Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club Newsletter October

Along the Trail
The Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club Newsletter
July - August - September 1998

SAVE THE HAIKU STAIRS! The City Council is currently debating the annual budget, which includes an appropriation for acquiring the Haiku Stairs from the Coast Guard. A group of volunteers called Friends of the Haiku Stairs has been formed to insure that this valuable hiking and scenic asset is not lost to ourselves and future generations of hikers and visitors. Reproduced below is a recent posting which appeared on the OHE Listserv that explains the organization and its history. [For information about the listserv, see the Oct-Dec 1977 issue of the newsletter].
*****
The Friends of Haiku Stairs is a nonprofit organization begun back in '87 when the Stairs were first closed to the public. We got a lot of public support and publicity in an attempt to help expedite the transfer of the Stairs area to some nonCoast Guard entity in order to relieve the CG from responsibility and to reopen the Stairs to the public.

The construction of the H3 made our position moot for a time, since there could be no legitimate access during construction. So we pulled the covers over our heads and laid low. I'll soon (within a couple of weeks, I hope) have a Haiku Stairs page on my web site, with pictures, history, etc. I'll let you know when it's ready.

Now that the CG and the City are negotiation a transfer of the property, wealong with the Koolau Foundation, a group interested in the preservation of Haiku Valley where the Omega Station used to beare cooperating with the City in a careful and diplomatic attempt to smooth the way through evidently precarious legal complications regarding respective obligations, responsibilities, and legal liabilities falling to the City, the CG, and whatever management organization obtains.

There are many twists and turns that are too complex to explain in a short message; come to our meetings to get up to speed on the current situation [Wednesday evenings at 6 PM, Murphy's Bar & Grill, 2 Merchant Street].

Like most things that involve politicians and lawyers, it is not something that can be solved simply, and efforts to thwart the system are likely to have negative results. If hikers get behind us and contribute to a good feeling between all parties, more good would be served, even if the gratification must be delayed.

We need letters/faxes/emails to City Council members supporting the preservation of Haiku Stairs and Haiku Valley. The money proposed in the City budget will help facilitate the City's receiving the title from the Coast Guard. The budget became a matter of personal dispute among City Councilmembers yesterday (see Honolulu Advertiser 4/30 page B 1 ("Council chairman scolds...").

The Stairs and Haiku Valley have not been in the news much recently, so we need to be sure they know that there is a large number of people for whom preservation of the Stairs is a high priority. Letters, faxes, or email are all more valuable than phone calls. But both would be helpful if you have time.

John M. Flanigan [email: johnf@hawaii.edu]

[The following is a letter sent by John Flanigan to members of the City Council. If you would like to let your council representative know that you support preservation of the Haiku Stairs, John suggests that you use your own words, so that it does not appear that it is a "boilerplate" message. Also, he suggests a positive approach, stressing the value of the stairs as an outdoor asset, and avoiding negative or confrontational statements. More flys are caught with honey....as the saying goes.]

Dear Councilmember

The acquisition of the Haiku Stairs by the City is a project that is very popular with the citizens of Oahu. Thousands of people per year climbed the Stairs during the years that it was available for hiking. The Friends of Haiku Stairs has a list of hundreds of people who have, since it was closed, signed petitions and contributed money to help in our efforts to effect its reopening.
We have been in contact with community leaders, legislators, members of the Marine Corps, local outdoororiented organizations: There is unanimous support for the City and the Coast Guard to follow through with their plans for the acquisition by the City, the repair, and the reopening of this important hiking trail and landmark. We encourage you to support wholeheartedly this very popular endeavor.

I would be honored if you would visit my web site to see a short history of the Haiku Stairs and of the Friends of Haiku Stairs.

John M. Flanigan, President
The Friends of Haiku Stairs
johnf@hawaii.edu
http://camelot.kcc.hawaii.edu/jflanigan/

Listed below are the addressses, phone numbers and email of the Honolulu City Council members. All council members have the same mailing address:

