Visitors Up Close with Kilauea Lava Flow

The saga of the Kilauea Volcano lava flow continues. Last year, the lava flow changed direction, flowing further east and through more remote areas - unfortunately preventing the general public from viewing the geological phenomenon. Since then, the lava flow threatened the edge of a few austere housing communities, but for the most part remained hidden from public view. But, in the last several days, the dynamic conditions changed yet again as the lava flow made a turn and presented a wonderful opportunity for tourists and locals alike to view the active lava flow's ocean entry - where the rivers of lava flow into the ocean resulting in plumes of steam, hissing of super-hot lava mixing with the roaring ocean waves.

Excerpt from KGMB Channel 9:

For some it was a once in a lifetime event, seeing lava flow into the Pacific Ocean from the Kilauea volcano. Saturday was the first time, visitors could legally get this close to the spectacular view. Big Island County opened a new viewing area or the public, and its just a quarter mile away from where the lava hits the sea.

Excerpt from KPUA AM670:

Viewing area to see lava flow opens
By Associated Press
HONOLULU (AP) _ A viewing area allowing people to see lava from Kilauea volcano flow into the water has opened. The site is accessible by a half-mile pedestrian trail and is a little more than a quarter mile from where the lava meets the sea. Officials expect hundreds of people to visit the site, which is the first way to legally see lava from the ground or watch it enter the sea since last June. State, county and federal officials say they will meet each morning to decide whether the lava flows threaten visitors and need to close the viewing area. Civil defense officials say they will have security at the site to prevent people from going there after hours. The site is open from 2 to 10 p.m.

This was the best re-cap of of how to view the latest lava flow:
Excerpt from the Honolulu Advertiser (3/7/08)

HILO, Hawai'i — Lava completed its trip down the slopes of Kilauea volcano and has begun flowing into the ocean, and Big Island officials braced for an expected surge of people visiting the remote Puna coastline to see Madame Pele's handiwork.

The area around the lava flow is still closed to the public, but state and county crews are expected to finish improving about two miles of rough access road today to provide a safe route to trails and observation points where spectators can see the lava.

A blessing and opening of the improved road and turnaround point are scheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m., according to Big Island Mayor Harry Kim.

After inspecting the scene yesterday morning, Kim told his staff the latest flow offers a fascinating opportunity for visitors to view lava, but also poses risks.

The area has little or no cell phone service, almost no facilities and it will be easy for newcomers to become disoriented as they hike to get closer to the ocean entry, Kim said.

The visitor turnaround is being built in a forested area that was bypassed by previous flows, and another risk is that new fingers of lava could extend from a flow upslope of the access road and enter the old-growth area, starting fires and causing methane explosions as the lava reaches the vegetation, said Jim Kauahikaua, scientist-in-charge of the Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory.

"There is a certainty of more fingers," and scientists will closely monitor the widening flow activity mauka of the improved road, Kauahikaua said. "It's expanding, so it will go east and west."

The lava began entering the ocean late Wednesday or early yesterday morning.

Kauahikaua said the pahoehoe flow is rapidly coating a bench extending off the coast, and is blasting steam into the air as it touches the seawater. He said there is a good chance a second finger of lava will continue downslope and by Saturday also will reach the ocean.

"It's really quite a spectacular sight, a lot of lava going into the ocean," he said.

ACROSS ROYAL GARDENS

The lava flow's passage through the Royal Gardens subdivision prompted Civil Defense to evacuate about five people from the area Monday as the flow threatened to sever an access road that the county built for lava viewing in 2001.

That road was cut Tuesday evening, and now state and county crews are working on a new turnaround further east to allow people to get close to the lava viewing area.

The flow passing through Royal Gardens offers the most accessible lava viewing opportunities from the ground in many months, and county officials expect 1,000 or more visitors a day will head for the new viewing site once it is opened.

Ted Miller, construction and maintenance superintendent for the state Department of Transportation's Highway Division on the Big Island, estimated the improvements are costing the state about $100,000.

