Koko Head
Jeremi Pasamonte
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to hike one of Hawaii’s most popular hiking attractions, Koko Head, originally known as Kohelepelepe meaning “labia minor.” The story goes that the crater was formed when Kapo, the sister of Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele, threw her “flying vagina” to Koko Head in order to distract Kamapua’a, the pig god, from raping Pele. By throwing her vagina to Koko Head, it led to the making of the crater. With about 1,048 steps and an elevation about 1,200 feet, Koko Head is no simple task. Firstly, you must walk from the parking lot to the actual hiking stairs itself! This journey alone takes about 10-15 minutes. However, it is a great introduction of what is next to come. As you journey to the stairs, you are surrounded by beautiful trees and green galore. Because you are in Hawaii, you are also almost guaranteed a sunny day with a beautiful cool breeze. The sky above is a radiant blue, the sun is warming on your skin, and you smell the fresh air that is indescribable.
As you leave this phase of your hike, you are then met with astonishment. As you gaze and meet eye to eye with the crater, you then begin to understand that it really won’t be an easy task. The crater looks down at you like a giraffe would to an ant. When you look closer, you also see that the stairs are not your typical stairs. Rather, it represents that of a train trail! It is simply two long vertical rails on both ends going all the way to the top with slim horizontal wooden boards placed underneath it. To your surprise, the boards’ placements are also not equal at all. The gaps between each board vary. To make matters more frightening, a large portion of the trail’s stair boards are not touching the ground. Rather, they are hovering a good two feet above the crater’s surface. With that, you can find yourself falling in between the gaps and potentially being stuck if you miscalculate your steps!
Despite these challenges, you tell yourself “let’s do this!” and begin the hike. At first, it seems very easy. During my experience, it was a simple one leg after the other. However, I quickly realized that your hamstrings, quads, and calves will begin to take a toll. With each step, your legs are working to propel your body forward along a steep incline. Nevertheless, you continue to go one leg after another. At the halfway mark, you will definitely feel the hike’s effect on your body. At this point, you also grow more cautious with your steps as the steps are now a good few feet above the crater’s surface. Thankfully, I was very cautious during this phase of the hike. Although it took longer than my previous steps, I did not want to find myself missing a step and falling between the boards! If you accomplish this phase with no difficulties, you would be thanking your shoes for its grip! With less than halfway to the top, you reach the hardest part of the hike. The incline grows steeper and your body grows more weary. In my case, I felt my lower body giving out. To make it even harder, it seemed that each step I took wasn’t making any progress. My brain was starting to control my body. My brain was telling me to stop but my body was telling me “no pain no gain!” So that’s what I did. I sucked it up and climbed all the way to the top.
Tired and broken, I put my hands on my thighs and stared at the ground to catch my breath. Wanting to see what I accomplished, I looked up and was greeted with something that can’t be described. From this moment on, I truly understood the phrase that “Hawaii is paradise.” I saw the clean, blue ocean meeting the sky in the far distance. It seemed as if the ocean would continue on forever! In my near view, I saw a great portion of Oahu. You see buildings and houses placed on the landscape. Surrounding these areas are large ridges portraying nothing but green and beauty. The smell and breeze that was once felt at sea level does not compare to what is experienced at the top. To describe it in its most-simplest terms, you smell nothing but clean. The breeze cools you down as you take in a view like no other. Despite the struggle to the top, you are proud of your accomplishment and take a picture of yourself with the ocean and land in the background. You pose with a shaka to portray that you are in the Aloha state, one of the most captivating and indescribable places in the whole world. As for myself, I stood there at the top and took in the view for many minutes. After much time of carefree and satisfaction, I knew it was time to head back home.
Like the saying, “what goes up, must come down!” And that is exactly what I did.
As you leave this phase of your hike, you are then met with astonishment. As you gaze and meet eye to eye with the crater, you then begin to understand that it really won’t be an easy task. The crater looks down at you like a giraffe would to an ant. When you look closer, you also see that the stairs are not your typical stairs. Rather, it represents that of a train trail! It is simply two long vertical rails on both ends going all the way to the top with slim horizontal wooden boards placed underneath it. To your surprise, the boards’ placements are also not equal at all. The gaps between each board vary. To make matters more frightening, a large portion of the trail’s stair boards are not touching the ground. Rather, they are hovering a good two feet above the crater’s surface. With that, you can find yourself falling in between the gaps and potentially being stuck if you miscalculate your steps!
Despite these challenges, you tell yourself “let’s do this!” and begin the hike. At first, it seems very easy. During my experience, it was a simple one leg after the other. However, I quickly realized that your hamstrings, quads, and calves will begin to take a toll. With each step, your legs are working to propel your body forward along a steep incline. Nevertheless, you continue to go one leg after another. At the halfway mark, you will definitely feel the hike’s effect on your body. At this point, you also grow more cautious with your steps as the steps are now a good few feet above the crater’s surface. Thankfully, I was very cautious during this phase of the hike. Although it took longer than my previous steps, I did not want to find myself missing a step and falling between the boards! If you accomplish this phase with no difficulties, you would be thanking your shoes for its grip! With less than halfway to the top, you reach the hardest part of the hike. The incline grows steeper and your body grows more weary. In my case, I felt my lower body giving out. To make it even harder, it seemed that each step I took wasn’t making any progress. My brain was starting to control my body. My brain was telling me to stop but my body was telling me “no pain no gain!” So that’s what I did. I sucked it up and climbed all the way to the top.
Tired and broken, I put my hands on my thighs and stared at the ground to catch my breath. Wanting to see what I accomplished, I looked up and was greeted with something that can’t be described. From this moment on, I truly understood the phrase that “Hawaii is paradise.” I saw the clean, blue ocean meeting the sky in the far distance. It seemed as if the ocean would continue on forever! In my near view, I saw a great portion of Oahu. You see buildings and houses placed on the landscape. Surrounding these areas are large ridges portraying nothing but green and beauty. The smell and breeze that was once felt at sea level does not compare to what is experienced at the top. To describe it in its most-simplest terms, you smell nothing but clean. The breeze cools you down as you take in a view like no other. Despite the struggle to the top, you are proud of your accomplishment and take a picture of yourself with the ocean and land in the background. You pose with a shaka to portray that you are in the Aloha state, one of the most captivating and indescribable places in the whole world. As for myself, I stood there at the top and took in the view for many minutes. After much time of carefree and satisfaction, I knew it was time to head back home.
Like the saying, “what goes up, must come down!” And that is exactly what I did.
Jeremi Pasamonte is a college sophomore attending New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI). He currently serves as troop commander (CPT) for Lima Troop and is the Garry Owen Squadron Commander (LTC) for NMMI’s Army ROTC program. He will be receiving both his associate’s degree and U.S. Army commission in May 2021. After NMMI, Jeremi will be furthering his education at Norwich University to receive his bachelor’s degree in business.