After a series of hike rescues over the weekend, state officials are reminding people to take precautions, know their limits and be aware how hot it can get on exposed trails.
On Sunday morning a man in his 60s hiking the Lanikai Pillbox Trail died after suffering an undisclosed medical emergency and tumbling 40 feet down, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Jessica Lani Rich, president of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, said it was a tragedy for the three family members — a couple and their daughter — visiting from Maryland. The accident happened just a day after their arrival, she said, on their daughter’s 30th birthday.
VASH, a nonprofit that assists visitors when tragedies strike, is helping the family make necessary arrangements.
Rich said she is concerned about how to help visitors hike safely while in Hawaii.
“Hiking is one of the activities that a lot of our visitors like to do,” she said, “and I think they do need to be aware of paying attention to the trail, bringing enough water, making sure their cellphone battery is charged so they can notify emergency services if something should happen.”
Also, visitors should know not to hike alone in case an emergency happens, she said.
“We need to get the message out,” she said. “It’s just very sad for everyone all around.”
The Kaiwi Ridge Trail, a 1.7-mile state trail more commonly known as Lanikai Pillbox, has grown in popularity due to social media posts of panoramic views from its bunkers.
Locally, it is not considered a dangerous trail, but there are some steep drop-offs that have no guardrails, and the growing volume of hikers trampling the area has led to erosion, complaints of noise and trespassing.
The popularity of the short but steep hike also means helicopter rescues are a common sight in the neighborhood.
On Monday morning the Honolulu Fire Department returned to the pillbox trail for yet another rescue: a 62-year-old woman who was injured in a fall and unable to finish on her own.
HFD’s Air 1 helicopter airlifted her to a nearby park, where care was transferred to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
The Kaiwi Ridge Trail is already slated for $900,000 in improvements to better manage the high volume of hikers. Though funds have been released, the improvements are still a work in progress.
State Rep. Lisa Marten (D, Kailua-Lanikai-Waimanalo), who helped secure the funding, was saddened to hear of the tragedy but said it “would be erroneous to say it’s a very dangerous trail.” It was, unfortunately, an adverse event that could have happened anywhere, she said.
”With the volume of people that have gone up there, this is the first time it’s happened,” she said.
There is a constant, high volume of traffic for the pillbox trail — up to 1,000 people a day — that leads to the frequent rescues. Also, it is a strenuous and exposed trail, with no shade, which can easily lead to overheating and heatstroke.
“People should be aware with that trail as well as Diamond Head, there’s zero shade and it can be very hot,” she added. “It’s steep and very hot, and with that convention, if someone is predisposed to not being able to handle that, I wouldn’t go up that trail in the middle of the day.”
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is considering a reservation system to limit the number of hikers on the trail, similar to the one in place for the crater trail at Diamond Head State Monument.
Even with a reservation system in place, Honolulu firefighters have been busy rescuing hikers from Diamond Head.
Honolulu firefighters responded Monday to a 9:12 a.m. emergency call for a woman in her 50s experiencing an undisclosed medical emergency while hiking.
It was the third day in a row firefighters airlifted a hiker from the Diamond Head trail.
On Sunday afternoon firefighters rescued a woman in her 60s who reported an undisclosed medical emergency at the top. On Saturday morning firefighters rescued another woman in her 60s who became unresponsive after she lay down near the spiral staircase in the bunker.
Due to the high number of people who visit Diamond Head — many of them visitors and inexperienced hikers — it has been the top rescue site on Oahu.
There has been about one rescue from Diamond Head per week, according to Curt Cottrell, state parks administrator.
“It’s typically heatstroke and sprained ankles because they’re not wearing the proper footwear,” he said. “There’s the occasional cardiac arrest.”
Cottrell said the state tries to educate people about the trail on its website, in its brochure and on signs urging people to bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. Since May 12, advance reservations for out-of-state visitors have been required, with a limit of about 3,000 per day.
“People typically don’t read the signs, but we do the best that we can,” he said.
The Diamond Head trail, which is paved and with railings, offers free water refill stations and has an interpretive manager on-site to answer questions.
Cottrell suspects that Diamond Head attracts visitors who think the hike is an easy, casual walk from their Waikiki hotel room but who might not have been physically active in the past, with the stamina for the climb. They might not be used to Hawaii’s outdoor environment.
Recent Kona winds have also turned the trail into a “steam sauna,” he said, making the climb more difficult.
“I think people are pushing the margins of their physical capacity,” he said.
Perhaps high-tech solutions can help, he said, such as apps alerting people that a certain temperature or level of humidity has been reached and that the hike will be hot. But those have yet to be deployed.
Regarding safety, he is more concerned about hikers going on dangerous cliffs and ridges that are off-limits, like Pali Puka.
HIKE SAFELY ON TRAILS
>> Learn about the trail so you will know your route and the degree of difficulty. Know your physical abilities and limitations; select trails that can be enjoyed safely.
>> Inform others of your plans and your expected time of return. Don’t hike alone.
>> Bring a fully charged cellphone, plus backup battery, in case of an emergency.
>> Stay hydrated and prepare for the unexpected.
>> Stay on the trail. Most accidents happen when hikers leave the established trail and disregard warning signs.
>> Monitor the weather. Keep an eye on the sky. When hiking into valleys or crossing streams, be mindful of rain conditions along the mountaintop or ridges that can suddenly raise the water level.
>> Watch the time. Getting a late start increases the possibility of getting caught in the dark. Know your turnaround time and stick to it.
>> If lost, stay put so responders can find you.
Source: DLNR, Honolulu Fire Department
