Haiku Stairs: 14 people arrested for illegal hiking in Hawaii

CNN
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Hawaii's most controversial natural site is once again at the center of concern: According to authorities, 14 people were recently arrested for climbing the Haiku Stairs on the island of Oahu.

They're beautiful but unexpected: 4,000 metal steps built by the U.S. Navy during World War II and abandoned shortly afterward. Located in a remote area of ​​Kaneohe, the stairs are only accessible via a dangerous and unauthorized hike.

“It is incredibly disrespectful and selfish for anyone to be on the Haiku Stairs or Middle Ridge Trail when it is abundantly clear that these areas are closed for safety and to protect natural resources,” said Jason Redulla, director of Hawaii's Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), in a statement that included the dire warning that “someone will get hurt or killed.”

According to DOCARE, all of those arrested last week were charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail. Eight of the 14 people were arrested on Sept. 3, although it is not clear if they were hiking together.

“It is dangerous for people to enter the site and dangerous for them to try to descend the ridge. They have to think about the consequences if someone gets injured or worse happens and needs to be rescued. It is a place that is difficult for first responders to reach, which could delay medical treatment,” Redulla said.

The Haiku Stairs, also known as the “Stairway to Heaven,” were closed to the public in 1987. But social media has brought some notoriety to this unusual destination: intrepid YouTubers and Instagrammers rave about the magnificent views from the top of the 850-meter-high mountain path, with the stairs sometimes appearing to disappear in the mist above.

According to DOCARE, the hikers used climbing ropes to reach the stairs.

The fame of the stairs has caused trouble for the local community, as it has harassed trespassers, created additional security costs, and required risky rescue operations for hikers injured in the remote area.

In 2021, the Honolulu City Council voted to remove the Haiku Stairs. The work was done piecemeal, with one section of the stairs being detached from the mountainside at a time and then transported away by helicopter.

A local group called Friends of the Haiku Stairs is fighting against the removal of the stairs, arguing that the $2.5 million process is too expensive.

Some of the demolition work had already been completed when the Hawaii Court of Appeals issued a temporary restraining order earlier this year.