• Trust will preserve its lands • KPAA anxious to do trail work • Kaua‘i lucky to have Summers • Charges should be absolved Trust will preserve its lands Juan Wilson’s letter regarding archaeological sites in the Po‘ipu area contains
• Trust will preserve its lands
• KPAA anxious to do trail work
• Kaua‘i lucky to have Summers
• Charges should be absolved
Trust will preserve its lands
Juan Wilson’s letter regarding archaeological sites in the Po‘ipu area contains a number of inaccuracies that I would like to correct (“Deny the Knudsen Trust,” Letters, Nov. 20).
The Knudsen family has owned much of the Koloa/Po‘ipu area since 1872 and has taken great pride in their stewardship of their lands over those many years.
It was not a “fluke of history” or “neglect” that many archaeological sites on their lands remain intact. It was the Knudsens themselves that cared deeply enough to preserve these sites.
Since the late 1970s, all of these sites have received archaeological assessments, inventory surveys, data recovery plans and/or preservation plans and have received full approvals by the Hawai‘i State Historic Preservation Division, the regulatory agency having jurisdiction in these matters.
While the Knudsen Trust does plan to construct homesites over a 25-year period as allowed by its current zoning, all preservation sites will be protected during construction and thereafter be incorporated in its current state, into an extensive passive park system to showcase these sites and make them accessible to the general public.
• Stacey Wong, Trustee, Eric Knudsen Trust
KPAA anxious to do trail work
The two-part series on the Na Pali Coast Trail (The Garden Island, Nov. 19 and Nov. 21) highlights some of the serious problems on the trail, including erosion and degradation by feral animals and invasive species.
Clearly, action is needed. DLNR has not given regularly scheduled trail maintenance a high priority, due they say, to budget limitations.
While I appreciate the hard work and volunteer spirit of Mr. Summers, there are a couple of points important for the public to know.
The Na Pali Coast Trail is in an SMA area and, according to Wayne Souza of Kaua‘i’s State Parks office, some areas of the trail are in archeologically and environmentally sensitive areas. Excavation of the hillside to widen the trail and most other trail work requires appropriate assessments and permits.
In other parts of the island we expect — and demand — that required permits be secured. Should the Na Pali Coast Trail be an exception?
The Nov. 19 article mentions a capital improvements project grant-in-aid to Kaua‘i Planning & Action Alliance. About six months ago the governor approved the release of $1.225 million (not $2 million) for KPAA to make improvements to the first two miles of the Na Pali Coast Trail and to work with Hui O Laka on the CCC camp in Koke‘e State Park. However, the contract still has not been signed by DLNR and to date KPAA has not received any funds.
We are anxious to begin the work at the earliest opportunity. We are required by the state to hire a licensed contractor and will be complying with all relevant regulations. Yes, that adds to the length and cost of the project, but it will be in accordance with regulatory processes created with extensive citizen input.
• Diane Zachary. President and CEO, Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance
Kaua‘i lucky to have Summers
I read Nathan Eagle’s article about the Na Pali Coast Trail in the Nov. 19 edition of The Garden Island. I was visiting Kaua‘i with my friend Greg from Nov. 12 to 19 and am now home in Anaheim, Calif.
We were considering hiking the Na Pali Coast Trail but thought twice about it upon speaking with another hiker on the Nounou Mountain trail on Nov. 14.
The hiker said that he had been hiking with another couple on the Na Pali Coast Trail when the woman hiking behind him nearly fell down the cliff and was saved by the other man grabbing her arm as she was about to fall off the cliff. The hiker also stated that he knew of an experienced hiker who did lose his life by falling off the trail.
After torrential rains that occurred on Nov. 18 had cleared up, Greg and I hiked the Canyon Trail in Waimea Canyon from 2:30 to 6 p.m. One part of the trail that descends the cliff down to Waipo‘o Falls had wooden steps affixed to the cliff. However, about half of the steps are gone. Needless to say, the wet condition of the trail and the deteriorating trail conditions made for dangerous hiking.
On Nov. 19, we were lucky to have a clear day and we hiked the Nualolo Trail, Nualolo Cliff Trail and AwaAwaPui Trail (about a 12-mile loop).
The Nualolo trail descending from near Koke‘e Lodge was very eroded in many locations. The Cliff Trail was very eroded for about a 1/4-mile stretch where there was only about 18 inches of trail to walk on where the cliff then descended towards the ocean.
If someone were to slip in this area, it’s quite possible they could descend all the way down the cliff unless they were able to grab on to some vegetation on the way down. This part of the trail is marked by danger signs about 1/4 mile apart. Another part of the Cliff Trail was overgrown with tall grasses 6 to 9 feet high to the point that the trail could hardly be followed.
None of these types of dangers are cited in any recently published hiking guidebooks that I had reviewed prior to our hikes. Being an experienced hiker, I was able to navigate these trails without any serious incidents, although I did fall on the trail several times while hiking downhill on the Canyon and Nualolo Trails.
However, without ongoing trail maintenance on these and other trails, I’m afraid that serious injury could likely be incurred by unknowing and inexperienced hikers or even by experienced hikers who are expecting safer conditions.
Kaua‘i is lucky to have a person like Bill Summers who is donating his own time doing Na Pali Coast Trail maintenance. If more trail maintenance volunteers are needed, perhaps the airline and hotel/timeshare industries could donate their services to committed volunteers from California and other states who would be willing to volunteer some of their time doing trail maintenance before trail conditions worsen even more.
• Bob Wafer, Anaheim, Calif.
Charges should be absolved
My husband, son and I hiked the entire Kalalau trail in June this year.
The improvements made by Bill were obvious, amazing and greatly appreciated not only by us, but all of the other hikers we spoke to on the trip (“Trail volunteer bucks the system,” The Garden Island, Nov. 19).
This man is a dedicated servant of Kaua‘i and I have no doubt has saved many people from serious injury or death through his constant blood and sweat labor. I only wish I could again give him support in person. Not only should he be absolved of any charges, they should find a way to pay him for his previous and ongoing efforts.
• Jill A. MacAfee, San Jose, CA