More than a dozen state workers were operating graders, backhoes and other equipment to prepare the access road, which is made up of remnants of the old two-lane Highway 130 that was severed repeatedly by lava. The highway remnants are connected by narrow passages cut through lava that covered the highway.

The crews are improving the two-mile route, and adding a turnaround that will double as a helicopter landing area in emergencies, Miller said. Cars can park on the shoulder of the paved stretch, he said.

Traffic may be slow because the links between the paved areas are only one lane wide, forcing motorists to pull over to let one another pass, he said.

MAKING PEOPLE 'HAPPY'

The county in 2001 charged a toll for people who used a similar access road to get to the flow, and Kim said he may impose a similar charge again to recoup the cost of roadwork. Initially, however, there will be no charge to use the road, which will be open from 2 to 10 p.m.

"I think Madame Pele has given us a tremendous opportunity to admire her creation," Kim said.

"Even if this stops one day after it started, we're going to make a few hundred or a few thousand people happy," Kim said. "We're going to make a lot of people experience things that they've never even dreamt about."

Gov. Linda Lingle is expected to survey the flow tomorrow morning from a Hawai'i National Guard helicopter.

Backcountry Hiking Plans

My brother and I have laid out some plans to do some backcountry overnight hiking on the Big Island sometime in the next several months. I have wanted to hike deep beyond the Pololu Valley, past the Honokane Nui and beyond. I previously read a blog (that I can no longer find online) that described a wonderful hike many valleys beyond the Pololu, venturing over steep ridges, passing rain-soaked valleys, and far from the casual hiker or passer-by. I've been pouring over a 1:24K topo map of the area and see several marked trails - but I have no idea what the actual condition of those trails actually is. I would like to make this trip an over-nighter, so that we don't have to rush back in the dark -- however I also do not know where an appropriate (or even legal) campsite may be... I'll post more information when we have more figured out.

Our second option is to hike down into the Waipio Valley, across the mouth of the valley, up the intimidating"zig-zag trail" (a.k.a. Muliwai Trail) up and over the staggering ridge, eventually into the scenic and peaceful Waimanu Valley. This valley has been more frequented by hikers and campers - and there are plenty of blogs and online photos of the Waimanu. I think it would be a challenging hike and a very pretty spot to camp out.

Our third option is to hike the Napau Crater trail at the Volcanoes National Park. This is a long hike - with a small campsite located enroute to the spectacular views of Pu'u O'o Crater. I took a look at the trail head and the information published at the Volcano Visitor's Center as well as online trqavelogues -- this looks to be a very interesting, challenging hike. There are several high-terrain points along the route with sweeping views of Napau Crater and other depressions. The grand finale is Pu'i O'o - which I heard is wonderful viewed from here at night. No doubt there would be few if any other persons encountered on this hike. Park rules state that you must register at the Visitor's Center before commencing this hike.

The last hike proposed was enthusiastically brought up by my brother who is looking for a herculean challenge: hike to the summit of Mauna Loa. This looks to be the mother of all hikes on the Big Island - something we would need the right gear and the right conditioning before we attempted this. And I heard it can be brutal -- the rate of altitude change is such that altitude sickness (adema) is felt by many that attempt this hike.

We will be taking a look at all of these options and planning which hikes we will be doing. I have already begun accumulating the gear that I will need for any of these hikes. I recently bought a new pair of hiking boots -- the sturdy and very supportive Asolo 95Ns, as well as a full set of rain outerwear (top and pants), water purifier + tablets to tackle even the tiniest Leptosperosis particles, and I plan on finally getting a good set of trekking poles (something from Black Diamond). We'll keep you all informed of our upcoming backcountry hiking and hope to post several entries as well as photos of the trip itself.

