Hiking and Service on Oahu, Hawaii
Sierra Club Outings Trip | Lodge, Service/Volunteer
Highlights
Includes
Overview
The Trip
Why not start your summer off with an exciting outing to the island of O’ahu, The Gathering Place? This is a great chance to travel to Hawai’i –- with a difference: to combine service work with an enjoyment of places far removed in spirit from the popular tourist areas. Hawai’i has more endangered species than any other state in the country so this is the perfect place for a Sierra Club Outing. This trip is designed for individuals of all ages who can hike moderate distances and are able to work for several hours in a wooded, densely forested upland nature conservancy
The Trip
Why not start your summer off with an exciting outing to the island of O’ahu, The Gathering Place? This is a great chance to travel to Hawai’i –- with a difference: to combine service work with an enjoyment of places far removed in spirit from the popular tourist areas. Hawai’i has more endangered species than any other state in the country so this is the perfect place for a Sierra Club Outing. This trip is designed for individuals of all ages who can hike moderate distances and are able to work for several hours in a wooded, densely forested upland nature conservancy.
Activities include exploring the windward or northeastern shore of O’ahu, hiking to a hidden waterfall, snorkeling at a coral reef with tropical fish, and helping eradicate exotic plants and restore native species. Our comfortable accommodations will be at a seaside condominium with a menu featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. All travel on the island will be provided. Air travel to and from Hawai’i is your responsibility. There will be time to pursue other activities such as visiting a Tropical Botanical Garden, swimming at protected, sandy beaches, and hiking to a Natural Area Reserve that is home to the Hawaiian monk seal and seabirds such as the albatross and shearwater. As a “keiki o ka aina," born and raised on O'ahu, your leader will share her knowledge and love of this special island.
There are several hiking trails on the windward side of the island of Oahu. On these moderately strenuous walking excursions we will see many native trees, such as the kukui (or candlenut) and the ohi’a lehua. When we visit some of these forests we hope to hear the birdcalls and whistling of the Shama and uguisu, or bush-warbler.
The Project
Our conservation project will be in Waikane’s O’hulehule Forest Conservancy, which is undergoing re-forestation -- removing exotic or invasive species like the octopus tree and strawberry guava, and planting the papala’au fern, ilima, and mountain naupaka plants. We will hike to the work sites, which can be on steep slopes and open ridges, and plant native species or weed the introduced species. Trip participants will need to have suitable hiking boots and their own work gloves, but all other tools will be supplied. Transportation to and from the work site will be in four-wheel drive vehicles.
Itinerary
You will be met at the Honolulu International Airport on the Island of O’ahu around noon on the first day of the trip and be driven to our condominiums near Waikane Valley, where we will be housed for the week. The condominiums are fully furnished and comfortable and there is a beach not far from our rooms. In the afternoons, after the service work, you will have time for a swim or relax on the lanai. One day the group will be visiting a Tropical Botanical Garden and hiking to a hidden waterfall. A drive to a Natural Area Reserve is also scheduled, where we will watch for the Hawaiian monk seal and native seabirds. On the last evening of the trip, we will eat out at one of the local restaurants. On the last morning of the trip, you will be transported back to the airport in Honolulu. It is suggested that you schedule your departing flight for no earlier than 11 a.m. Additional in
You will be met at the Honolulu International Airport on the Island of O’ahu around noon on the first day of the trip and be driven to our condominiums near Waikane Valley, where we will be housed for the week. The condominiums are fully furnished and comfortable and there is a beach not far from our rooms. In the afternoons, after the service work, you will have time for a swim or relax on the lanai. One day the group will be visiting a Tropical Botanical Garden and hiking to a hidden waterfall. A drive to a Natural Area Reserve is also scheduled, where we will watch for the Hawaiian monk seal and native seabirds. On the last evening of the trip, we will eat out at one of the local restaurants. On the last morning of the trip, you will be transported back to the airport in Honolulu. It is suggested that you schedule your departing flight for no earlier than 11 a.m. Additional information will be available from the leader after registration.
Logistics
Getting There
The trip begins on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at noon and ends on Saturday, June 18, 2016 with departures for the airport after breakfast. Air travel to and from the Honolulu International Airport on O’ahu will be your responsibility. Please do not make any travel plans until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.
Accommodations and Food
All lodging on the trip is included in the cost of the trip. You will not need tents or sleeping bags; we will be staying in a furnished condominium about 45 minutes from the Honolulu International Airport. There will be several group members assigned to each condo unit, with two participants sharing each bedroom. Participants will be picked up at the airport and transported to our lodging. Transportation will be provided using rental cars or jeeps, which are included in the trip cost. Trip leaders will be d
Getting There
The trip begins on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at noon and ends on Saturday, June 18, 2016 with departures for the airport after breakfast. Air travel to and from the Honolulu International Airport on O’ahu will be your responsibility. Please do not make any travel plans until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.
