GUNUNG · Amerika Serikat (Hawaii)

Koko Crater

Kohelepelepe (Puʻu Mai)

Information

Elevation: 368 m
Country: Amerika Serikat (Hawaii) (US)
Location / Range: Zona Rift Koko, tenggara Pulau Oʻahu, dekat Hawaiʻi Kai dan Teluk Hanauma
Mountain type: Kerucut tufa (tuff cone) vulkanik yang sudah punah — kerucut tufa tertinggi dan paling utuh di kawasannya, bagian dari Honolulu Volcanic Series / Zona Rift Koko
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 21.2794, -157.6836
Difficulty: Berat (untuk jarak sependek ini) — 1.048 bantalan rel kayu yang menanjak nyaris lurus ke atas dengan kemiringan sekitar 27–50°, permukaan tidak rata dan licin oleh debu, nyaris tanpa peneduh
Best Season: Sepanjang tahun; sangat disarankan berangkat subuh atau sore untuk menghindari panas terik karena jalur nyaris tanpa naungan
Permits & Rules: Tidak perlu izin. Taman dibuka dari matahari terbit hingga terbenam, gratis, dengan parkir, toilet, dan air di Koko Head District Park di kaki jalur
Hazards: Nyaris tanpa peneduh dan sangat panas (bawa air cukup dan pelindung matahari), bantalan rel kayu yang licin dan tidak rata, sebuah jembatan rel berlubang di atas jurang di sekitar pertengahan jalur yang menakutkan bagi yang takut ketinggian (ada jalur pintas semak di sampingnya), serta bagian akhir yang paling curam dengan pijakan lepas

Description

Koko Crater is a 368-metre volcanic tuff cone in the southeast of Oʻahu, Hawaii, close to Hawaiʻi Kai and Hanauma Bay. Known in Hawaiian as Kohelepelepe or Puʻu Mai, it is the tallest and most intact tuff cone in the area — part of the Koko Rift Zone that marks the youngest episode of volcanic activity on Oʻahu. Its fame as a hiking destination comes from the iconic Koko Crater Railway Trail: roughly 1,048 wooden railroad ties of an old WWII military tramway that climb almost straight up to the summit, where bunkers and a lookout post once stood. Although the distance is short (about 2.6 km return), the hike is punishing because of the steep incline, uneven ties made slippery by dust, and the near-total lack of shade. Around the midpoint a gap in a railway bridge spans a ravine — a mental challenge for those afraid of heights. The reward at the top is a 360-degree panorama: Hanauma Bay, Hawaiʻi Kai, Diamond Head, and the Honolulu skyline.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Bagian jembatan rel — pilihan menyeberang atau memutar

Berat — titik paling menegangkan

Around the midpoint there is a railway bridge with an open gap over a ravine. Hikers can either cross over the spaced ties (frightening for those afraid of heights) or take a short bypass through the bushes at the side of the bridge. This is not a separate route but a decision point on the main trail.

Source

Koko Crater Railway Trail (jalur utama, pulang-pergi)

Berat (strenuous) — tanjakan nyaris lurus, tanpa peneduh

2.60 km ±1–2 jam PP (naik 30–60 menit)

The only route to the summit of Koko Crater, following a WWII military tramway now formed of roughly 1,048 wooden railroad ties. The distance is short — about 2.6 km return with around 300 m of ascent — but climbs almost straight up at 27–50°, over uneven footing with almost no shade. Carry enough water and start at dawn or late afternoon to beat the heat.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Experiences on Koko Crater center on one theme: a short but brutal climb. Hikers and guide writers describe the challenge of ascending 1,048 wooden railroad ties that go almost straight up with no shade under the Hawaiian sun — many compare it to relentless stadium stairs. Other recurring themes are the gap in the railway bridge over a ravine midway that tests nerves, the value of starting at dawn to beat the heat and catch sunrise, and the reward of a 360-degree summit panorama over Hanauma Bay, Hawaiʻi Kai, and the Honolulu skyline.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.