Polipoli

Posted on February 25, 2024

2/25/99: After a morning walk, dad and I went golfing again. And, he beat me again. I really enjoy this sport though. You really are playing against yourself. You have to really focus on basics constantly in order to play well. It’s not about beating the other guy as much as it is about being consistent and disciplined…

2/25/24: *During our 1999 stay with Dad & Mom at the end of our round-the-world trip, we did not take many photos. So, I am posting photos and stories from some of our other trips to Maui over the years.

Another favorite upcountry spot is Polipoli. Higher up (6,400 ft elevation) and with steeper trails, but still manageable to most hikers. A 4-wheel drive vehicle required to get there safely though. The area has a forest full of redwoods, cypress and other trees, as well as the occasional wild fruit or berry. Occasionally the lei of clouds comes in and turns the trails into a chiaroscuro dreamscape of mist and shadows through and under the towering trees. Along with the shifting shades of shadow, the mist shrouds the area in sonorous silence.

NOTE: The photo above, from our 2008 trip to Maui, shows us about to hike down the Boundary Trail in Polipoli. There had been a fire a few years before, so the spot looks pretty bare in this photo.

 

Here is a photo of the same trail head that I took during our 2023 trip to Maui. As you can see, the burned out area of the forest had grown back nicely.
During our 2010 trip to Maui we hiked through parts of the burned out forest where the trees had been denuded but not fully destroyed.
When we visited in 2022, many of the trails in Polipoli were closed off due to bad conditions due to weather, such as washed-out roads and trails. But we were still able to access parts of the area.
Occasionally we stumble across wild berries along the trails of Polipoli. They are not abundant, but they are delicious. (2023)
When the lei of clouds rolls in, the forest of Polipoli takes on a whole different kind of beauty. (2022)
When the lei of clouds rolls in, the forest of Polipoli takes on a whole different kind of beauty. (2022)