Drive to the Mauna Kea Summit

Peaking at an elevation of 13,796 ft MSL, you can see the majestic Mauna Kea volcano from almost any point on the Big Island of Hawaii. Often in the winter, Mauna Kea will receive snow fall. The sight of a snow-capped volcano in the backdrop as you lounge on a sunny Kohala beach is truly spectacular. My favorite view is from the higher elevations of Waimea, with its green pastures and rolling hills in the foreground, and towering volcano in the background.

Although it is in plain sight, reaching is summit is not an easy task. The easiest way is to take the guided summit tour. Transportation is conveniently provided along with insightful narrative and telescopes for gazing through the clear cold sky to the heavens above.

If you want to drive there on your own, more than likely you are renting a car and that is a disqualifier. You will be able to reach the Onizuka Visitor’s Center at 9,000 feet, but no further. That is because from here the road is a windy, rough, 4x4-only dirt road, and regular rental vehicles are prohibited (even if you rent an SUV). I mention regular rental vehicles - that is because there is one company on the island that rents *special* vehicles for you to traverse the more rugged portions of the island.

Harper Truck Rentals offers 4WD vehicles that can take you to the top of Mauna Kea, as well as into the Waipio Vallley, and other remote 4x4-only destinations on the island. On this particular occasion, we rented a Toyota 4Runner from Harper and drove the saddle road from Hilo. We turned north at the Mauna Kea Access Road (near the 28-mile marker) and drove 6 miles to the Onizuka Visitor's Center. You can reach the visitor's center in any vehicle, however you cannot continue to the summit from here without 4WD. It is a good idea to rest at the visitor's center for about 30 minutes to help acclimate yourself to this high altitude.

We stopped to tour the visitor's center and then continued on up the windy, loose-gravel road to the summit. The month was December and there was fresh snow on the ground, so we drove slowly and with caution. The narrow road winds its way to the top and we could see expansive views of the island below as well as snow and ice that had accumulated on the cinder cone. We finally reached the end of the road. Up here, some of the world's most powerful and important telescopes are operated by many international organizations. Canted off to the side is the tall cinder cone marking the actual Pu'u Wekiu summit of Mauna Kea. Eager to conquer this point, we departed the vehicle and trudged across the ice and snow towards the peak. If you come this far, make sure you dress warmly! Most visitors to Hawaii do not pack for 30-degree, icy weather, but luckily we were dressed for the occasion - jackets, warm layers, and gloves.

As we ascended this snow-capped peak, we hastened our pace in excitement, and forgetting about the above-10,000 foot altitude, out breathing became a little bit too heavy. Consequently, by the time we reached the peak, we felt a shortness of breath and some light-headedness. Any time a human is above 10,000 feet, there is cause for concern as the oxygen content here is significantly lower than at sea level. With less oxygen being inhaled, opportunities for hypoxia and even edema do exist. I quickly recognized these were all symptoms of hypoxia and that I needed to calm down and sit down - or else... So we took a lot of photos (which I subsequently lost and cannot find to this day) and returned to the truck to sit for a moment as I gathered my breath. Of course, we scooped up snow balls along the way and enjoyed the very unusual Hawaii scene.

There is one other way to reach the summit - although it is a physical challenge. That is to hike from the visitor's center to the summit. That means ascending more than four thousand feet in elevation. The hike is a demanding 12 miles, round trip, and will take most or all of the day to accomplish. Details and maps are available at the visitor's center. Someday I plan to do this hike - along with the very rigorous Mauna Loa summit hike. In the meantime, I need to search my house to find those missing photos of the Mauna Kea summit.

Descending back down on the windy gravel road is a challenge. The grade is steep and the road narrow. This is where the tough 4x4 sure comes in handy. Make sure you do not ride the brakes going down or you could end up with a bad situation. If you can, shift to a lower gear, or engage a downhill assist mode (Toyota truck feature). Fog can swoop in at any time on this road, making it even more dangerous than it already is.

Volcano Hike - Halini Pali Trail

It was several years ago that we hiked the Halini Pali Trail in the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. This trail has two separate paths, one is about 3.5 miles each way down the slope and the other is 7.5 miles each way down to the ocean. Having done the short trail before, we chose to do the long trail this time. This was several years ago, before the invention of the camelbak and back when things like hydration were not of significant concern... but it should have been!

