The Haʻikū Stairs, also known as the Stairway to Heaven or Haʻikū Ladder, is a steep hiking trail on the island of Oʻahu.[1]
The trail began as a wooden ladder spiked to the cliff on the south side of the Haʻikū Valley. It was installed in 1943 to enable the construction of antenna cables that would be strung from one side of the cliffs above Haʻikū Valley to the other. A building to provide a continuous communication link between Wahiawā and Haʻikū Valley Naval Radio Station was also constructed at the very peak of Puʻukeahiakahoe, elevation at about 2,800 feet (850 m). These extraordinary antennae transmitted very low frequency radio signals from a 200,000-watt Alexanderson alternator located in the center of Haʻikū valley. The signals could reach US Navy submarines as far away as Tokyo Bay even while the submarines remained underwater.[2][3] Testers for RCA picked up signals on Long Island, and the signal also reached India, 6,600 miles (10,600 km) away.[3]
When the Naval base was decommissioned in the 1950s, the United States Coast Guard used the site for an Omega Navigation System station. In the early 1950s, the wooden stairs were replaced by sections of metal steps and ramps — by one count, 3,922 steps. The station and trail were closed to the public in 1987. Despite the closure, some hikers ignore the No Trespassing signs and continue to climb, contributing to the local community's misgivings about reopening the structure.
In 2003, the Haiku Stairs were repaired costing the city $875,000.[4] As of mid 2010, land usage rights issues have been resolved. However, the City and County of Honolulu has stated that there is currently no plan to open the stairs for public use, citing liability concerns.