There is one thing I learned about the real estate business. In order to be successful I must determine what the end of this year will look like in terms of those things that are important to me. I must develop a plan to get there and work the plan to death. This means time blocking, time blocking and time blocking. Family time is on the top of the list. Time blocking family time has always been a challenge for me. Ten years ago, I fixed that by planning at the beginning of each year, along with my business goals, a foreign vacation and a domestic U.S. vacation every year. One of my more memorable vacations was a three day trek through the House of the Sun.
Ka Lu'u O Ka OO Crater looking toward sliding sands trail, our access to the crater.
Perhaps one of the most unique characteristics of the Hawaiian Islands is the variety of environments offering an unlimited amount of outdoor activities. In Hawaii there are mountains and valleys, the ocean and beaches, tropical forests and arid wastelands. And if you're the type of person who want the moon, you can have that too....at Haleakala, the House of the Sun on the Island of Maui.
Haleakala is 26 square miles of dormant volcano and even if you've never been to the moon, the huge crater will remind you of the lunar surface. The best way to experience the wonder of Haleakala is to hike into the crater yourself. Twelve of us decided to do just that in the middle of the summer several years ago.
We arrived at Kahului Airport, Maui about 8:30 in the morning and immediately assembled our gear and began the two hour drive up a scenic, winding road to Haleakala. As we approached the crater, we hit a layer of clouds at the 7000 foot elevation and drove through the mist and fog until we reached 10,030 feet.
Before we actually began the hike, we were required to report to Haleakala National Park Headquarters. There we obtained literature and maps on the crater and paid for the cabins we had reserved three months earlier.
Camping is allowed in the crater in the event cabins are not available. Cabin rental is very reasonable and can be made by writing the National Park Service. Additional information can be gotten by signing on to http://www.nps.gov/hale/ . You can take one-day, overnight or two and three day hikes into Haleakala, depending on which trails and sights you want to include in your journey.
We entered at the Sliding Sands Trail, which took us down some 2500 feet into the crater. The footing on the trail varies from a hard, lava-type surface to loose, sandy ground. Sliding Sands Trail is constructed along the south side of the crater to Kapalaoa Cabin six miles away. This is one of three primitive cabins maintained by the National Park Service.
As you descend into the crater, the view from the summit which is a little over 10,000 feet above sea level, is quite spectacular. A sleeping layer of status and cumulus clouds blanketing the crater floor is usually the norm during the summer months in the early morning hours. Beyond Kapalaoa Cabin, you can see a portion of the huge Kaupo Gap, where you might find some koa trees or an occasional mountain goat.
The crater floor consists of old lava flows, numerous cinder cones averaging 500 feet in height, spatter cones and rather unusual plant life, such as the Silversword, one of the rarest plants in the world which grows only at Haleakala Crater. The cinder cones are rounded and smooth like windblown sand and look something like sand dunes in a desert.
The rare silversword plant that lives in Haleakala Crater
In addition to the listed attractions in a guide provided by the Park Service, there are a few lava tubes and heiaus (ancient Hawaiian temples) to be found if you're experienced enough to deviate from the trail. That, incidentally, is not recommended, even though the crater is patrolled regularly by rangers on horseback.
Another tip for hikers....dress appropriately. The temperature in the crater is generally 30 degrees cooler than at sea level. At the same time, the sun is very direct, so wear a hat if your skin is fair. Bring food, soap, towels, matches, simple first aid and sheets or a sleeping bag for the cabin and wooden bunks. You should also be aware that anything you take into the crater must be packed out including trash.
During our three days in the crater, we spent most of our time exploring cinder cones and other geographical features and photographing the crater from hundreds of different angles. You get an overwhelming feeling of inner peace as you are surrounded by the vast wasteland which was once a fiery volcano.
A hike into the House of the Sun is truly a unique experience. Silversword Loop, Pele's Paint Pot, the Bottomless Pit and Koolau Gap are elements of a place some people say looks just a little bit like the moon.
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