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Hikers complete challenge of climbing Koko Crater seven times in 10 days

Nina Wu
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COURTESY KOKONUT KOALITION

Regulars who hike the trail have formed the Kokonut Koalition, with the goal of working with the city Department of Parks and Recreation to one day fix and refurbish the steps, which are deteriorating from wear and tear and the impacts of erosion.

Dozens of Koko Crater Stairs fanatics recently completed the fifth KokoNut Challenge, which invited community members to finish at least seven climbs within 10 days.

The challenge took place from May 10 to 19, and 65 hikers took up the challenge — with 44 of them climbing up the 1,048 steps seven or more times.

Some 20 “kokonuts,” as the hard-core Koko Crater Stairs regulars are called, did seven consecutive climbs in seven hours, according to organizers. Nine completed 10 consecutive climbs in 10 hours. Participants posted their times and photos to the Facebook group page.

Collectively, they accomplished 730 climbs, and went up 166,500 steps.

The following is a list of top climbs:

Fastest Time Female: Jacqueline Alicia Cadiente logged the fastest time for females, 13 minutes, 51 seconds

Fastest Time Male: Dylan Cotton, 10 minutes, 18 seconds

Most Climbs Male: Samson Mokuohai, 43

Most Climbs Female: Jessica Caiazzo, 37

Fastest 10 in 10 for Female: Rozie Breslin, 4 hours 54 minutes (also did 20 climbs under 12 hours)

Fastest 10 in 10 for Male: Dylan Cotton, 4 hours 16 minutes

The challenge was started two years ago by Lily Tran, and is done twice a year. The stairs, which are the remnants of an abandoned tramway installed by the U.S. military during World War II, are a popular draw among residents and visitors alike.

Regulars who hike the trail have formed the Kokonut Koalition, with the goal of working with the city Department of Parks and Recreation to one day fix and refurbish the steps, which are deteriorating from wear and tear and the impacts of erosion. Currently, the coalition is hoping the city’s fiscal budget next year will include $1 million, as proposed by Mayor Kirk Caldwell and City Councilman Joey Manahan, in the fiscal year 2020 budget to determine the best approach to stair repairs.

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