Fourteen hikers have found themselves under arrest after venturing illegally into the construction zone of the Ha‘Ikū Stairs, according to a recent report from Honolulu authorities. The arrests, carried out by the Honolulu Police Department and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), took place since last Thursday, with the latest batch of eight being apprehended just this morning. They now face charges of criminal trespassing, as announced by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Despite warnings and the clear illegality, these individuals accessed the notorious stairs by trailing the Middle Ridge Trail within the Moanalua Section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve—a path that is neither state-sanctioned nor safe. The Department of Land and Natural Resources made it clear last Friday, upon the section’s reopening, that the use of Middle Ridge Trail to arrive at the stairs remains forbidden. Unfortunately, this declaration didn't curb the resolution of some to trespass.
While the stairs themselves are partly dismantled, pending litigation, several segments have been removed. This, however, didn't deter the trespassers, who reportedly used ropes to navigate down to the remaining stair structures. According to DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla, "It is dangerous for people to enter the construction zone and dangerous for them to try to descend the ridge. They need to think about the consequences if someone gets hurt, or worse, and needs rescue. It is a difficult place for first responders to reach, which could delay medical treatment. Plus, it’s incredibly disrespectful and self-centered for anyone to be on the Ha‘ikū Stairs, or on the Middle Ridge Trail, when it’s been made abundantly clear that these areas are off-limits for safety and natural resource protection reasons. They fail to consider not only the risks they’re taking, but the risks emergency teams face when having to rescue people who are breaking the law," as per the Department of Land and Natural Resources release.
