Haleakala Crater - 11.7.2019
We parked (9700') at the Visitor Center at the top of Haleakala.
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We are at the SW end of the Visitor Center parking lot and have just started hiking on the Sliding Sands Trail... and we will be doing the 11.2 mile hike through the Haleakala Crater to get to the Halemau'u Trailhead... the true summit (10,023') of Haleakala is up there at the top of the photo.
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It doesn't take very long for the Sliding Sands Trail to start dropping into the Haleakala Crater.
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Continuing down into the Haleakala Crater on the Sliding Sands Trail.
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Continuing down into the Haleakala Crater on the Sliding Sands Trail... the Kaupo Gap is out there on the far left of the photo.
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Hiking down into the crater on the Sliding Sands Trail... here looking back up toward the Visitor Center.
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Continuing down into the crater... the gap in the center of the photo is the Ko'olau Gap... and that is the direction we will be going after hiking the Sliding Sands Trail for 4 miles... notice that there are no clouds in the gap as we speak.
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Denali Girl and BarbE are taking photos of the small colorful crater below us... still on the Sliding Sands Trail... and we will be for a total of 4 miles.
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Looking out toward Ko'olau Gap... and down on that small colorful crater that is named Kalu'uoka'o'o.
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Continuing down into the crater... with clouds creeping up into Ko'olau Gap in the center of the photo... with Kaupo Gap out there on the extreme far right.
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BarbE is waiting for rocman and Denali Girl to reach what the locals refer to as Split Rock.
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rocman and Denali Girl at Split Rock... with the trail leading out to Kalu'uoka'o'o on the left... and Ko'olau Gap in the distance.
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Continuing down the Sliding Sands Trail that will take us toward Kaupo Gap.
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Looking back as the group comes down into the crater.
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Still hiking on the Sliding Sands Trail as it heads in the direction of Kaupo Gap.
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Still hiking on the Sliding Sands Trail as it heads in the direction of Kaupo Gap... Ko'olau Gap in the left-center of the photo... with Kaupo Gap on the right as clouds start to come up it into the crater.
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Other worldly as we continue down into the crater... can you say earth tones.
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Silverswords.
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Hiking through a small silversword forest on the Sliding Sands Trail... the impressive looking 8900 foot mountain in the center of the photo is Hanakauhi.
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Looking back toward the Visitor Center area up there somewhere on the left.
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Continuing on the Sliding Sands Trail toward Kaupo Gap.
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Looking back toward the Visitor Center.
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Taking a break as we continue down into the crater.
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We are almost at the bottom of the crater.
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Hooray... we have reached the floor (~7400') of the crater after having hiked 4 miles... time to leave the Sliding Sands Trail and head for the Holua Cabin on the Halemau'u Trail.
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Heading north on the Halemau'u Trail... feels like a moonscape here... you might be able to see the Sliding Sands Trail switchbacking its way down to the crater floor in the right-center of the photo.
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Hiking toward a red colored bump named Kamoaopele on the Halemau'u Trail.
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Getting closer to Kamoaopele.
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Looking back... the Visitor Center is up there on the horizon somewhere in the center of the photo.
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Hiking around the summit area of Kamoaopele.
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On the NW side of Kamoaopele... with Hanakauhi in the distance.
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From the NW side of Kamoaopele we can see the Halemau'u Trail heading over toward the clouds coming up through Ko'olau Gap.
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Looking back from the NW side of Kamoaopele to the Visitor Center up there on the horizon in the middle of the photo.
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Continuing around Kamoaopele on the Halemau'u Trail which will take us along the west side of Halali'i in the center of the photo.
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We are looking out toward Kaupo Gap... but we will stay on the Halemau'u Trail and hike the 2.2 miles to the Holua Cabin.
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Continuing on the Halemau'u Trail as we hike along the west side of Halali'i.
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We will stay on the Halemau'u Trail that goes off to the left toward Ko'olau Gap... the trail going over toward the colorful hill is the Kawilinau Trail.
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On the Halemau'u Trail... heading for the clouds in Ko'olau Gap.
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Looking over at Hanakauhi across this moonscape.
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Continuing toward the Holua Cabin.
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Talk about a moonscape!
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Getting closer to the clouds.
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The Holua Cabin is in view in the center of the photo.
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The Holua Cabin is on the edge of the cloud cover in Ko'olau Gap... we met tomman here after he had done the 3.9 mile hike in from the Halemau'u Trailhead.
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After hiking 4 miles on the Sliding Sands Trail and 3.5 miles on the Halemau'u Trail we have reached the Houla Cabin... just 3.9 more miles to reach our car that tomman so graciously delivered to the Halemau'u Trailhead for us.
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After hiking a mile or so from the Holua Cabin we have reached our low point for the day... 6600 feet... now we have a 2.9 mile uphill hike to reach our car.
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Hiking uphill in the fog on the Halemau'u Trail.
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tomman and BarbE in the fog on the Halemau'u Trail.
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Continuing uphill in the fog on the Halemau'u Trail... the sun is trying to burn off the clouds.
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tomman points the way.
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Out of the clouds for a short time... still hiking uphill.
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Continuing uphill on the Halemau'u Trail.
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Continuing uphill in the fog on the Halemau'u Trail.
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Finally we can see the parking lot.
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After hiking a total of 11.2 miles and gaining 2100 feet of elevation we have reached our car at the Halemau'u Trailhead... an awesome hike through the Haleakala Crater.
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