Haleakala's summit, Pu'u'ula'ula (which means red hill) is the highest point on Maui (10,023 ft elevation) and is also known as the East Maui Volcano which comprises 75% of the island. This volcano is considered dormant, so it could erupt again at some point, but the last eruption is believed to have been in the 17th century. The road to the summit was completed in 1935 and it is well maintained. Since the temperature fluctuates a lot from the base to the summit, we brought a hoodie and a fleece for each person which worked well for us. For this trip wear hiking shoes, long pants, and bring layers of clothing to keep warm if you want to spend time walking around. Don't forget to pack food and water too.
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| On the way |
If you are able to wake up early, try to get to the summit to watch the sun rise. We had hoped to do this, but our plans changed with the kids' needs. In any case you need to get to the top earlier in the day because there are more clouds in the afternoon which won't let you enjoy the views. The road is an ascending zig zag pattern resulting in 180 degree turns on an incline (I would describe it as steep and winding). The Mazda was peppy and didn't struggle at all going up. By the time we were driving up the mountain the sun was at an angle which made visibility an issue while driving up. It was almost blinding when making these turns - add to that the vehicles and cyclists coming down. As with most of the tourist routes, there are many scenic spots to pull over and snap a few photos.
Every few miles there would be signs indicating the elevation. The elevation change is very evident and you can feel it in your ears. As you get further up the view is almost unbelievable and you start to approach the same elevation as the clouds. Here, is where the weather becomes unpredictable, because the clouds appear like dense fog, mist and rain. Visitors are cautioned to drive with headlights on, since the low lying clouds cause poor visibility.
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| The park headquarters Visitor Center |
Once you get through the entrance gate, you can stop at the park headquarters to check conditions and take a few photos. This serves as a good stop for snacks, washroom, etc. and to put on some warmer layers of clothing. We spent a little bit of time here and then continued up to the summit.
The change in landscape was neat, as lush rainforest turned into lava rock, which turned to barren red rock and cinder cones as we reached the summit - reminiscent of the surface of Mars. We pulled into the visitor centre and were thrilled to be looking down at clouds. Then we continued to walk around the summit.
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| Above the clouds |
Typically there are no concerns about altitude sickness at Haleakala, however, they recommend not running or overexerting yourself due to the thinner air. We continuously monitored the kids for laboured breathing as well as temperature. It is a bit colder up here too - when we started from the resort, the temp was 72 deg. F. (22 deg. C), at the park headquarters it was 56 deg. F (13 deg. C), and at the summit it was 40 deg. F (4 deg. C).
Based on a friend's recommendation we also took a bag of chips with us, which inflated to almost pop the bag as we ascended.
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| Before our ascent |
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| at the top- it's ready to pop! |
There are a few trails here which were a bit too long for us to tackle with the kids and reduced oxygen air. If you are adventurous, visitors do have the option of overnight camping or using the cabins on the trails. Some of these trails can take days to complete.
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| the trail map |
There are also a couple of short walking paths to guide you around Pu'u'ula'ula (the summit area) and to the observations deck. These are very easy, but we had to make sure Evan kept away from the cliff edges. There is also a little garden in the middle of the parking lot which lets you take a close look at the 'ahinahina (or Silversword) which is a rare and threatened plant species which grows on volcanic cinder. The leaves have silver hairs on them which raises the plants temperature by up to 20 deg C, allowing it to survive at the high altitude. You can also see the observatories for the summit, however, this area is not open to the public.
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| Haleakala Visitor Center |
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| the Observatory in the distance |
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| The Silversword, unique to high altitude ecosystems on volcanic cinder |
When we were satisfied with all we'd seen, we started our drive back. You do not need to touch the gas pedal on the drive down, but you do need to switch into low gear so you don't burn out your brakes.
In Kahului we found a Fabric Mart (pretty close to CR32 and the Hana Hwy. junction) which had Hawaiian and other fabrics at excellent prices. (
hawaiifabricmart.com) I like to sew, so I couldn't help but pick up a few pieces. We went back to the resort to enjoy some pool and beach time and then went on to explore Lahaina.
The Westin Maui offered a free shuttle into town (you have to pay for parking if you drive there yourself) and the most convenient stop for us was at the Hilo Hatties (they also have another stop at the shopping centre). Walking around the town was really nice - the main strip is right beside the ocean and there are a multitude of shops catering to tourists and locals, as well as some excellent dining options. There is a Whalers General Store in town as well as on the other islands, but one thing to note is that I wasn't able to find Macadamia Nut Liquer anywhere but Whalers General Store (on any island).
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| The Captain of Lahaina Center-one of a few larger than life statues greeting you at the Lahaina tourist area |
We took the opportunity to check out the Banyan Tree park, which is a giant banyan tree originally planted in 1873 by Owen William Smith to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Christian missionary work in Lahaina. It is over 60ft tall and shades about 2/3 of an acre with 12 major trunks and a massive core. It was imported from India and when originally planted, it was 8ft tall. This is one of the largest Banyan trees in the world. The park is quite busy, (which made it take some time to get a picture without other people in it.)
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| the busy park surrounding the banyan tree |
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| The banyan tree |
Lahaina has a small town atmosphere, but it is busy. There are many outdoor events, music performances, patios, and art galleries to entertain everyone. After exploring and picking up some souvenirs, we decided to dine at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company which is chain of restaurants in Hawaii.
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| Where we ate dinner- at Bubba Gump's |
I have to mention again, that customer service in Maui is beyond anything I have seen before, and at this restaurant they were very well coordinated - within seconds we were given a booth, a high chair was brought over, and our server took our drink requests. Of course, everything in the restaurant was Forrest Gump themed. The food was great and well priced. Nigel and I ordered the Shrimp Lovers Heaven, which was yummy. We picked the fish and chips from the kids menu for Evan, although by the end of it he was eating tartar sauce mixed with blue jello, eventually deciding he didn't like it.
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| one of the items decorating the restaurant |
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| Shrimp Lovers Heaven |
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| Kids menu- beverages & desserts |
Visiting Lahaina was a great way to spend our last evening in Maui. Next, we had to pack for our flight to the Big Island of Hawaii the following day.
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