04/17/18 – State Parks Uses New Notification System To Check On Kalalau Campers; Stranded Campers Airlifted Out of Remote State Park Location
Posted on Apr 17, 2018 in News Releases, State ParksDEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release
| DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR |
SUZANNE D. CASE
CHAIRPERSON |
For Immediate News Release April 17, 2018
STATE PARKS USES NEW NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TO CHECK ON KALALAU CAMPERS
Stranded Campers Airlifted Out of Remote State Park Location
(HONOLULU) – An estimated 25 people elected to be airlifted out of the Kalalau area of the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park yesterday. They’d been stranded there since last weekend’s record-breaking rain storm that cut off road access from the trail head back to Hanalei and other Kaua‘i locales. A helicopter pilot who participated in the evacuation operation reports that at least two people decided to stay behind. Initial reports indicate that the 11-mile-long Kalalau Trail did not experience significant damage, but that can’t be confirmed until a DLNR Division of State Parks maintenance team visits the trail sometime in the next week. It’s not known at this time whether others decided to shelter in place at the designated camping area at Hanakoa or at Hanakapai‘ai at the two mile point, where people can travel without a state permit.
Last weekend State Parks had issued 42 permits for designated camping at Kalalau. Using a just enabled notification system, embedded in the on-line permit system for camping at Kalalau, parks staff were able to send e-mails to all permit holders inquiring about their status. As of this morning 63 individual responses have been received, confirming that groups or individuals are safe. Assistant State Parks Administrator Alan Carpenter said, “This is a powerful new tool in our communications arsenal to know what’s happening at Kalalau and to best ensure the safety of the hearty souls who make the 22-mile trek in and out of there.”
The monumental rains on Kaua‘i have also created a postponement in the previously announced expansion of Kalalau camping permits for the height of the summer season. Last week, State Parks announced that beginning yesterday, people could apply for one of 20 additional permits for Kalalau camping between May 15-October 31, 2018. Since the road to the Kalalau Trailhead is closed indefinitely parks staff decided to hold-off on the additional permits until they can further assess an opening date. Carpenter added, “Throwing a bunch more people into the permitting system just to have them get refunds later on doesn’t make sense. We apologize to those who showed up at our office in Lihue expecting to apply for a permit. We will let folks know when we’re ready to reinstitute the added permit system, once we have a better idea as to when people can actually even get on the trail.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Dan Dennison
Senior Communications Manager
Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 131
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 587-0407 (Office)
(808) 295-8749 (Cell)