Долина Калалау

Вид на долину Калалау со стороны лесного заповедника Напали Кона Тропа Фихеа

Долина Калалау расположена на северо-западной стороне острова Кауаи в штате Гавайи . Долина расположена в государственном парке побережья На Пали , где находится пляж Калалау . Берег Напали изрезан и недоступен для автомобилей. Единственные законные способы добраться до долины — это сплав на байдарках или поход по тропе Калалау .

Долина окружена скалами высотой более 2000 футов (610 м). Дно этой долины широкое и относительно плоское, с доступной областью длиной около 2 миль (3,2 км) и шириной 0,5 мили (0,80 км). Обильное солнце и дождь создают идеальную среду для флоры и фауны . Многие коренные гавайцы жили в долине до 20 века, выращивая таро на обширном комплексе террасных полей. Сегодня его статус государственного парка запрещает кому-либо проживать там.

Edited version of USGS topographical chart of Kalalau Valley below 2000 feet elevation. The Kalalau Trail is shown as a black line near the top of the image. The Pihea Trail is shown as a black line near the bottom of the image.

Доступ в долину Калалау

Поскольку побережье Напали слишком крутое для любых моторизованных транспортных средств, доступ в долину осуществляется на лодке или пешком, за исключением экстренных посадок вертолетов. Каяки — популярный способ посещения долины, хотя морские условия могут сделать это опасно зимой. Пеший туризм и тропа по тропе Калалау также популярны, но длина тропы составляет около 11 миль (18 км), что довольно утомительно для тех, кто не в хорошей форме, а местами может быть опасным для неопытных людей.

Access to the Kalalau Valley is controlled. A limited number of permits are sold for camping in Kalalau Valley every year by the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), although parking for campers is no longer allowed at the trail head. Instead, parking is now an exclusive privilege for day users of Ha'ena State Park, where the Kalalau trail head is located, and permitted Kalalau campers are provided no overnight parking whatsoever. Anyone wishing to hike or run beyond Hanakāpīʻai valley must have a permit for staying in Kalalau Valley overnight, even if their intention is to return the same day. A total of sixty overnight permits are issued for each night. Permits must generally be sought as early as 6 months in advance of travel.

Ecology

The valley is home to many rare species, including the endangered plant Dubautia kalalauensis which was named for the valley and is found nowhere else in the world. Other endemics include the endangered Schiedea attenuata., and previously unknown plant species have been discovered there [1]

Life in Kalalau Valley

The natural environment and relative isolation, despite the noise of constant helicopter traffic, are the major attractions of the valley. Legal campers stay outside the valley in the designated camping area within roughly 300 feet (91 m) of Kalalau beach. There is a small waterfall in this area that is used for bathing and washing dishes.

At one end of the beach is a stream that is also used for fresh water. All the streams are susceptible to contamination with leptospirosis, a bacterium that is transmitted from the urine of infected rodents.

The falls at the end of Hanakapi`ai Valley, on the Nā Pali Coast.

Squatters

In spite of the efforts of the state of Hawaii, some people illegally hike the Kalalau Trail and camp and even live in the valley. Visitors who do not have a permit are occasionally issued citations that require a court appearance and a fine of up to $500 for a first offense.

On April 28, 2017, Cody Safadago, a man alleged to be living in Kalalau, was charged with stealing a truck and causing an accident that killed a Kauai woman the previous day, while he was driving drunk. This incident seemed to have increased awareness of illegal activity in Kalalau Valley, and may have helped lead to a May 2017 crackdown on illegal campers in Kalalau by officers of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). Some Hawaii residents have posted online complaints about illegal campers in Kalalau, referencing videos posted online by some of those same campers. While some videos appear to have been removed, the anger among locals continues. Some feel contempt for what they call "hippies" and "squatters" who violate State law by camping without required permits - sometimes for months or longer - in the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, where Kalalau Valley is located. Some Kauai residents decry the camping by people they consider to be disrespectful of the land, citing reports of accumulating trash in the camps, and disrespect of the citizenry of Kauai through various illegal conduct of the illegal campers.

Destruction of terraced gardens

The terraced gardens in the Kalalau Valley are threatened by the introduced, invasive trees which create underground root networks invading the rock walls. The trees then fall and topple the rock walls causing permanent damage. The origin of the trees is disputed.

Management of Kalalau Valley

The valley is a part of the Nā Pali Coast State Park and the DLNR is responsible for its maintenance and preservation.

External links

• Camping permits
• "Kalalau Valley". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-05-04.