Myles Enriquez, senior, likes to partake in an uncommon hobby on the island: rock climbing. His interest in the sport started in April of 2013 when his good friend, Albert Cruz, introduced him. Enriquez explains that the sport is a meditation that puts him in a peaceful state of mind.
Although peaceful at times, rock climbing is incredibly dangerous and not for the faint of heart, which is exactly why Enriquez loves it. Unfortunately, climbing is illegal in the state of Hawaii and he cannot go out whenever he would like to. However, Enriquez has found a happy medium in his decision to hike the Ko’olau ridge. The ridgeline is a trecherous, eight day hike where he will be able to get his dose of adrenaline without worrying about breaking the law.
“The trail is packed with narrow ridges, jungle, and bipolar weather,” he says.
To prepare, Enriquez plans on vigorously hiking anywhere and everywhere. Currently, his favored hike is Kokohead and he climbs the mountatin wearing a weighted vest. He then sees how long he can go without stopping or drinking water. Basic exercies like pushups, pullups, and yoga are all a part of his training regime, as well.
Enriquez hasn’t been using a special diet, but is drinking plenty of water and eating the right kinds of food. No Burger King or meals laced in fat.
For mental strength, Enriquez uses a lot of meditation, and of course, rock climbing. “It [rock climbing] helps me enter a state of mind where nothing else is going on,” he says. “Just me and the rock I’m climbing, nothing else.”
The mission has garnered much attention around campus and has even landed him a sponsorship from the Wai Ola Project. Wai Ola distributes a single water purification system, DWS, that holds two years worth of filtered water. Wai Ola will be supplying Enriquez during his trek to make sure he is never thirsty.
As for food and shelter, he plans on packing light with dried fruits and nuts, then using a tarp to shield him from the harsh weather conditions. “The less material I bring, the better,” he says. Enriquez has no other plans for the hike because he does not want to complicate things. He does know that it will either take place in March or during the summer, and that he wants to beat the recorded time of eight days.
If he doesn’t beat the time, his wish is that his trip will “motivate others and show them that when things get shitty, if you fight through it, you’ll get to the end.”
Enriquez would like to reiterate that hiking and climbing are very dangerous, and if you wish to join in on the fun, talk with an expert beforehand. “You cannot beat nature, so do not think you are invincible,” he says.