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My first memory of hiking in Hawaii was slogging through a muddy Aiea Loop Trail when I was a kid, probably no older than my 7-year-old son.

Since then I’ve completed dozens of trails across the state, from the otherwordly Pepeopae Bog Trail in the remote Kamakou Preserve on Molokai to the paved walk to the summit of Makapuu, a hike I do at least once a week.

The one hike on Oahu that I’ve never done, though, is Haiku Stairs — and likely never will.

The 3,922-step trail to the 2,800-foot summit of Puu Keahiakahoe overlooking Haiku Valley has been closed since 1987. (I was 12 at the time.) I’m not one to break the rules, and though I have been invited numerous times to make the trek, I’ve always declined for one simple reason: It’s illegal.

That doesn’t mean I necessarily agree with the city’s decision to remove the stairs in 2021. But something needed to be done.

I empathize with the residents of Haiku Valley, some of whom I have spoken with over the years, who have .

Unlike residents who live near trailheads of state-run hikes with similiar issues, these folks don’t live near a legal hike. So they shouldn’t have to endure the barrage of bad-mannered hikers.

And that’s what it comes down to, really. A few people making all hiking enthusiasts — most of whom I would argue are respectful and responsible — look bad.

This has fueled the city’s decision to get rid of the stairs permanently. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi cited public safety concerns, city liability costs, crime and trespassing as reasons for the removal during a news conference on Wednesday.

Crews will start removing the stairs later this month. The $2.6 million project is expected to take six months to complete.

Irresponsible hikers was also the impetus for . This bill, which is stalled in the
Legislature right now, would allow the state to seek reimbursement for search and rescue expenses from people who require rescues after ignoring warning signs or hiking on closed or illegal trails. The cost for a helicopter rescue is estimated to be around $1,000 to $2,500 — and taxpayers foot the bill.

If this bill passed, Hawaii would join a handful of states — New Hampshire, Idaho, Maine and Oregon — that are able to charge hikers for the costs of their own rescues.

In 2023 the Honolulu Fire Department responded to at least 290 rescue calls, 25% more from the previous year.

Recently this year, a 32-year-old woman was airlifted from the Koko Crater Trail after she experienced a medical condition while hiking, and a teenage girl was flown out of Maunawili Falls Trail after she fell about 15 feet. (In these cases, according to the bill, the two hikers wouldn’t have had to repay the state since their rescues were not a result of reckless behavior.)

The idea is that this bill would deter hikers from trespassing on private property or ignoring warning signs. Why risk it — and pay the price both physically and financially?

To me, there’s no reason to hike on closed trails, anyway. The state already boasts dozens of diverse trails on every island, from the challenging 11-mile daylong Keoneheehee Trail that traverses the Haleakala crater on Maui to the rugged coastal trek across one of the last intact dune ecosystems in Hawaii at Kaena Point.

There are trails that meander through native forests and along steep cliffs, trails with panoramic ocean views, trails to waterfalls — and they’re all legal to access.

There’s a part of me that wishes the city figured out a way to manage access to Haiku Stairs — or Stairway to Heaven as it’s often called — a solution pitched for years by the .

I would have loved to have seen the Windward side from this vantage point, in a way that was safe and respectful to both residents and the natural environment. But now that’s not going to happen.

And it’s OK. There are plenty of other beautiful trails to enjoy — and I won’t get fined for it.