Last Thursday two hikers were arrested for trespassing and stealing on Oahu’s Haiku Stairs after a video went viral of the duo throwing a piece of metal railing down the mountain. The duo was later identified by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility as Petty Officers 2nd Class Jared Fritter and Chase Hamel. Honolulu police are currently investigating them for trespassing and theft; the day after the arrest, five more members of the group—four adults and a minor—also turned themselves into police for trespassing.
Also known as the “Stairway to Heaven,” Haiku Stairs is a 3,992-step hike in Oahu that used to function as an access point to a radio tower, but was closed to the public in 1987 due to safety concerns. Up until that point, adventurers were able to sign waivers and undertake the hike at their own risk. This hike’s reputation as one the most beautiful on the island has drawn unwanted traffic for years, which has resulted in injuries and rescues that can cost upwards of $20,000 each.
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Between 2017 and 2020, police officers turned away more than 11,000 hikers who were attempting to tackle the hike both from the main entrance and surrounding neighborhoods. And between 2010 and 2022, emergency services rescued nearly 200 people from the hike at taxpayer expense despite the trail’s closure. In 2023, lawmakers introduced a bill that would redirect the cost of rescues to the hikers, but it has yet to pass.
At a press conference, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blanardi pointed to the video as one of many reasons why the stairway needs to be removed.
“Seeing the video of young men throwing the blockade, our barriers, over the edge, which is dangerous. It may be beautiful, but it’s unsafe, highly dangerous you know, and if someone gets in trouble up there, we have to put [sic] at risk our first responders,” he said. He added that the vandalism and disrespect were particularly disappointing.
Last year, officials began removing the stairway before a lawsuit from Friends of the Haiku Stairs, a local group dedicated to preserving the historic WWII site, halted progress.
Following the most recent arrests, Justin Scorza, a member of the organization, told Island News, “What I’ve seen is really disappointing. Those are not hikers, those are vandals.”
Prior to Friends of the Haiku Stairs’ lawsuit, the city began crackdowns on illegal behavior on the trail, which resulted in hefty fines and citations. Today, those who trespass are subject to a $1,000 fee and up to 30 days in jail.
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