Honolulu Hale
530 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

District 1
Rene Mansho
TEL: 5477001
FAX: 5234220
rmansho@gold.chem.hawaii.edu

District 2
Steve Holmes
TEL: 5477002
FAX: 5234220
holmes@co.honolulu.hi.us

District 3
John Henry Felix
TEL: 5477003
FAX: 5234220
felix@pixi.com

District 4
Duke Bainum
TEL: 5477004
FAX: 5234220
bainum@pixi.com

District 5
Andy Mirikitani
TEL: 5477005
FAX: 5234220
andym@aloha.net

District 6
Jon Yoshimura
TEL: 5477006
FAX: 5234220
yoshimura@co.honolulu.hi.us

District 7
Donna Mercado Kim
TEL: 5477007
FAX: 5234220
dmk@co.honolulu.hi.us

District 8
Mufi Hannemann
TEL: 5477008
FAX: 5234220
mufih@pixi.com

District 9
John DeSoto
TEL: 5477009
FAX: 5234220 desoto@co.honolulu.hi.us
[A FINAL NOTE - It is obvious from postings on the OHE listserv that some people are climbing the Haiku Stairs, trespassing on the Coast Guard installation to do so. It would be far better to avoid such illegal actions during this critical period of negotiation between the city and the Coast Guard, and show our support for transfer of the Stairs, so that we all can LEGALLY use them.]

CHANGES AT THE HELM
Joyce Tomlinson

New Director: At the annual meeting, Patrick Rorie was elected to the Board of Directors, replacing Robert Durick, wh served a three-year term. Alsl, John Hoover was re-elected to the board.
New Officers: Jay Feldman has agreed to be our Recording Secretary, replacing Guy Archer, who served for several years. Patrrick Roriew will provide the Corresponding Secretary functions, since Doug Klein retired from the job after ten years of dedicated service.
New Committee Chairs: Clubhouse Chair will be Pat Rorie. Membership Chair is now Dayle Turner, taking over from Doug Klein. Our new Property Management Chair is Alex Broadfoot.
Remaining in Place: Grant Oka continues as President and Joyce Tomlinson as Vice President of the club. John Hoover continues as Treasurer, and Marcia Stone as Accountant. Other continuing board members are Stuart Ball, John Hall, and Wilfred Kawano. For a complete listing, refer to the new Club Directory.

NEIGHBOR ISLAND NOTES
Richard McMahon

Na Pali Coast campground closure. The Division of State Parks has closed Hanakoa to camping until further notice. Citing sanitation problems, a park's department official informed me that camping at the popular spot about halfway to Kalalau on the Na Pali Coast Trail will be prohibited indefinitely.
Those who have hiked the trail are well aware of the eyesore created at the abandoned shack on the mauka side of the trail entering the valley, where garbage left by hikers and goat entrails and skins left by hunters assault the nostrils as well as the eyes. Added to this, is the lack of toilet facilities, which has heretofore required campers to bury personal wastes. Apparently, they have not been doing too good a job, as park officials are concerned about pollution of the stream.
While the concerns of park personnel are justified, it would be unfortunate if the closure were allowed to continue without a resolution of the problem. Not only is Hanakoa a welcome overnight stop on the rugged 11-mile trail to Kalalau Valley, it is the gateway to beautiful Hanakoa Falls, reached by a separate trail, which begins a short distance after crossing Hanakoa Stream.
One solution might be to tear down the remains of the shack, and replace it with a composting toilet, similar to the ones at Kalalau Beach, thus eliminating two problems at once. I am writing to the Division of Parks to recommend this course of action. If any HTMC members have other suggestions, or would like to support this one, please add your voice.

CLUBHOUSE WISH LIST
Alex Broadfoot

The clubhouse needs the folowing items; your donation of a new or used item would be appreciated.

Fans - table, window, attic and pedestal floor types
Garbage cans
Used lumber - especially treated 2x4s and plywood
Electrical wire
Louver windows, glass and mechanism
Paint - call for details
Electric chain saw
Extension ladder
Stackable plastic resin chairs
Twin bed

If you can help us find any of these items, please call me at 945-3973.
Our thanks to the following for their recent donations of items too numerous to mention: Donna Davis-Brown, Albert Olayvar, Grant Oka, Jay Feldman, John Hall, Dick Booth, Jim Yuen, John Hoover, and Marcia Stone. Thanks also to Mabel Kekina for providing transportation.

PROGRAMS WANTED
Joyce Tomlinson

The best way to us our clubhouse is the monthly slide show program. These programs only occur when SOMEONE is willing to put on a program. This is where YOU come in. If you have:
Ideas for programs,
Slides to show [particularly of outdoor adventures],
Trail tales to tell,
If you know people who can share, or,
You would like to set up a program, let me know.

This is a chance to showcase the clubhouse to visitors, members, and potential members alike. Please call me at 674-1459 with your inspirations.

