Mokule'ia Crag

Mokule'ia is one of the few climbing crags on the island of O'ahu, though a rock fall shut down the entire area temporarily. Years later, the Department of Land and Natural Resources decided to re-open the wall with the help of local climbing organizations.

The wall is a basalt cliff that sits elevated above the surrounding coastline in the remote northwest corner of O'ahu just past the Dillingham Airfield before Ka'ena Point. The approach trail is a half-mile, steep, third-class scramble up to the cliffs above, and it is marked by the road with warning signs. It makes its way through tall grass before gaining 700 feet in elevation on the way to the base of the crag. Make sure to pack good shoes and enough water, as the heat can be brutal.

Sport and trad routes vary from 40 to 90 feet and use glued-in titanium bolts. Routes can also be top-roped using the string guides that run from wooden sticks up and through the anchors; ropes can be clove hitched and lifted through the anchors fairly easily. The technique is rather straightforward; however, many new climbers to the wall have broken the strings or had their knots come untied, causing the string and rope to unravel and be lost from the anchor. If in doubt, please ask other climbers for help to avoid losing guide strings!

On weekends the crag can see upwards of 20 climbers, and the more popular routes will be busy. During the weekday, you are not likely to run into anyone else. The morning sun cooks the dark rock until midday, depending on the season, so climbers usually avoid heading to Mokule'ia early in the morning and instead stay later into the evening. 

The routes themselves range from a 5.6 to a 5.13c. Climbing is off limits unless a one-time waiver is signed online for the Hawaii Climbing Coalition.

Parking is located along the road, but do not leave any valuables in your car, as break-ins have occurred. Dogs are not allowed at the wall unless they are licensed as service animals, and these rules have been enforced in the past.