Kaua'i 2010: Wai'ale'ale Crater

The Wai'ale'ale mountain is the "wettest spot on earth", recieving at least 460 inches of rain per year (that's 452 more inches then we get!). The vegetation that results in the crater is amazingly lush. I've never seen anything like the Wai'ale'ale Crater.

We started this hike with no intention of hiking further than the Blue Hole-- a swimming hole fed by three streams that pour in through a georgeous split waterfall. But, when we realized that we were 1/3 of the way to the crater, we couldn't resist continueing up the creek.... even though our guidebook warned against it. "If you insist on (going further) your going beyond adventure and working your way toward crazy since it involves scaling waterfalls". I guess were a little crazy.... but in all fairness, most of the waterfalls could be avoided by just climbing up the loose, and slick wet bluffs to the sides of them.

The route consisted mostly of boulder-hoppping and creek-wading. You can see the entrance to the crater up the creek. It actually heads back as far as you can see, and then turns to the left.

The area was beautiful. We passed this crop of banana trees, and also a bamboo forest. I really wanted to climb up one of the trees and pick a bunch of bananas, but they were all too small and green.

We found some small sections of trail... but they were quite muddy.

The jungle was lush and thick and the trail was often overgrown. Sometimes we even ended up on pig trails... which are not easy to navigate.

The Blue Hole

Snack break...

Here, we were crossing a ridge, just before stepping into the crater. Notice the helicopter... this is a popular spot for hovering!

Looking straight up the lush 3000' crater wall... covered with all kinds of green foilage.

View of the back wall of the crater, often referred to as the "weeping wall". There are tons of waterfalls and it is amazing!

We did it! This is the view from behind one of those many waterfalls on the back wall of the crater. This is one of the most amazing places we have been . . . but I think we already mentioned that a few times already.

Video of the Canyon



Videos of the Waialeale Crater