D Bizier

D Bizier

Crouching Lion Trail

07/30/19

This was a great hike but the directions are not to the real trail head of Crouching Lion- this’d the Kahekili-Manamana Loop. Yes, you can get to Crouching Lion from here but it wasn’t originally the shortest or advisable route. Spoke to the local who owns the house at the trail head and he laughed about how many hikers he meets who think they are in the right place. The official trailhead is just around the next bend and only .4 miles but it’s closed, and for good reason, as these days most sections of the short hike are too slick to be passable. So if you want to get up there, it’s Kehekili- Manamana for you :) Anyway, you can still get to Crouching Lion from the end and the payoff is worth it. Pro-Tip don’t do this hike with younger children. You’ll just be asking to give yourself a heart attack when they get a little scared on some of the knife edge ridges. Other than that, wear shoes with some great traction. Don’t do this in trainers or sneakers. And if it’s been raining, wait and go when it’s dry. The views are amazing but it’s not worth your life- and I’m not a timid homer either, having done all three peaks of Olomana twice. Remember that weather on the windward side can change really quickly so if you see those clouds rolling in, beware you might get some moisture faster than you think, which can make the trail get slippery fast. Totally worth the time, just go slowly and enjoy the view.

5.0