2 hikers on Kauaʻi rescued in 2 days on trails near Kapaʻa

Today, a 64-year-old female hiker who sustained a leg injury on Kauai’s Sleeping Giant (Nounou) hiking trail was lifted out of the area by a helicopter.

She suffered her injury between mile marker one and the rest pavilion. Kauaʻi fire rescue responded to the east trailhead at about 12:05 p.m. and began hiking up to the woman. They reached her about 25 minutes later.

After stabilizing the hiker and splinting her leg, firefighters from the Kapa’a Station assisted the woman up the trail to the pavilion landing zone, where Air 1 picked her up and transported her to paramedics waiting at Wailua Houselots Park. The paramedics took her by ambulance to Wilcox Medical Center for further treatment.

The Sleeping Giant East Trail is a 3.4-mile out-and-back hike is generally considered a challenging route, according to All Trails.

The Sleeping Giant rescue was the second serious hiking incident on Kaua’i in the past two days.

On Friday afternoon, an injured woman hiker was located about 1,000 yards below the popular Ho’opiʻi hiking trail’s second falls. She was treated for serious injuries by first responders from Kaua’i Fire Station 8.

Rescue efforts were briefly hampered around 4 p.m., when mostly sunny weather in the area gave way to rain and limited visibility. Kauai Air 1 Helicopter was among the responders setting up for the rescue, but returned to Līhuʻe airport and stood by in case they were needed.

Specialized rough terrain transport equipment was brought to the hiker, who was transported by ground to paramedics around 6 p.m. She also was taken to Wilcox Medical Center for further treatment.

Hoʻopiʻi Falls Trail is a 1.8-mile out-and-back trail that generally is considered a moderately challenging hike, according to All Trails.