HALEAKALA MILLENNIUM ADVENTURE.

Haleakala National Park is located on the island of Maui, Hawaii, and stretches from the rugged Kipahulu coastline up through the rainforest and shrubland to the summit of the volcano at 10,023 ft. Though many people refer to the summits cinder landscape as a "crater," if is actually a valley carved into the volcano by thousands of years of erosion during a period of dormancy. Renewed volcanic activity has partially filled in the valley with cinder cones and lava flows, which can be viewed from the Haleakala Visitor Center when weather permits.

The weather was quite nice on April 28, 2000, as our 10 member MWR Liberty/Outdoor Recreation sponsored group from Pearl Harbor began the 2500-ft descent from the Haleakala Visitor Center at 9740 ft. through a cinder desert to the valley floor. The infamous Sliding Sands trail used by hikers and mule riding tourists alike provided us with the numerous switchbacks required to make such a steep descent possible. Dust filled the air as we plodded downward, but it was easy to swallow when confronted with the option of trading places with the gasping hikers climbing out of the valley that we passed along the way. If is nothing short of hard work when fighting gravity at high elevation, not to mention the added weight of a backpack. Trails are strenuous at high elevation due to the lack of oxygen and altitude sickness is always a concern.

Much of the seven and a half miles of terrain we encountered on our first day was similar to that of the desert Southwest of the United States, and at times it seemed we had wandered into Death Valley, or onto the "Mission to Mars" movie set. Contemplating the comparison to hiking down into the Grand Canyon was irresistible, with the daytime temperature in the crater continuing to climb the further we descended. Our water bottles and camel backs were slowly emptied, as we marched down and across this lunar landscape, but as with life's many challenges of the mind, body and soul, we endured to reach our first nights destination, the cabin at Holua, at 6940 ft. Packs off our backs and boots removed, replenishing our water supply and preparing dinner was the priority. Nonpotable water is available at the cabin, so it must be filtered, treated with iodine, or boiled before drinking or mixing with food.

We awoke the following day to sore muscles and glorious sunshine. The word Haleakala means "House of the Sun." According to Hawaiian legend, the sun rose from Haleakala every morning, performing its duty of tracking light and heat across the sky. The problem was that the sun was racing across the sky too quickly. Crops were not ripening, and the human beings did not have light long enough to finish their work.

Using a little forcible persuasion, the mythical fisherman Maui, an exuberant trickster struck a deal with the sun. Following the advice of his grandmother, Maui ensnared the sun using sixteen ropes, one for each ray. Helpless, the sun was forced to agree to slow down. Appealing to Maui's compassion, the sun asked for some slack. Not without compassion, Maui felt sorry for the sun, and they agreed that the sun could slow down half the year, causing summer, and speed up the other half, causing winter. Among Maui's accomplishments, he pulled up the Hawaiian Islands on a fishing hook in one long chain. What a guy!

The Island of Maui is one of the younger islands in this chain and began as two separate volcanoes on the ocean floor. Time and again, eon after eon, they erupted and thin new sheets of lava spread upon the old, building and building until the volcano heads emerged from the sea. Lava, windblown ash, and alluvium eventually joined the two by an isthmus or valley, forming Maui, "The Valley Isle." Finally Haleakala, the larger eastern volcano, reached its greatest height, 12,000 ft above the ocean -- some 30,000 ft from its base on the ocean floor. Younger Island's like Maui, lack the erosional portfolio of the older islands like Oahu.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

We thanked Maui for the sunshine, and set out for our much-anticipated up close and personal encounter with the Goddess of fire and volcano herself, Pele. Since the very first people settled in Hawaii, they have revered and feared the volcanoes, and tried to appease their mistress, the fickle Goddess Pele. She is one of the most captivating and enduring of all pagan deities. Even today, her name and power are taken seriously by many Hawaiians, whose lives are subject to the whims of the volcanoes she is said to control. On this day we decided to explore the realm of Pele, the lava tube located near the Holua cabin. Lava tubes are usually formed in flows that are confined, such as in a gully. The top and edges of the flow cool and crust over, while the lava inside continues to flow through the resulting tunnel. Eventually, the flow diminishes and stops, leaving a tube. Headlamps on and flashlights in hand, our subterranean pilgrimage took some of us completely through the lava tube and to the other side, while those of us not wanting to wake a sleeping Goddess opted for turning around at the half way point.

Leaving Pele to rest in peace, we continued our venture slowly up to the second cabin of Kapalaoa, at 7250 ft. Along the way we took a side trail called the Silversword loop, where Haleakala's legendary Silversword is in relative abundance. The Silversword usually grows for 15-20 years before flowering. The flower stalks often appear in summer or early fall and have purple blossoms. After the seeds develop, the entire plant dies. The Silversword plants themselves are small to large rounded balls of silver, and as Tim Vincelette, one of the trips organizers said, "They appear almost surreal" against the vast background of dark volcanic rock. Silverswords are endemic to Hawaii, meaning they are found no where else on earth.

