David Y. Ige

ADDITIONAL CLOSURES FOR DIAMOND HEAD STATE MONUMENT
SUMMIT TRAIL REPAIR WORK – START JANUARY 3 – 19, 2018

HONOLULU — The DLNR Division of State Parks announces an additional Diamond Head summit trail repair project to improve a section of the lower hiking trail along the Diamond Head State Monument summit trail. Anyone planning to hike the summit trail between Wednesday January 3 – through Friday, January 19, 2018, needs to be aware that the summit trail will be closed all day Mondays through Fridays.

The summit trail will be open regular park hours on Saturdays, Sundays and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday (1/15/18). See the construction schedule at the Division of State Parks website at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/oahu/diamond-head-state-monument/

Curt Cottrell, State Parks administrator, said, “The Diamond Head Summit Trail hike is one of the must-do hiking experiences for Hawai‘i visitors and residents alike. Over one million people hike the steep, hot trail to the summit of Diamond Head for its magnificent views, making it one of the most visited State Parks. However, the soft, crumbly rock (volcanic tuff) that makes up Diamond Head, leaves this landmark susceptible to deterioration due to the natural effects of erosion, as well as the numbers of people utilizing the trail. This trail stabilization work will ensure a safe hiking experience for park visitors.”

Prometheus Construction was contracted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to mitigate rockfall hazards on Diamond Head, and the work was completed in mid-December, in time for the holidays. The work was completed on time, and below the total project costs of $1.72 million

The cost savings from the original work will be used to repair the lower section of the summit trail, from the end of the concrete walkway to the historic generator building. This section of the trail was part of a previous soil remediation project in 1996. However, this lower section of the trail has seriously eroded, creating a “riverbed” during the seasonal rains and Kona storms, which have exacerbated the damage to this section of the summit trail.

During this additional project, the lower section of the summit trail will be stabilized and hardened with sculpted concrete, like the work completed previously in other sections of the summit trail.

partial closures of the summit trail will be necessary for public safety, as workers loosen rocks on slopes above the trail. Here is the updated schedule of trail full, partial closure dates, and open dates:

FULL CLOSURE DATES
• The summit trail will be closed every weekday, Monday through Friday. No hiking will be allowed Mondays through Fridays of the following dates:
• January 3 – 5
• January 8 – 12
• January 16 – 19

OPEN DATES: The summit trail will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and state holidays (January 15, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).

The DLNR Division of State Parks is asking for everyone’s attention and cooperation during these closures.

It’s anticipated that the “crater park” inside the crater floor (the parking lot, restroom, and visitor center and gift shop and lunch wagon) will remain open during most of the work.

# # #

RESOURCES
(All images courtesy: Hawai‘i DLNR)

Photographs: (Diamond Head State Monument previous summit trail rockfall mitigation)
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/stujl98z9ol9qo7/AAB0-33ViDSZlbDqcKYTMwTka?dl=0

Media contact:
Deborah Ward
DLNR Communications specialist
Phone: (808) 587-0320