Ka'u Mountain Water Hike To Become A Regular Ka'u Coffee Mill Event

Photos by Andrew Richard Hara

The Ka'u Mountain Water Systems Hike on Wednesday led walkers from 25 to 75 years of age onto old plantation trails, into the rainforest above Wood Valley Road and to old tunnels and water systems once used to carry sugar cane to the Pahala sugar mill.

The event, one of many during the ten days of the Ka'u Coffee Festival sold out, and we hope to offer it on a more regular basis to our visitors.

During the trek, Olson Trust land manager John Cross explained plans to use the plantation water sources for a new hydroelectric plant that will run Ka'u Coffee Mill and other farm enterprises as well as provide irrigation water for crops like taro and watercress.

Shalan Crysdale, Hawai'i Island Director for The Nature Conservancy, talked about the rainforest and the preservation of the watershed and endangered species, as well as a partnership with the Edmund C. Olson Trust II to eradicate invasive species such as kahili ginger from the native forest.

Tonight's event is Ka'u Star Gazing on Makanau Mountain at 5:30 p.m., meeting at the Edmund C. Olson Trust II building on the corner of Maile St. and Pikake St. in Pahala. The $35 per person event is sold out and includes a talk from an 'Imiloa astronomer, as well as Ka'u Coffee and snacks.

For more photos from the event, click here.