Conquering Koko Head

It seems that everyone on this side of the Island- who are into hiking- wish, at some point, to be able to say that they conquered the beast known as the Koko Head hike. It sounds simple enough, being only a mile long and a straight stair case to the top. Wrong! My two friends and I decided to trek up this trial in the early morning, so we could watch the sun rise from the helicopter pad at the top. However, we were not prepared for the seemingly endless stair case that awaited us. No matter how high up we went, the trail didn't seem to be getting any shorter. And of course, all the people running up the trail with the ease of an Olympian taking a leisurely stroll in the park did not do much to improve our mood. But once we reached the summit, we understood why everyone talks about hiking Koko Head. The view is AMAZING! Especially as the sun is just beginning to peak over the ridge. Just getting to the top was a reward in itself, but the added glory of the sunset made it even sweeter- and the Tagalongs we brought up with us didn't hurt much either. Going back was an adventure too, since the steep incline makes it hard to walk at a steady pace, but this hike is intriguing. Even though we all swore we never wanted to hike it again, I have the feeling that eventually, we will pull a dawn patrol just one more time to get another glimpse of that awesome view.