Postcards From Maui - Haleakalā

Haleakalā is the tallest of the two mountains that comprise the island of Maui. The name means "House of the Sun" in the local parlance, and it more than lives up to that appellation. A popular tourist destination, the mountain is also home to a US Air Force observatory and satellite tracking station , ancient volcanic flows and some unique flora.

By far the most popular way to experience the wonders of Haleakalā is to drive to the top of its 10,000 foot summit in the early morning to watch the spectacular Hawaiian sunrise. We were obliged to rise at 2:30 in order to make the two hour drive up the mountain. As the elevation changes, the road narrows and turns into a series of tight switchbacks-- a real challenge for an unfamiliar driver in the blackness of the early morning. As we climbed through the thousands of feet, atmospheric effects distorted the setting moon into a flattened disk that resembled a huge yellow watermelon. Unfortunately we weren't able to find a place to stop for a picture before it dropped beneath the horizon, so we continued burining up the elevation until at last we arrived atop the mountain.

The visitor center parking lot is a few hundred feet below the summit. We found it well filled with cars and tour vans when we arrived. We opened our doors onto a chilly early morning. At 3,000 meters, the temperatures plunged to near freezing and the thin air led to quick fatigue and headaches. We donned coats hats and gloves, and I shouldered my camera pack for the short walk to the overlook. We were amazed to find that scores of people packed onto the rocky ground awaiting the dawn:


Like me, tourists with cameras abounded. Few had digital SLRs, though. Fewer still had big professional lenses and tripods. I was surprised (and thankful) when a man offered me his vantage on a rocky plateau. It took a bit of doing, but I got set up in time to shoot some pre-dawn images. When the sun broke through the clouds below us, a Hawaiian native sang a traditional song to welcome the dawn. Dozens of camera shutters clicked in earnest to capture the moment. Here are a few of my sunrise shots:
          

Armed with our DX6490 camera, Dawn captured her own Kodak moment:


As the sun threw its golden light onto the mountain, its true scale and majesty emerged. Here I am, outfitted for a mountain adventure, sporting a water bottle, utility/camp knife, backpack, warm clothes and of course, my camera. Behind me you can see several lava cones, artifacts of past eruptions on the now dormant volcanic mountain:
     

We moved around the mountain, making liberal use of our cameras and enjoying the awe-inspring vistas laid out before us. I set up the tripod again for a shot with Dawn. A bit later a helpful fellow tourist shot the two of us from above:
     

While we explored the mountaintop, many of the tourists had already gone, perhaps seeking warmer, thicker air at lower elevations. Many others prepared to head down the long road on mountain bikes, a popular way to return to sea level:


We'd hoped to see the Nene, or Hawaiian Goose, one of the few indigenous birds that still survives on the island, but we were unable to find any at the summit. These Chukars (Alectoris chukar), members of the Partridge family, were common enough. This pair cooed at each other while I took their picture:


The landscape is rugged and decidedly otherworldly. By looking in the right direction it was almost possible to imagine that we were walking through a martian landscape instead of standing a few thousand meters above the lush Maui paradise:


The fauna looks alien as well. Unique to the mountain, this Silversword plant lives most of its twenty year span as a ground-hugging spiny orb. At the apogee of its life it transmogrifies into a truly spectacular form, rising into the air and sprouting brilliant purple flowers:
     
It turned out we were a few days late to catch the blooms, which had faded to a dull gray, a harbinger of its impending death.

Atop the summit is a small parking lot and observation building. I took a couple of pictures. Here's Dawn outside the observation building...


...and a tourist taking in the view to the southwest:


On the way down the mountain we took advantage of the many pull-offs at the side of the road to shoot pictures and admire the landscape:
     

The eastern slope of the mountain shows its stark history of volcanic eruption cones and black lava flows:
          

The weather warmed as we descended. At various times our progress was slowed by the bike tours:


These horses were being readied for a trip up the mountain, where they were to be used for tours down into the crater. A horse tour into the Haleakalā crater is on our must do list for our next trip to Maui:


The return to sea level was like coming back to earth from an off-world excursion. Top down on our Mustang, we enjoyed the drive along the coast:
     

Dawn took a shot of "Maui Jim" wearing his Maui Jim's...


A trip to Haleakalā is a must for any tourist on the island. Sunset is also supposed to be spectacular on the summit and the stargazing is said to be unmatched. Around the south side of the mountain is a forest preserve teeming with native Hawaiian tropical birds and elegant waterfalls. All in all, it leaves us plenty to do on our return to Maui.