Desert dry Diamondhead crater climb
...then 7 miles away,
hiking in a tropical rain-forest

. . . . . . . . . .
['click-on' any of the photos to see an enlarged version]

Tuesday morning, August 12, 2008

This is Rozann as we walked across the floor of the crater - see the rim in the background. This is the low-point and starting point of the climb. The top of the rim is the goal. The semi-rugged path is very worn from tourist traffic, and the stairs up some parts of the trail are narrow and steep and plentiful. Fortunately, there were several 'rest-areas' along the route up, so we could catch our breath.

This is view from one of the WWII era 'pill-boxes' at the summit. The fortifications were meant to deter an attack by sea - of course they didn't attack by sea. Above picture is of lighthouse as seen with naked eye - below is with zoom lens.










. . . . . . . . . .
Tuesday afternoon, August 12, 2008

In a tropical rain forest, the size of things is almost unbelievable...look at Rozann next to these tree roots...look at the plant leafs behind that [she is rain-soaked, as was I - what should we have expected in a rain-forest?]

The target site for this hike was this water-falls. Was it worth the hike? Considering all the rain, and the 'moderate' rating of the trail, and the muddy clothes we 'pitched' once we got back to the hotel - of course it was worth it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -