My first hike and camping in Haleakala Crater was back in March 2010 (as marked in the photos here). The experience was so awesome I wanted to write a blog post that would capture the fascinating experience I had. Needless to say, I was not able to produce the blog post because the draft I wrote seemed to be so bland and inadequate. It wasn’t doing any justice to the awesomeness of the experience of hiking in the Haleakala Crater. So I decided not to post about it.
This weekend, we hiked and camped there again. This time I was more prepared, and this time I am more calm. I am also more confident to blog about it. Not that I think I can now describe this one of a kind experience – it is more of the fact that I know I can’t. I have accepted the reality that there are no words to fully describe the experience. I just have to do the best I can to share from my point of view. Maybe others wil be enticed and try to hike and camp and see for themselves. I also am reminded that pictures speak a thousand words, so I will post a lot of photos (and later on a video slide show) to show you what are out there in the crater.
The first leg of our hike was hiking the Sliding Sands. This is a gorgeous hike where we got to see various landscapes formed from the Haleakala volcanic eruption years ago. We started by entrance of Haleakala Visitor Center parking lot. The Sliding Sands trail descends 2,500 feet through a cinder desert to the valley floor in. The Panoramic views of cinder cones and lava flows is spectacular. As we hiked down we can feel the solitude and quiet the wilderness has to offer. Being one who likes solitude and quietness, I absolutely love this hike.
To be continued … 2011 photos in the next post
(Note: due to recent hacking, I am now moderating the comments here. When you leave a comment and it does not show right away, it’s just waiting or approval. Mahalo!)
Liza, can’t wait to see more photos of the interior of the crater. The feeling can’t be described as you said… How did you like the triple bunk beds and cooking on the wood stove to boil your water? Did you see many Nenes?
Such a wonderful experience, I haven’t done it in years but used to with the Maui High Science club, my dad was their advisor. It always amazed me how walking thru the crater was like going from one world to another, the sunrise on the siding sands all the way to the misty switchback at the very end.
Love seeing your pics and hearing about your hike! This is a hike that I want to do soooo badly… have to wait until our boys are old enough though. For now, I’ll have to live vicariously through you 🙂
Needless to say, I’m already enticed and definitely want to do this. I really need to start a Maui bucket list of all things I still want to do.
Great shots from last year’s hike, can’t wait to see and read more.
I’ve lived here ALL MY LIFE and still haven’t done this! I’m so jealous — you’ve definitely sparked my interest again, and I hope to do it again soon!
Hi,
I love your site.
Thanks.
We love your blog, its great to see different Islands in the eyes of others. Its almost like we are right there with you guys. My wife and I have moved to Kauai 3 months ago and have a blog similar to your own! Feel free to check it out.
http://coryandemiliemovetohawaii.blogspot.com/
Never stop writing,
Cory and Emilie
Aloha! I was so pleased to find your blog. I am planning on flying into Maui in May and would like to hike and wilderness camp all the way through the crater to the Hana side, one night each wilderness campground (I thought I saw that there are three-though another site listed only two). I’m male in the second half of life going solo and plan to try to do it without renting a car. Any advice you can share: crater camping; getting to the trailhead from Kahului and then camping back along Hana on return. Maybe a day or two at the beach before flying home? Mahalo