06-13-2014, 08:43 AM
1) The route you are planning to take is, quite frankly, completely insane. Going up the middle ridge of Waimanu might be possible (though actually doing seems like it would require major trail clearance), but once there you'll be in a wilderness of bogs and rough terrain where there's no way you'll make anything close to 1mi/1.5 hours as in your plan. And from there you'll be no closer than if you'd just gone the easy route from the top.
2) Regardless of which way you go, Laupahoehoe Iki, the section between Waimanu and Laupahoehoe Nui, is not only public land but part of a Natural Area Reserve. As ypodave said, "public land" does not mean "for any individual to do whatever they want on". This is a unique area with a lot of fragile ecosystems such as bogs and extremely rare plants.
Also, FWIW, even before the 2006 earthquake the Kohala Ditch Trail has not existed between Honopue Valley and Waimanu since at least the 1970s. It was unused and became completely overgrown. Last I heard of anyone doing the full traverse from Pololu was 1977 and they had a rough time of it, taking two days to cover the three miles between Honopue and Waimanu.
2) Regardless of which way you go, Laupahoehoe Iki, the section between Waimanu and Laupahoehoe Nui, is not only public land but part of a Natural Area Reserve. As ypodave said, "public land" does not mean "for any individual to do whatever they want on". This is a unique area with a lot of fragile ecosystems such as bogs and extremely rare plants.
Also, FWIW, even before the 2006 earthquake the Kohala Ditch Trail has not existed between Honopue Valley and Waimanu since at least the 1970s. It was unused and became completely overgrown. Last I heard of anyone doing the full traverse from Pololu was 1977 and they had a rough time of it, taking two days to cover the three miles between Honopue and Waimanu.