Moonlight Excursions of the 1920s and 1930s

Although the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club was founded in 1910, the Club’s earliest records have been lost in time. Fortunately, there exist approximately fifty pages of original, hand typed “Schedule of Outings” documents from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. The documents are faded and brittle, some have been previously folded with inked or pencilled trail notes on the back, looking like someone carried them during their hike. This article will highlight seven different moonlight hikes from these documents. Some can be replicated, but most cannot.

The undated photo below is a great example of hiking attire in the early 1900s. The people gathered are early members of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club. The club was fortunate to have had a professional photographer among its ranks by the name of Ray Jerome Baker (1880-1972). Mr. Baker moved to O`ahu with his family in 1910 where he was active in the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, serving on the Board, organizing outer island trips and filming club members sliding on ti leaves and hiking Mount Ka`ala. Mr. Baker is not included in the undated photo below.

The first moonlight outing to be highlighted occurred February 24, 1923 and was a “Moonlight climb of Punchbowl”. It was not a full moon. Club members and guests met at the corner of Wilder Avenue and Makiki Streets, on the Punahou electric street car line at 7:00 pm. No other information was listed in the Schedule of Outings. I wondered what route they may have taken and located an old photo of Nu`uanu Valley looking towards Punchbowl (or Puowaina, the Hawaiian name). Look closely at the left side of the old photo to see a trail (or road) that may have been taken.  Ships masts in Honolulu Harbor can be seen in the upper right hand corner of the undated photo on page 3.

Club members often “assembled” at the end of Honolulu’s electric street car lines. The Honolulu Rapid Transit & Land Company (HRT) launched electric street car service in 1901. At its peak in 1923, there were 50 streetcars on 22 miles of track, servicing over 20 million passengers annually!  The popularity of automobiles in the 1920s led to an eventual decline in streetcar ridership and by the 1930s, buses began to replace streetcars for mass transit. By 1941, the electric street cars were history. Below is a 1923 map of the Honolulu electric street car lines, with the street car lines depicted in dark black.

The next featured moonlight outing was a hike called “Olomana by Moonlight” which took place on Tuesday, May 29, 1923. That evening the moon was very close to being full, at over 95% illumination. Hikers assembled at the end of the Nu`uanu Street car line at 11p.m. The hikers walked up Nu`uanu Valley and continued up and over the Pali on the old Pali Road. They would have taken Auloa Road towards Mount Olomana. It isn’t clear how far they went or what their turn around point was. Further instructions simply stated: “Bring lunch and canteen. C.B. Olsen, Guide.” Below you will find an old photo of the Nu`uanu Pali circa 1920 courtesy of the Hawai`i State Archives.

The third featured moonlight excursion is “Tantalus Hike and Moonlight Basket Supper”, scheduled for Saturday, June 30, 1928 which was not a full moon. Following is what the Schedule of Outings said: “Bring your supper, wear hiking clothes and ascend Tantalus by twilight. Eat on the summit, enjoying a moonlit view of practically all of Honolulu. A choice of return routes may be had. Carry a flashlight for the descent. This outing revives an old Trail and Mountain Club moonlight hike and supper. Cost of trip for all – a little enthusiasm and car fare to the end of Emma Street car line. Assemble at 6:30 P.M. Guide: H. Otto Hermann.”

Next is a “Moonlight Hike to Black Point” on Wednesday, September 26, 1928. It was not a full moon. This hike was in conjunction with members of the Sierra Club of California. Instructions were to: “Assemble at the end of the Waikiki car line at 7:45 P.M. Guide: John R. Bisho.”

The fifth hike to be highlighted occurred on Thursday, October 25, 1928 and was to: “Alewa Heights by Moonlight”. The full moon that month occurred on October 28. Instructions were: “Weird views of the city in shadow and light. An easy walk and a worth-while way of spending a glorious Hawaiian night. Assemble at the end of the Liliha Street car line at 7:45 P.M. Guide: Herbert L. Thompson.”

The sixth moonlight hike was advertised as follows: “Under a Full Hawaiian Moon – Visit Damon Island” (or Mokumoa, an islet in Ke`ehi Lagoon), ”(Courtesy of Frank W. Damon) Salt Lake, and return thru Moanalua Gardens. Leave end of Fort Shafter car line at 7:30 P.M. Guide: John R. Bisho.”

Last but not least is: “Manoa Cliff Trail by Moonlight” which occurred on Friday, April 23, 1937. It was close to, but not a full moon. Instructions stated: “This trail is now in such fine condition that with favorable weather it should be ideal for a moonlight hike. Start 7:00 P.M. from Wilder Ave. & Makiki Sts. Guide Miss Margaret Todd.”

I hope you enjoyed reading about these moonlight hikes. It certainly was a different time; hikers carried canteens and wore tall boots, everyone rode the electric street cars, middle initials were given for most Guides.

If you are interested in continuing this HTMC tradition – meet at the clubhouse for our upcoming evening adventure “Full Moon Stroll Waimanalo” on Thursday July 10, 2025 led by our newest hike coordinator; Dawn Sonderquist Okano.

Nu`uanu Pali circa 1920, courtesy of Hawaii State Archives. Photo credit: Henry F. Hill