A Million Little Pieces Of My Mind

So I'm on Maui and I can do anything I want. I hadn't been to the top of Haleakalā in years—for some reason I never went when living here during the pandemic—but today is the day! There's nothing between me and the summit but 10,000 feet!

The ride from Olowalu to the top of Mount Haleakalā is a scenic and exhilarating journey. Starting from the coastal area of Olowalu, I drove through lush landscapes and charming towns like Lahaina and Kula. As you ascend, the road winds through diverse ecosystems, from tropical forests to arid volcanic terrain. The higher you go, the cooler the temperature becomes, and the views become more breathtaking. The final stretch to the summit of Haleakalā, which stands at over 10,000 feet, offers panoramic vistas of the island and beyond—sometimes.

As we drive across the isthmus of Maui, primarily along the Maui Veterans Highway, the huge bulk of the volcano begins to rise up.

As we drive along the Maui Veterans Highway, the three smokestacks of the Maalaea Power Plant come into view, standing tall against the backdrop of the bay. This facility, built in 1971, has been a significant source of electricity for Maui. The plant primarily uses fossil fuels to generate power, and its industrial presence is a stark contrast to the natural beauty surrounding it. As we pass by, we can't help but marvel at the juxtaposition of human engineering and the island's pristine landscapes. The sight of the smokestacks serves as a reminder of the island's journey towards balancing energy needs with environmental preservation. All new power needs are provided by wind and solar, of course.

Closer to Haleakala, and as the morning evolved (the below photo was taken about 9:30 AM), the layer of clouds dutifully obscures the peak, as it does pretty much every day.

Now on Haleakala Highway, but still on the isthmus, I passed extraordinarily tidy farmland on both sides. As I recall, one side was orange trees and the other was pineapples.

…gaining altitude with every switchback…

Finally, I reached the actual entrance to Haleakala National Park. And, clever me, I had remembered to bring my Lifetime Senior Pass with me, so I didn't have to pay a thing. (Otherwise, it would be $30 per vehicle.)

Once entering the park we find a variety of native grasses. Some of the prominent species include Deschampsia nubigena, commonly known as Hawaiian bentgrass, and Eragrostis atropioides, also known as Hawaiian lovegrass. These grasses thrive in the sub-alpine shrubland zone. The temperature was about 60°…a lot colder than it was yesterday at the beach!

There's also a diverse array of native shrubs, ferns, and small woody trees. Some of the dominant plant species in this sub-alpine shrubland zone include pūkiawe (Leptecophylla tameiameiae), ōhelo (Vaccinium reticulatum), nohoanu (Geranium cuneatum), and aalii (Dodonaea viscosa). These plants create a lush tapestry of greenery that covers the mountain, providing habitat for various endemic birds such as the apapane, amakihi, and nēnē.

And now, we look down at those clouds! I've been here overnight, and that's the only time those clouds are absent (which gives a life-changing view of the lights below).

As we ascend to the summit of Haleakalā, the landscape transforms into a surreal, otherworldly terrain. At over 10,000 feet, we reach the Haleakalā Observatory, a premier site for astronomical research. Here, the towering structures of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope and the Pan-STARRS telescopes stand against the clear, blue sky. These advanced instruments, including the world's largest solar telescope, offer unparalleled views of the cosmos and contribute to significant scientific discoveries. The observatory's remote location and high altitude provide ideal conditions for observing the heavens. However, the presence of telescopes on Haleakalā has sparked controversy, as the land is considered sacred by Native Hawaiians, leading to ongoing debates about the balance between scientific advancement and cultural preservation.

The Haleakalā Visitor Center, located at an elevation of 9,740 feet, is a small stone building perched at the edge of a cliff. This center has been welcoming visitors since 1936 and was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The center provides restrooms, water, and ranger services, offering visitors a chance to learn about the unique geological and ecological features of the summit area.

Probably because this was a weekday, the parking lot at the summit wasn't very full. I gratefully hobbled to the bathroom, went through the visitor center—nothing new there—then got some shots of the faux caldera.

At the top, we find what many refer to as the crater, but this impressive depression is not a true caldera. Unlike a caldera, which forms when the summit of a volcano collapses after an eruption, Haleakala's crater was shaped by the forces of erosion. Over millennia, the headwalls of two large erosional valleys merged at the summit, creating the vast and dramatic depression we see today.

This erosional valley took shape after the rimrock lava flows erupted around the top of the volcano approximately 145,000 years ago, give or take about 10,000 years.

In January 1965, the Apollo 11 astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, trained extensively on the ground in Hawaii. The unique volcanic landscape of Mount Haleakalā provided an ideal environment for simulating the conditions they would encounter on the lunar surface. The training involved collecting geological specimens, practicing site selection, and documenting geological characteristics, which helped the astronauts prepare for their historic mission to the moon.

At the summit of Mount Haleakalā, the rare and striking Haleakalā Silversword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum) stands resilient. With its silvery-green leaves and blueish tips, this spiky marvel thrives in the harsh alpine desert, a testament to nature's adaptability and beauty.

I would love to have made the walk to the actual summit (10,023 feet above sea level) and even started out, but between my hip, months of reduced activity, and the altitude-thin air, I just couldn't make it. But that's okay; I've been there before!

And now for our descent! Down from the sub arctic to the land of flowering trees, and the warm waters of the Pacific.

I made a quick stop at my beloved Papalaua Beach Park (they have a Porta-Potty) and grabbed a couple shots before returning to my campground.

Surprisingly, I wasn't all that tired when I got to Camp Oluwalu. The jet-lagging must've been pretty much over. So I chilled at the picnic table, enjoying the twilight.

And when I woke (as usual) in the middle of the night, after the moon had set, again I was treated to a festival of stars unlike anything you can see in Phoenix. Even with a streetlight illuminating the tree, they were brilliant. Plus, I'm not sure, but there's been a lot of extreme solar activity lately, and this almost looks like an aurora photo.