Unfortunately for us, we were not blessed with a single blooming one!

The bottomless pit was our next stop, said to be dug by Pele herself, with a magic digging tool. None of us got close enough to question the validity of the bottomless theme, and with more of Pele's handiwork looming over us in the form of cinder cones, we decided to move on. Our hike this second day was close to 4 miles, and when we arrived at Kapalaoa we were welcomed by a nene, the Hawaiian goose. The nene has a black face and head, with a gray brown body. Because it lives on dry and rugged lava flows at high elevation, it has lost much of the webbing on its feet. Like its Canadian counterpart, the nene is a strong flyer and often honks in mid-flight. The nene is an endangered species, and inclusive in the one third of plants and birds listed or considered for listing on the Federal Endangered Species List, all residing in Hawaii.

MOSTLY DOWNHILL

Day three began with tired eyes and lots of coffee, as our bodies began to make known their displeasure with the hiking that out minds had insisted upon over the previous two days. The benefit of it being day 3, was the fact that our packs were becoming lighter as we had now devoured a substantial portion of our food. But, the best part of this day was knowing that only a short 3.3-mile hike separated us from our destination, the cabin at Paliku. Not to mention the fact that it was mostly downhill! The hike may have been short, but the environment that surrounded us was nothing short of spectacular. In the span of but a few miles, the harsh terrain that Pele had so proudly branded was slowly giving way to yellow flowers and green shrubbery As we continued on the trail, so did the transition from bleak to beautiful. By the rime we had arrived at Paliku, elevation 6,380 ft. the transition was complete, and simply stated, it was Paradise. We knew at that moment, that we were not in Kansas anymore! Pele may have scorched the surface near the cabins of Holua and Kapalaoa, but her wrath fell short of the beauty at Paliku. Everyone was in agreement that the lush green shrubs and trees surrounding the cabin at Paliku meaning vertical cliff in Hawaiian were heaven sent. These same sheer cliffs created by Pele that surround Paliku, cause precipitation to occur as they are breached by the approaching moisture-rich trade winds that spill over from the northeast side of the island. This barrier alone provides rainfall of approximately 100 inches per year.

Later that afternoon some of us strolled south and downhill from Paliku to Kaupo Gap, where sitting beneath a lush green canopy offered shade and an astounding view of the ocean below. That night we shared star charts and excess baggage in the form of food with our neighbors camped at the Paliku campground. Food and water are always in demand in the backcountry, and our new friends were more than willing to help us lighten our loads. Void of the vast illumination of light associated with an urban metropolis provided a pitch-black canvas for the stars, as we enjoyed hours of stargazing. Knowing that this was our last night to frolic in the garden of Eden, coupled with an acute awareness of the following days 10 mile uphill hike back through Pele's sandbox of cinder cones, needless to say sleep did not come easy. Most of us thought it wise to get a head start on Pele, so a 4:30 am departure time was established for our final day's hike out.

When sleeping in the confined quarters of a tent, cabin, or even a campsite, there is no such thing as an almost unanimous decision to arise early. When people begin to awake, turning on headlamps and flashlights as they stumble about, everyone wakes up regardless of departure rime. Soon after the crash and clanging of pots and pans among other things, it appeared to be a unanimous decision after ail. The cabin awoke and was emptied of all by 5:00 am. The final day out was a long hike, but with our early departure we were able to take our time. The hike was relatively easy as we made our way back to the cabin at Holua, but the final 3 miles between Holua and our 2nd van parked at the Halemau'u trailhead, elevation 8,000 ft. was switchback hell. Yet, as the trail continued to climb, one could not help but to ponder over our weekend of friendship and discovery. Soon the zigzagging of switchbacks was behind us and the end of the trail was in sight. Walking those final steps, we slowly glanced over our shoulders and shared a smile with the goddess Pele, creator of Haleakala!

There are three primitive wilderness cabins within the Haleakala National Park. They are located at Holua, Kapalaoa, and Paliku. For reservations, you must write at least 90 days prior to trip to:

Haleakala National Park
Attention: Cabins
PO Box 369
Makawao, HI. 96768

Ken Cornia has been in the outdoor recreation field for over 20 years and currently serves as a recreation specialist in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He has a bachelor of science degree in geology from the University of Washington and has operated his own guide service in the Northwest. He recounts for us his recent trip to the island of Maui as part of a 10-member MWR Liberty/ Outdoor Recreation sponsored group in "Haleakala Millennium Adventure" (p. 60).