While visiting Maui this month, Haleakala was on my bucket list. I rode down the Haleakala mountain on a tour with my daughter about ten years ago. We were disappointed when we arrived at the top because it was so foggy; we could not see anything that day. It is popular to arrive before the sunrise or at sunset.
This time, I chose to go in the afternoon and spend some time at the top hiking. I stopped at the visitor’s station (7000 ft.), where the friendly staff gave me a map and advice on where to hike at the top. I love postcards and stickers and bought some at their shop to put in my journal. You can collect National Park stickers, so I wanted one of those.
Some people prefer to avoid the drive as there are switchbacks, and it takes quite a while to get to the top. But I loved it. I like driving anyway, so the views, the clouds, and the mountain were stunning and remarkable. At the top, I was truly above the clouds! It was a little surreal to see them below me.
“Haleakala National Park houses the last, best, opportunity to preserve, for all time, a maturing Hawaiian volcanic landscape which has nurtured and sustained unique biotic ecosystems and a rich cultural heritage. The preservation of Haleakala in turn nurtures her environments, her many peoples, and the mind, body, and spirit of these islands.”
Some facts about Haleakala:
- Higher than Mount Everest!
- The silversword plant – grows only on this mountain. The plant can live up to 50 years and only flowers once.
- The domes at the top are powerful telescopes and the fourth-best views in the world! Native Hawaiians were already stargazers and many years from this mountain before the telescopes were placed there.
- Many forms of rare life live at the summit- insects, spiders, and a bird, the va’u bird.
- The va’u bird only lays one egg per year.
The summit was so spectacular and took my breath away. It was cold and windy, but I enjoyed being on the trails. I ran part of the way and was unaffected by the high altitude.
The deep valleys and gorges are from all the millions of years of wind and erosion, and the cinder cones are from years of built-up ash and molten. The once-active volcano left streaks of red, yellow, grey, and black colors from the ancient lava and cinder flows. Many might think it looks desolate, but I was in awe.
Haleakala, or House of the Sun, until we meet again.
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