Hawaii Hiking Clubs & Outdoor Organizations

Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club

Sierra Club - Hawai'i Chapter

LikeHike Gang

The Nature Conservancy

Hash House Harriers - Aloha & Others

Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club

The Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club (HTMC) was founded in 1910 to promote hiking in the islands and membership, today, reaches past 400. In keeping with this tradition, a wide selection of exciting weekend day-hikes are scheduled for each quarter. In addition to the "standard" trails, the club occasionally chooses routes which are not normally used or known. Quarterly "super-hikes" were introduced in 1998 as a way to give the most serious of day-hikers a chance at something more challenging. Past super-hikes included Konahuanui-to-Mt Olympus, Kaupo Cliffs-to-Kulepeamoa, and Waiahole/Waikane-Puu Kaaumakua-and-back.

It should be noted that the majority of hikes scheduled include some physically taxing trails. As a result, new applicants are required to participate on three hikes, then be nominated for admittance by two members.

After sign-in and briefing, hikes are "every man for themselves". The hikers are given a turn-around time and released, unrestricted to assault the trail at any pace. About half of the quarter's hikes (typically the harder ones) are deemed "members only". Super-hikes require participant pre-screening by the hike leaders.

Scheduled outings are only on the island of Oahu.

The HTMC supports environmental and conservation issues, but does not maintain an active role in them. Club events are more introverted than the Sierra Club's as they serve to help the HTMC and its members. In other words, service projects such as trail clearings and exploratory hikes are aimed to the convenience, safety, and interest of the membership rather than for the good of the general public.

The HTMC holds informative slide-shows and holiday feasts. There are regular scheduling, directors', and annual meetings. Member benefits include usage of the two-story Waimanalo clubhouse and ammenities.

Annual dues are $15.

Contact the HTMC for current information and hike scheduling.

HTMC
PO Box 2238
Honolulu, HI 96804

Membership: 450

Hike Frequency: 1-2 per week
Hike Gatherings:
8:00 a.m. Iolani Palace, King Street

Scheduled Hikes: Yes
Clubhouse: Yes
Newsletter: Yes ("Along the Trail", "Hike Oahu")

President: Peter Kempf

Official Webpage

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Sierra Club

Focused on the preservation and appreciation of nature, the Sierra Club specializes in conservation projects, trail building, legal/political venues, and environmental leadership as well as regularly scheduled weekend hikes, tours, and backpack trips. Extensively distributed throughout the United States, it has a local chapter in Hawaii which includes events on all islands, especially Hawaii ("Big Island"), Maui, Oahu, and Kauai.

Sierra Club hikes are more restrictive than the HTMC's hikes. Hikers must stay with the group at all times and typically take a slower pace because of varying degrees of hiker experience. However, Sierra Club hikes are very educational as they are accompanied with discussion of cultural, botanical, and wildlife aspects.

The Sierra Club has a large national insurance policy which allows it to access certain private trails that other clubs can't. On Oahu, this includes Kawainui, Kawaiiki, and Opaeula.

Individual annual dues range from $17 - $35 with $1 participation fee ($3 for non-members) for each hike.

Contact the Sierra Club for current information and event scheduling.

Sierra Club - Hawai'i Chapter
PO Box 2577
Honolulu, HI 96803

Phone: (808) 538-6616
Fax: (808) 537-9019

Membership:
Oahu Group: 3,500
Hawaii Chapter: 5,000
Nationwide: 600,000

Hike Frequency: 1-2 per week
Hike Gatherings:
8:30 AM, Church of the Crossroads, 2510 Bingham Street

Scheduled Hikes: Yes
Clubhouse: No
Newsletter: Yes ("Malama I Ka Honua", "Generation E", Sierra Club Magazine)

Executive Chair: Teresa McHugh
Chapter Director: David Frankel
Oahu Group Chair: Blake Oshiro

Membership Webpage

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	The LikeHike Gang This is a local hiking group which has been in Honolulu for several years. While the membership attending the hikes are homosexual, the general public is welcomed to their gay-friendly outings all around Oahu.
LikeHike Gang Honolulu, HI Hike Frequency: biweekly Hike Gatherings: 9:00 a.m. McDonalds/Ala Moana Shopping Center Scheduled Hikes: Yes Clubhouse: No Newsletter: No Contact: Ed Phone: (808) 455-8193 Official Webpage

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The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii

While not a hiking club, this organization does offer guided hikes into territory both legally off-limits and physically difficult to access to the regular hiker. On Oahu, the NC operates from the Kunia Field Office managing the Honouliuli Preserve - a 3,692-acre forested area on the windward slopes of the southern Waianaes from Makakilo to Kolekole Pass. Here, extensive conservation efforts including exclosure fencing, feral animal eradication, native tree replanting, and research projects take place. Several high schools also have conservation programs operating under TNC supervision.