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS HTMC members and any other interested parties are welcome to submit articles to ALONG THE TRAIL, the HTMC Newsletter. Submissions may be sent in any of the following ways (E-Mail preferred):

E-Mail : KPHC66A@prodigy.com
Diskette : MS/DOS [3.5" or 5.25"]
FAX : 293-2603
Phone : 293-2554
Mail :
Richard McMahon
57-531 Kamehameha Hwy
Kahuku, HI 96731-2128

Don't forget to bookmark the HTMC Web Page - http://www.onesky.com/htmc

The Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club
P.O. Box 2238
Honolulu, HI 96804

Comments may be sent to HTMC Newsletter Editor

This free home page is hosted by www.geocities.com

SAVE THE HAIKU STAIRS!	The City Council is currently debating the annual budget, which includes an appropriation for acquiring the Haiku Stairs from the Coast Guard. A group of volunteers called Friends of the Haiku Stairs has been formed to insure that this valuable hiking and scenic asset is not lost to ourselves and future generations of hikers and visitors. Reproduced below is a recent posting which appeared on the OHE Listserv that explains the organization and its history. [For information about the listserv, see the Oct-Dec 1977 issue of the newsletter]. ***** The Friends of Haiku Stairs is a nonprofit organization begun back in '87 when the Stairs were first closed to the public. We got a lot of public support and publicity in an attempt to help expedite the transfer of the Stairs area to some nonCoast Guard entity in order to relieve the CG from responsibility and to reopen the Stairs to the public. The construction of the H3 made our position moot for a time, since there could be no legitimate access during construction. So we pulled the covers over our heads and laid low. I'll soon (within a couple of weeks, I hope) have a Haiku Stairs page on my web site, with pictures, history, etc. I'll let you know when it's ready. Now that the CG and the City are negotiation a transfer of the property, wealong with the Koolau Foundation, a group interested in the preservation of Haiku Valley where the Omega Station used to beare cooperating with the City in a careful and diplomatic attempt to smooth the way through evidently precarious legal complications regarding respective obligations, responsibilities, and legal liabilities falling to the City, the CG, and whatever management organization obtains. There are many twists and turns that are too complex to explain in a short message; come to our meetings to get up to speed on the current situation [Wednesday evenings at 6 PM, Murphy's Bar & Grill, 2 Merchant Street]. Like most things that involve politicians and lawyers, it is not something that can be solved simply, and efforts to thwart the system are likely to have negative results. If hikers get behind us and contribute to a good feeling between all parties, more good would be served, even if the gratification must be delayed. We need letters/faxes/emails to City Council members supporting the preservation of Haiku Stairs and Haiku Valley. The money proposed in the City budget will help facilitate the City's receiving the title from the Coast Guard. The budget became a matter of personal dispute among City Councilmembers yesterday (see Honolulu Advertiser 4/30 page B 1 ("Council chairman scolds..."). The Stairs and Haiku Valley have not been in the news much recently, so we need to be sure they know that there is a large number of people for whom preservation of the Stairs is a high priority. Letters, faxes, or email are all more valuable than phone calls. But both would be helpful if you have time. John M. Flanigan [email: johnf@hawaii.edu] [The following is a letter sent by John Flanigan to members of the City Council. If you would like to let your council representative know that you support preservation of the Haiku Stairs, John suggests that you use your own words, so that it does not appear that it is a "boilerplate" message. Also, he suggests a positive approach, stressing the value of the stairs as an outdoor asset, and avoiding negative or confrontational statements. More flys are caught with honey....as the saying goes.] Dear Councilmember The acquisition of the Haiku Stairs by the City is a project that is very popular with the citizens of Oahu. Thousands of people per year climbed the Stairs during the years that it was available for hiking. The Friends of Haiku Stairs has a list of hundreds of people who have, since it was closed, signed petitions and contributed money to help in our efforts to effect its reopening. We have been in contact with community leaders, legislators, members of the Marine Corps, local outdoororiented organizations: There is unanimous support for the City and the Coast Guard to follow through with their plans for the acquisition by the City, the repair, and the reopening of this important hiking trail and landmark. We encourage you to support wholeheartedly this very popular endeavor. I would be honored if you would visit my web site to see a short history of the Haiku Stairs and of the Friends of Haiku Stairs. John M. Flanigan, President The Friends