Haʻikū Stairs, Oahu, Hawaii (1942)
On mountain peaks of Oahu, a narrow, 3,922-step Haʻikū staircase leads visitors on a path exploring the ridges and city overlooks. In 1942, the US Navy built the stairs to transmit radio signals to ships on Pacific Ocean routes. The stairs were opened to tourists, but after reports of injuries, the stairs officially closed to visitors in 1980. Storm damage in 2015 further deteriorated the condition of the stairs. Despite it now being illegal to walk on the stairs, 118 people have been rescued from them since 2010. A guard is posted to inform visitors it is illegal to be on the stairs, and if caught, there is a $1,000 trespassing fine. Plans for demolition were slated for 2022. Despite a grass-roots effort to preserve the stairs, they are still scheduled for demolition. Visitors can still see the extraordinary view; they must simply take the Moanalua Middle Ridge Trail instead.
