typically causes copious vomiting, often accompanied by fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.

The closure is effective immediately and DOH is recommending closure at least until Sept. 19. All comfort stations along the trail are being cleaned and disinfected. Ha‘ena State Park and Kē‘ē Beach will remain open with enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the comfort station there.

Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) will travel to Kalalau, Hanakoa, and Hanakāpīʻai this weekend to direct any remaining permitted and unpermitted hikers and campers to leave the area. The Kalalau Trailhead at Kē‘ē will be manned by law enforcement 24/7 to prevent entrance onto the trail.

DOH has received reports of illness from at least 37 people who were hiking the Kalalau Trail and camping at a state campsite at Kalalau beach, though the actual number of affected people is estimated to be higher. A DOH team is at Kalalau today collecting water, soil, and environmental swabs to assess ongoing risk of transmission from contaminated surfaces or water.

Norovirus was detected in multiple samples from people who didn’t directly interact with each other.

Beginning with the initial closure Wednesday morning and again yesterday, DOCARE officers flew into Kalalau to tell campers they needed to leave. Officer Christian “Kana‘i” Gayagas said he and a fellow officer approached about 40 campers at Kalalau. They cited two, who did not have the required permit to hike beyond Hanakāpīʻai.

Advertisement

Forrest Liss of Kaua‘i backpacked to Kalalau on Tuesday, prior to the park closure. He said he’d heard about some sort of illness on social media and spoke while cleaning camp, preparing to hike out. He said by the time he and his party reached camp most everyone who was sick had already left. He added, “We figure camping, people get sick. Maybe they drank the water. People get sick but when they start going through the protocols of shutting down the park, actually this is something a little more serious.”

Norovirus has impacted at least three other popular trails in the U.S. in recent years.

The National Park Service Office of Public Health has received increasing reports of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses among hikers and other individuals along the Appalachian Trail in areas of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Norovirus is suspected as the cause of illness and has been confirmed diagnostically in at least some of the cases. The impact of norovirus in other areas and states along the Appalachian Trail is possible due to virus transmissibility and challenges to hand hygiene and sanitation along the trail.

According to media reports, dozens of people visiting Havasu Falls in Arizona got ill and were flown out for medical treatment in June. Norovirus was confirmed as the cause of sickness in some cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2022, the largest outbreak of acute gastroenteritis documented in the Grand Canyon National Park backcountry occurred. At least 222 rafters and backpackers became infected, probably with norovirus. Also, in 2022 and again this past April, hikers on the Pacific Coast Trail also reported getting sick.

Coincidentally, Thursday had been scheduled as a regular DSP maintenance day at Kalalau. In addition to the DOCARE officers, three state parks workers collected and bagged rubbish to be helicoptered out of the valley. They did two “sling loads,” which is dramatically different from a decade ago when it was common for helicopters to lift dozens of 600-pound sling loads of trash out of Kalalau.

Advertisement

In addition to that work and replacing missing signs, they employed DOH recommendations when cleaning the camp’s comfort station. Derrick Louis of DSP said, “We swept the floor and bleached the whole bathroom, floors, railings, toilets, everything. Waited at least 7 to10 minutes, cleaned everything and did it again and then we wiped everything down with a disinfectant.”

Despite the current closure, Kalalau Valley has a long history of harboring squatters who are often hidden in the thick forest of the valley making them undetectable.

Commercial and recreational boaters should not drop people off to swim, paddle, or kayak to Kalalau beach. It is imperative to keep humans out based on the DOH protocols. People can be cited or arrested during the closure, and once Kalalau reopens if they are present without a required state permit.

More From Unofficial Networks

Unofficial Networks Newsletter

Get the latest snow and mountain lifestyle news and entertainment delivered to your inbox.