This is going to be a rather lengthy post and it will take me some time to place titles on all of the photos that I will upload as part of this series.
The goal was to hike down into Haleakala to this first cinder cone within the crater. The head of the trail near the visitor’s center close to the top of Haleakala starts at an elevation of 9790 feet and the rim of the cinder cone inside is roughly at 8300 feet (measured from Google Earth). The park ranger informed me that they no longer allowed visitors to the walk to the cinder cone so I decided to hike up to a point and then come back out.
I think the total distance to the crater would be 2.4 miles (once again measured with Google Earth). Will just say that I am physically capable of making eh journey, but the hike out and up Sliding Sands Trail as it snakes its way through Haleakala is an extremely difficult hike especially at that altitude. The trail is a fine cinder and somewhat like walking through a barbecue pit. Once you begin the journey down inside the crater, the only sounds that you hear are the crunch of your shoes on the ground up cinders on the trail. You will pass the occasional hiker that has ventured into the crater and the horseback tour that journeys into the crater. For me, walking in is the only way to get a true sense of the size of the volcano. The vivid colors do not show themselves until later in the day when the sun reaches its zenith over the crater.
It was perfectly clear when I began the hike into the crater although there were clouds out on the horizon. By the time I had completed the journey and was headed out of the crater the clouds were rapidly closing in on me and I was never able to photograph the crater bathed in the full light that is needed to bring out all of the rich colors. For me, this is one visually spectacular place and well worth the visit. The vegetation is very sparse and a person has to enjoy scenery of this type. Another visitor once told me that visiting the crater was a religious experience and I have to wholeheartedly agree. A very strenuous hike, but well worth the effort.
These photos are also in no particular order but give different views from Sliding Sands Trail within the crater. Haleakala is located on the island of Maui.
If you care to see what Haleakala looks like in the full sun, you can follow the link below.
www.flickr.com/photos/wanam3/5959405561/in/set-7215762724...
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Tags: Haleakala volcano crater “cinder cone” landscape hiking altitude trail cinder “Sliding Sands Trail” Maui Hawaii WanaM3 “Haleakala National Park” park “volcanic cones” “shield volcano” wilderness “East Maui” “House Sun” Silversword
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Some of the Silversword plants that are near Sliding Sands Trail inside the crater. Definitely surviving in a very hostile environment. They grow nowhere else on the planet.
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Tags: Haleakala volcano crater “cinder cone” landscape hiking altitude trail cinder “Sliding Sands Trail” Maui Hawaii WanaM3 “Haleakala National Park” park “volcanic cones” “shield volcano” wilderness “East Maui” “House Sun” Silversword
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This is looking at the first cinder cone from one of the formations within Haleakala
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Tags: Haleakala volcano crater “cinder cone” landscape hiking altitude trail cinder “Sliding Sands Trail” Maui Hawaii WanaM3 “Haleakala National Park” park “volcanic cones” “shield volcano” wilderness “East Maui” “House Sun” Silversword
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Even though I had hiking boots on, I could have used a little more of a lug on them to grip the loose cinder gravel along the trail.
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Tags: Haleakala volcano crater “cinder cone” landscape hiking altitude trail cinder “Sliding Sands Trail” Maui Hawaii WanaM3 “Haleakala National Park” park “volcanic cones” “shield volcano” wilderness “East Maui” “House Sun” Silversword
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This is looking somewhat northward while heading down Sliding Sands Trail. The different textures and colors are quite amazing.
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Tags: Haleakala volcano crater “cinder cone” landscape hiking altitude trail cinder “Sliding Sands Trail” Maui Hawaii WanaM3 “Haleakala National Park” park “volcanic cones” “shield volcano” wilderness “East Maui” “House Sun” Silversword
© All Rights Reserved