of Haiku Stairs johnf@hawaii.edu http://camelot.kcc.hawaii.edu/jflanigan/ Listed below are the addressses, phone numbers and email of the Honolulu City Council members. All council members have the same mailing address: Honolulu Hale 530 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96813 District 1 Rene Mansho TEL: 5477001 FAX: 5234220 rmansho@gold.chem.hawaii.edu District 2 Steve Holmes TEL: 5477002 FAX: 5234220 holmes@co.honolulu.hi.us District 3 John Henry Felix TEL: 5477003 FAX: 5234220 felix@pixi.com District 4 Duke Bainum TEL: 5477004 FAX: 5234220 bainum@pixi.com District 5 Andy Mirikitani TEL: 5477005 FAX: 5234220 andym@aloha.net District 6 Jon Yoshimura TEL: 5477006 FAX: 5234220 yoshimura@co.honolulu.hi.us District 7 Donna Mercado Kim TEL: 5477007 FAX: 5234220 dmk@co.honolulu.hi.us District 8 Mufi Hannemann TEL: 5477008 FAX: 5234220 mufih@pixi.com District 9 John DeSoto TEL: 5477009 FAX: 5234220 desoto@co.honolulu.hi.us [A FINAL NOTE - It is obvious from postings on the OHE listserv that some people are climbing the Haiku Stairs, trespassing on the Coast Guard installation to do so. It would be far better to avoid such illegal actions during this critical period of negotiation between the city and the Coast Guard, and show our support for transfer of the Stairs, so that we all can LEGALLY use them.]
CHANGES AT THE HELM Joyce Tomlinson	New Director: At the annual meeting, Patrick Rorie was elected to the Board of Directors, replacing Robert Durick, wh served a three-year term. Alsl, John Hoover was re-elected to the board. New Officers: Jay Feldman has agreed to be our Recording Secretary, replacing Guy Archer, who served for several years. Patrrick Roriew will provide the Corresponding Secretary functions, since Doug Klein retired from the job after ten years of dedicated service. New Committee Chairs: Clubhouse Chair will be Pat Rorie. Membership Chair is now Dayle Turner, taking over from Doug Klein. Our new Property Management Chair is Alex Broadfoot. Remaining in Place: Grant Oka continues as President and Joyce Tomlinson as Vice President of the club. John Hoover continues as Treasurer, and Marcia Stone as Accountant. Other continuing board members are Stuart Ball, John Hall, and Wilfred Kawano. For a complete listing, refer to the new Club Directory.
NEIGHBOR ISLAND NOTES Richard McMahon	Na Pali Coast campground closure. The Division of State Parks has closed Hanakoa to camping until further notice. Citing sanitation problems, a park's department official informed me that camping at the popular spot about halfway to Kalalau on the Na Pali Coast Trail will be prohibited indefinitely. Those who have hiked the trail are well aware of the eyesore created at the abandoned shack on the mauka side of the trail entering the valley, where garbage left by hikers and goat entrails and skins left by hunters assault the nostrils as well as the eyes. Added to this, is the lack of toilet facilities, which has heretofore required campers to bury personal wastes. Apparently, they have not been doing too good a job, as park officials are concerned about pollution of the stream. While the concerns of park personnel are justified, it would be unfortunate if the closure were allowed to continue without a resolution of the problem. Not only is Hanakoa a welcome overnight stop on the rugged 11-mile trail to Kalalau Valley, it is the gateway to beautiful Hanakoa Falls, reached by a separate trail, which begins a short distance after crossing Hanakoa Stream. One solution might be to tear down the remains of the shack, and replace it with a composting toilet, similar to the ones at Kalalau Beach, thus eliminating two problems at once. I am writing to the Division of Parks to recommend this course of action. If any HTMC members have other suggestions, or would like to support this one, please add your voice.
CLUBHOUSE WISH LIST Alex Broadfoot	The clubhouse needs the folowing items; your donation of a new or used item would be appreciated. Fans - table, window, attic and pedestal floor types Garbage cans Used lumber - especially treated 2x4s and plywood Electrical wire Louver windows, glass and mechanism Paint - call for details Electric chain saw Extension ladder Stackable plastic resin chairs Twin bed If you can help us find any of these items, please call me at 945-3973. Our thanks to the following for their recent donations of items too numerous to mention: Donna Davis-Brown, Albert Olayvar, Grant Oka, Jay Feldman, John Hall, Dick Booth, Jim Yuen, John Hoover, and Marcia Stone. Thanks also to Mabel Kekina for providing transportation.
PROGRAMS WANTED Joyce Tomlinson	The best way to us our clubhouse is the monthly slide show program. These programs only occur when SOMEONE is willing to put on a program. This is where YOU come in. If you have: Ideas for programs, Slides to show [particularly of outdoor adventures], Trail tales to tell, If you know people who can share, or, You would like to set up a program, let me know. This is a chance to showcase the clubhouse to visitors, members, and potential members alike. Please call me at 674-1459 with your inspirations.