This day was such a nerve wracking day for me. I don’t really know what was going on in my head when I decided that I wanted to go ziplining at CLIMB Works Zipline.
I am extremely afraid of heights which doesn’t help, but at the same time I am also an adrenaline junkie.
To make matters worse, I went on this tour with my best friend who, at the time, I thought loved high places.
I was so terribly mistaken.
Little did I know that she is actually scared of heights more than I am – and I get anxiety riding airplanes.
Driving to CLIMB Works at Keana Farms
It was very windy the day we went ziplining.
Before leaving my friend’s house to the site I made sure to call CLIMB Works Zipline. I confirmed that the activity would still go out despite the winds.
We decided to drive out to the site since I love driving out to the north shore during the day! It’s a very scenic drive along Oahu’s east coast, so it’s worth driving there if you have a car.
The activity does go out rain or shine, but I think it is safe to always call before you make the long drive out. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
The drive out took about an hour. There wasn’t much traffic, but it’s a far drive out which is why it took so long.
My best friend doesn’t really get out much, especially out to the north side of the island. I was excited to show her how beautiful the mountains and ocean were on the North Shore compared to Honolulu.
The Beautiful North Shore
The waters are always more blue away from town. I don’t know why, but that is the exact reason why I love heading away from the busy city every now and then.
Sadly for me though, since I was the driver I couldn’t enjoy the view as much as my friend. Still, I was just happy I could get her out of her house!
Since my tour time was around 10 AM, I couldn’t get food before the tour and it was way past lunch once the tour finished. I would recommend starting either earlier or later so you can get lunch.
If I had had time for lunch I would drive a couple minutes past CLIMB Works Zipline to go and get myself a garlic shrimp plate from Giovanni’s Aloha Shrimp. This place is my favorite place for garlic shrimp!
I used to go to Giovanni’s every time I went out to the north shore with my family. We had a tradition to head out to Giovanni’s and then go to Dole Plantation whenever we felt like going to the “country” side of Oahu.
Checking in and Getting Ready to Zipline
We actually almost missed the entrance since they didn’t have a huge sign that said CLIMB Works Zipline on it. But, with a little help from the GPS, my friend and I were able to make it safe and sound.
The parking area is not paved so it is a slightly bumpy ride to park your car.
Before checking in, we made sure to use the bathroom and put our belongings into the mini lockers they provide.
Since my friend and I wanted to take pictures during the tour we attached our phones to lanyards so that we could have it around our neck the entire tour!
The check in process was very simple since we filled out our waivers ahead of time. We simply walked up, gave our names then stepped on the scale so they could take our weights and that was it!
Once we got all harnessed up it was time to meet our guides for the tour. Our guides were Jackie, Reece, and Aio.
From the get-go they made sure we all felt comfortable with them by making jokes and helping us all relax our nerves before heading up to the first line.
The First Line
As I stood on the platform of the first line, I thought my heart was going to pop out of my chest. I was so nervous and scared, my legs were shaky and my eyes were watering.
My friend and I promised we’d jump together but when the time came she chickened out and I ended up jumping off the platform first. I wouldn’t even say I jumped off, I was so scared I just lifted my legs up and let gravity do its job.
I thought I would be bawling after the first jump, but instead I was laughing. The adrenaline kicked in and it was the greatest feeling ever! Who knew ziplining wasn’t so scary and it was actually loads of fun.
Ziplining above Keana Farms
After the first line we hopped onto an ATV and took about a 10-minute drive up to the very top of the farm where the second zipline was located. The ATV ride was its own kind of fun!
As we rode up one of our guides, Reece, was giving us a lesson on the farm and some of the crops they grew.
Standing at the platform of the second line, I realized that the lines only get longer and faster from there on out.
The scare I had doing the first line instantly became an embarrassing memory. That first line was nothing compared to the ones that were about to come.
More than Just Ziplines
I imagined the course would just be consecutive ziplining until the end. However, apparently I signed up for rappelling, rope climbing and bridge crossing as well! It was like being in an upgraded jungle gym.
If you are looking for a nice photo opportunity, my advice is to take a picture of you right before you start crossing the bridge!
The bridge was the one place I can guarantee you could get a nice smile and not worry about the wind making your hair look all wack.
My favorite part of the tour, other than ziplining, was climbing up the ropes.
To give you an idea of my athletic background, I have been training judo for over 10 years. For those of you who don’t know what judo is, it’s a sport where we basically throw people to the ground.
I thought that with my athletic background it should be a breeze climbing up those ropes, and started pulling myself up as fast as I could, but started slowing down about ¼ into the climb.
This was when I realized climbing ropes had nothing to do with my athletic background. I gave myself way more credit than I deserved.
Getting Stuck
The most memorable line was the longest one they had to offer. This line was about a mile long and you would be on the line for a good minute.
But this was not the reason it was the most memorable for me.
This was the most memorable line for me because, due to high winds, I wasn’t able to reach the end!
I had zipped backwards to the midpoint and got stuck there.
Thankfully, the guide came to retrieve me. During the retrieval he made sure I wouldn’t be scarred or traumatized by making jokes until we got to the end.
Also, I felt better when I wasn’t the only one in our group who the guides retrieved.
Unfortunately, I was the only one who had to get retrieved twice.
I felt so bad because the same guide had to come and retrieve me both times.
The guide was, again, nice about it. He reassured me that it happens to others, too, and made sure I wasn’t upset.
Apparently, it happens all the time, so don’t feel bad if it happens to you!
In between some lines we were able to taste test some of the crops they grow on the farm! We were able to try apple bananas, macadamia nuts, and tomatoes! My favorite was the tomatoes, they were so sweet and tasted very fresh.
Ziplining Backwards!
The very last line at CLIMB Works Zipline wasn’t anything too special at first glance. The guides explained, however, that this was the line they would allow us to zipline backwards. If we were courageous enough, we could even hang upside down!
The only regret I had on this tour was not ziplining upside down. I didn’t have enough courage so the most I could do was zipline backwards.
Once I reached the end of the line, I instantly wished that I had ziplined upside down. Everyone else had and it looked like they were having the time of their lives
The End of the Tour
The very last thing we did was rappel down from the platform to the ground. This was my last chance to do something memorable.
When the guides told us there was a fast rappel and a slow one, I chose the fast one. At first, it was scary to jump off when I couldn’t see the ground. But getting down was quick and wasn’t all that bad!
We took about 3 hours to complete the full tour, but with the fun I had it felt all too short.
My body, however, had a different opinion. This tour was a lot more strenuous than I had expected. I wasn’t aching all over, but was definitely exhausted by the time we were done.
Although the tour had ended this was not the end of my day. Since the tour ran through lunch, my friend and I decided on an early dinner in town.
Leaving Keana Farms
The drive back to town took longer, most likely because everyone was headed back into town at that time. If you have the time, I suggest taking the longer route to town by passing through Waimanalo. You will not regret it!
Once you get back into town, there are a variety of dinner options. My friend and I decided to eat at California Pizza Kitchen.
If you prefer a more local food option I would suggest trying Pioneer Saloon. Order take out and have a nice picnic watching the sunset on the beach!
I had a lot of fun ziplining with CLIMB Works Zipline, even with my fear of heights. The drive to the North Shore from Honolulu can be long, though.
I recommend taking an entire day to explore all that the North Shore has to offer. While you’re there, stop by Keana Farms to go ziplining!
