Second hiker in less than a week rescued from Kalalau Trail

This story was updated at 4:28 p.m. May 16 to reflect new information about a rescue that was made prior to this one that had not yet been reported.

Kaua‘i Fire Department personnel rescued yet another distressed hiker — the eighth in less than 2 months and second just this week — from the famous 11-mile Kalalau Trail along Nā Pali Coast on the North Shore.

The 25-year-old visitor who was hiking the trail called for help just after 9:20 a.m. May 13. Personnel with Līhu‘e Fire Station aboard Air 1 responded.

First responders arrived at Kalalau Beach, at the end of the trail, to discovered the distressed hiker with severe stomach issues.

The visitor was loaded into the helicopter and taken to the Waimea Athletic Field, where upon landing was transferred to Waimea Fire Station and American Medical Response personnel for further treatment.

The scene was cleared shortly after 11:45 a.m.

Tuesday’s rescue was the eighth time since March 23 that Kaua‘i first responders were called to the popular North Shore trail trail for assistance after one or more hikers, many of them visitors, ended up in trouble.

It was also the second time this week after personnel with Līhu‘e Fire Station aboard Air 1 rescued an injured 30-year-old visitor who was hiking on the trail Sunday.

The prior six incidents were:

• A South Carolina visitor was rescued April 18 after becoming distressed while hiking on the trail amid inclement weather, particularly flooding.
• A Tennessee visitor was assisted April 8 after showing signs of apparent heat exhaustion while hiking on the trail.
• A Utah visitor suffering from a leg injury was rescued the afternoon of March 23 from about 1.5 miles into the trail.
• An Ohio visitor was rescued March 27 from near Hanakāpī‘ai Beach after suffering a shoulder injury while on the trail.
• Dozens of hikers were stranded on the trail overnight April 3 after heavy rains caused Hanakāpī‘ai Stream to become too dangerous to cross. With no one needing medical attention, first responders advised the about 50 hikers to shelter in place to wait for water levels to recede and then hike out the next morning.
• Three visitors — one from Germany, another from California and one from Canada — were rescued April 4 amid inclement weather after suffering injuries that were not life-threatening. The trail was also closed at the time, following the stranding of about 50 hikers the night before.