Topping the New Year’s resolution list of many is the promise to exercise more and lose weight. Add to that loftier aspirations to meditate, save money and spend more time in nature and all those good intentions begin to dull
Topping the New Year’s resolution list of many is the promise to exercise more and lose weight. Add to that loftier aspirations to meditate, save money and spend more time in nature and all those good intentions begin to dull in appeal.
But hold on — there’s one swift decision that holds the potential to appease all of the above — health, frugality and social consciousness. Join Sierra Club hiking guides on one of their weekly adventures that will get the muscles pumping, cost next to nothing and support an organization that goes to the mat to protect Kaua‘i’s open spaces.
“We have at least one outing every single weekend and sometimes mid-week,” said Judy Dalton, the Kaua‘i Sierra Club outings coordinator. “Kaua‘i has more hiking trails then any other island in the Hawaiian chain so we have a wide range of hikes to choose from.”
Kaua‘i’s Sierra Club is 500 members strong, but you don’t have to be a member to join the group for a hike. Each week upward of 10 participants gather to spend time in places like Koke‘e, Maha‘ulepu and Polihale lead by guides versed in both conservation and Kaua‘i’s native flora. Sierra Club’s mission is to explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the planet.
“By being in nature people learn to appreciate it and when they appreciate nature they want to protect it,” Dalton said. “On the hikes we inform people about our environmental mission.”
Dalton described the hikes as having essentially two components.
“There’s the social aspect — this is a way of meeting people,” she said. “You can’t always find a hiking partner who has the same days off as you or wants to go where you want to go. The second part is about being in nature to appreciate it.”
Another advantage to hiking with a group is the simplification of travel. There are outings on Kaua‘i that are too long when done round-trip.
“We often do a car shuttle,” she said. “Say you want to walk Ship Wrecks Beach to Maha‘ulapu — we leave a few cars at one end of the hike. We shuttle for Sleeping Giant too, so you can hike all the trails in one day.”
One concern for solo hikers is safety.
“People like the feeling of safety in numbers,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons our beach sunset to full moon walks are so popular.”
Another part of the organization’s mission is to promote responsible use of the Earth’s ecosystems and resources. Sierra Club representatives attend both county and state legislative sessions to speak on behalf of protecting the environment.
“We encourage people to become members,” Dalton said. “People don’t always have time to write or give testimony so they like knowing an organization is speaking out on behalf on the environment.”
One recent project Sierra Club was instrumental on was the passing of The Charter Amendment to implement the General Plan regulating tourist development in the Nov. 4 election. They were also the group that spent several years clearing Okolehao Trail, the ridge-trail above Hanalei, a few years ago.
“It was really overgrown and we trudged chain saws, gasoline cans and equipment up that hill,” she said. “We did it all free of charge. Now the state maintains the trail.”
Ultimately Dalton described Sierra Club outings as a safe and wholesome place to meet people of like mind and spend time in nature. Another way to support the organization’s mission is through the purchase of the Sierra Club calendar and engagement books which are the best selling nature calendar in the United States. To purchase one call, 246-9067.
For those interested in the service aspect of the organization, there are two opportunities on the horizon to help with beach clean ups: One today at Anahola (see insert) and another Jan. 19. Sierra Club and Malama Maha‘ulapu will have a day of service in celebration of “Renewing America Together National Day of Service.” Meet at 9 a.m. at the parking lot near Kawiloa Bay. Bags and gloves provided. Bring a lunch.
• Pam Woolway, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
