At 9:55 or 3/4 of an hour into the hike we reached the end of the Kalawahine Trail at its junction with the Pauoa Flats Trail.
At 10:10 we reached what is know as the "Short Cut Trail" on the Nuuanu Trail. This is the end of the "level" portion of the hike and where I thought the "novice" hikers who did not show would turn back. Although the trail remains wide and well maintained it begins to drop along the spine of the ridge.
Ten minutes later we were at the junction of the Nuuanu Trail and the Pauoa Woods Trail. The Nuuanu Trail makes a sharp hairpin turn to the right and leaves the ridge to switchback down into Nuuanu Valley where it meets the Judd Trail and in time the Old Pali Drive. The Pauoa Woods Trail continues down on the spine of the ridge. Here you see a portion of the trail after the Nuuanu Trail turns right.
There were a few "kool" parts like this where we had to sort of sit down and slide under the trunk of a huge leaning tree.