Guided hikes, which are often in very small groups of between 9 and 15 hikers, tend to be extremely slow-moving (e.g. 2 miles over 4 hours). This is because the NC takes on the approach that trails are meant for educational nature trips not merely as means to get to the terminus as quickly as possible. Each trail publically-offered tends to be scheduled once a month. Service trips one can volunteer for often access other areas not offered as publically-available hikes.

It costs $35 annually to be a member of TNC. It costs between $5 and $15 per person (depending on member status) per hike to reserve a place in the hiking group. This fee is refundable but is asked to be left as a donation to the NC.

In 2002, the guided hikes offered were the Palikea Ridge, Ekahanui Loop, and Kaluaa Loop Trails. Contact The Nature Conservancy for detailed and current information.

TNC Hawaii
923 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817

Phone: (808) 537-4508
Fax: (808) 545-2019

TNC Hawaii - O'ahu Program Office
PO Box 971665
Waipahu, HI 96797

Phone: (808) 621-2008
Fax: (808) 621-2110

Membership:
Oahu Group: Unknown

Hike Frequency: 2 - 3 per month
Hike Gatherings:
Times and locations vary

Scheduled Hikes: Yes
Clubhouse: No
Newsletter: Yes ("Ka Leo 'A'a")

Community Outreach Specialist (Oahu): Lance Lapierre

Official Webpage

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		Hash House Harriers "A drinking club with a running problem" is the slogan of this large, world-wide organization. Derived from a 1930s club of British businessmen in Kuala Lumpour (Malaysia), the Hash House Harriers (H3) is a gathering of runners who enjoy drinking beer. Although the modern-day H3 clubs allow you to opt for less intoxicating liquids, they still maintain the tradition of the hare chase. Armed with or having previously hidden a stash of beer (originally a "tub full of chilled beers"), one or more individuals (the "hares") make a mad dash with a specific amount of head-start. Along the way, they leave a trail of paper markers (or flour or paint) of various symbols/arrows to indicate their path. They're allowed to sabotage their pursuers a little with false leads. When the time comes, the rest of the club begins the heated pursuit: scaling fences, dodge trees, etc. It all culminates in the "capture" of the hares and the eventual downing of the stashed beer at their location. It's all about having fun and runners of all ages over 21 (even some toting their babies) come out to these events. Just imagine 3 guys (or gals) being chased by 40 - 50 people! It's so popular that there are H3 clubs in almost every nook of the planet like Sacramento, Paris, Brisbane, and Cyprus. There is also an annual "Inter-hash" gathering of the world's H3 members. The Aloha H3 is one of a couple located on Oahu. Although the H3 is more of a running club and not a hiking club, they frequently run hare chases into the forests and sometimes tackle steep ridges. (Some male members have also been known to make an annual run in women's clothing.) Other Oahu H3 clubs include: Honolulu Hawaii H3 Dwight "Hard On On" Jackson, (808) 988-6118, "Bimbo", (808) 924-5433 Hawaii Full Moon H3 & O'ahu Pickup H3 Dave "Pom" Lomas, (808) 488-3283 (hm), (808) 547-3111 (wk) Windward Kahuna H3 Mike "Malpricktice" Sawyer, (808) 236-0760 Hawaii Hotline ("Hareline"): (808) 948-HASH (4274)
Aloha Hash House Harriers Hareline: (808) 948-HASH Membership: ? Hike Frequency: 1 per week Hike Gatherings: Scheduled Hikes: Yes Clubhouse: No Newsletter: No Contact: Celeste "Thighmaster" Rogers Phone: (808) 674-9179 Contact: Brad "Knocked Up" Davis Phone: (808) 734-5018 Official Webpage

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Other Organized Hiking Groups
(non-public/limited membership)

Hiking Aloha Aina

Hiking club exclusively for Hawaii Pacific University's students, faculty, and staff. Hikes are typically scheduled for weekends.

Solemates

A group of mid-week hiking friends started by the legendary hiker, world traveler, and retired UH professor John Hall. Hikes are usually scheduled for Wednesdays.

Directory of Formal Outdoor Organizations
The Hawaii Nature Center	2131 Makiki Heights Drive	955-0100
Greenpeace Hawaii	...	595-0057 973-0235
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund	223 S King Street 4th Floor	599-2436
Hawaii Audobon Society	850 Richards Street, Ste 505	528-1432
The Outdoor Circle	1314 S King Street, Ste 306	593-0300

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Hawaii Hiking Clubs & Outdoor Organizations

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