Accommodations and Food
All lodging on the trip is included in the cost of the trip. You will not need tents or sleeping bags; we will be staying in a furnished condominium about 45 minutes from the Honolulu International Airport. There will be several group members assigned to each condo unit, with two participants sharing each bedroom. Participants will be picked up at the airport and transported to our lodging. Transportation will be provided using rental cars or jeeps, which are included in the trip cost. Trip leaders will be doing all the driving during the trip.
With the exception of one dinner, all meals will be provided from dinner on the evening of our arrival to breakfast on the morning of our departure. On the last night of the trip, dinner will be eaten out at a local restaurant. We will feature local foods, especially fruits and vegetables, and Hawaiian recipes. Everyone will take a turn helping to prepare, serve, and clean up after meals and a schedule will be worked out at the beginning of the trip so that you can plan your activities accordingly.
Lunch and dinners will be eaten as a group. Supplies to make lunches will be put out after breakfast each day so everyone can prepare his or her own lunch to take with them on the day’s activities. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated on this trip, but those with other special dietary needs should discuss them with the leader prior to signing up for the trip. It may not be possible to work special diets into the needs of the group, and it will be impossible to adjust meals once the trip has started.
Trip Difficulty
A Sierra Club Outing is not the run-of-the-mill tourist holiday. This trip requires physical labor involving weeding, digging, and planting. There will be bending, stretching, and pulling involved -- all at your own pace. You should be able to hike up and down a moderate-to-steep incline on a dirt road with an uneven surface. We will travel by jeeps or cars, which offers flexibility in day-to-day planning, but which also requires that participants be accommodating to the needs of the group. In addition to the service component of the trip, a variety of day hikes and activities will be available, ranging from moderate to strenuous, with the goal of visiting special places that most visitors do not see.
Equipment and Clothing
Don’t forget binoculars for viewing birds or marine life, a camera, and equipment to enjoy the beaches. Snorkel equipment can be rented on the island, or bring your own.
Casual, comfortable clothes are a must: most people find shorts and T-shirts to be the standard for dress in Hawai’i. For our workdays, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, a sun hat, and work gloves are necessary. Rain is very likely, especially in the mountain forests, so a waterproof jacket or poncho is recommended. Sandals or Tevas are appropriate for the beaches and tennis shoes will suffice for all other locations. Good hiking boots are recommended for hiking and for the service work. Hawaiian trails are not always up to the standards found on the mainland; they will be rough and muddy, especially after a rain shower. For snorkeling, water shoes could be used to protect your feet from sharp coral.
The tropical sun can quickly cause sunburns, so bring sunscreen and sunglasses. You must carry your own drinks on hikes, so a water bottle is a must. You should also bring along Band-Aids, Moleskin, aspirin, and any other personal medication.
Please limit your luggage to one suitcase or duffel bag per person. Remember that we will be trying to fit everyone and his or her gear into cars. In addition, a small daypack may be useful on the hikes and during day outings. A more complete equipment list will be sent to participants.
References
There are many Hawaiian travel guides in bookstores or online, some specific to O’ahu. If you have the time to pick up Gavan Daws’ Shoal of Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands (which discusses Hawaiian history before and since the missionary’s arrival in the islands), you will getter a better appreciation for the changes to Hawai’i. Alan Brennert’s Honolulu is another good introduction to the city. Your leader will bring several reference books on birds, fish, and hikes to share with the group. If you have time on the island before or after our trip, the Bishop Museum in Honolulu is an excellent source of information on the flora and fauna of Hawai’i and on the Hawaiian culture, including the music, the language, and the hula.
Conservation
Hawai’i faces many unique challenges to preserving its endemic species, development not least among them. We will have an opportunity to learn more about these challenges during our work project. Hawai’i contains some particularly environmentally sensitive areas. With local guidance, we expect to enter and experience some of these areas. It is incumbent upon trip members that they respect these areas and conduct themselves appropriately within or near them. Additionally, most goods and products must be brought to Hawai’i by boat from the mainland or overseas, and the state has a limited ability to deal with landfill waste. For this reason, please plan to “pack out” any packaging or other garbage from items you bring from home.
The Sierra Club is primarily a wilderness conservation organization. As members, we try to maintain or improve the areas we visit. We will follow established sanitary practices and observe safety regulations. Our top most concern is for your safety and welfare.
Staff
Important Notes
- Carbon Offsets
- Carpooling
- Electronic Billing and Forms
- Electronic Devices
- Equipment
- Essential Eligibility Criteria
- How to Apply for a Trip
- Leader Gratuities
- Medical Issues
- Non-discrimination Statement
- Participant Agreement
- Seller of Travel Disclosure
- Single Supplements
- Terms and Conditions
- Travel Insurance
- Trip Feedback
- Trip Price
- Wilderness Manners