The trail starts off up at altitude. We parked our car on the Halini Pali Road and started our hike across an old lava flow. Here, a forest has come to life out of the devastating dried lava. As you hike you can see nature making a come back with underbrush, ferns and trees growing out of the harsh lava desert. The trail then leads to the down-sloping side of the volcano - at the edge you can see the magnificent view of the descending slope and ocean below. You can also see the expansive area that you will be hiking - across the wide open lava fields with no shade or cover.

We did this hike inthe middle of the summer and it was certainly hot that day! The trail descends over 2,000 feet to the floor of the Pali and then on to the coast. At this point we started the switch-back trail descending over primarily loose sand and small lava rocks. Footing was a problem as we each slid and fell several times on the descent, even though we moved slowly. An eerie surface-of-the-moon-like setting was waiting for us at the bottom of the slope.

We did not bring a lot with us - a small backpack with only one large jug of water and our snorkeling gear. We had read that there was a small protected inlet at the end of the hike and that you could swim and even snorkel there. With the hot sun beating down on us and exerting ourselves on the hike, we were draining our water supply. Once we reached the bottom of the Pali, the hike winds its way around the dried lava fields, over uneven terrain, with only small piles of lava rocks to mark the trail.

Eventually, the undulating terrain led us to the coast and we could see what seemed like an oasis surrounded by a sea of lava. There were swaying palm trees and green shrubbery surrounding a small inlet. The water was bright blue and very inviting in the heat of this day. We finally reached the cove and donned out snorkeling gear. The lava flow here had created a tide pool - protected from the crashing waves of the ocean by a natural wall of lava rocks, allowing us to snorkel in this calm protected area. The sea life was nice - especially in a place so austere. There wasn't another soul here, and we cherished the solitude that the Big Island can provide.

As we headed back the sea water and activity, along with the higher noon sun caused what seemed like an unquenchable thirst, so we continued to drain the lone water jug that we had brought - now it was down to less than a quarter capacity. I remember having reservations about our dwindling water supply, but we had no where to go but hike back. So we started the long arduous hike back across the rough lava field and then this time UP the slippery switchback trail. Not too far up the ascent, we completely ran out of water. I remember thinking about the 5+ miles to go and how hot it was. It seemed like the minute we ran out of water, the sun turned about ten degrees hotter!

As we continued hiking up, I remember my body slowly draining of energy and slowly being overcome by the heat. All I could think about was water and how thirsty I was and how my lips and throat were getting parched. Now, we had to rest every so often due to the lack of water. The exertion was tough without any water intake. I kept thinking how stupid it was to not bring any more water. Somehow we made it all the way up and across the forested trail back to the car. Even here though, we had no water stored in the car - but we remembered the water fountain at the Thurston Lava Tube. So we drove expeditiously there and all I can remember is grabbing the handle of that water fountain and letting the ice-cold water flow down my dry throat. Each ounce of water that I swallowed brought renewed energy and comfort to me!

Ever since that day, I always pack a lot of water on my hikes and outdoor excursions. I have since then invested in an assortment of hydration gear including the wonderful Camelbak Unbottle, numerous nalgene bottles, and for contingencies, a MiniWorks water purifier. I wanted to recount my story so that others may learn from our mistakes - as well as talk about a wonderful not-so-frequented hike in the national park.

If you do this hike, make sure you bring plenty of water. I would recommend at least one gallon of water per person. Additionally, make sure you bring sunscreen and a hat to protect from the sun. Wear appropriate clothing for the hike - see our volcano hiking tips for more information. Don't forget your snorkeling gear and a camera!

Hiking the Waipio Valley

I had not hiked the Waipio Valley in over a decade - and I had a never ending burning desire to hike in this remote and austere valley. I read about some of the magestic waterfalls that lay hidden deep in the valley - only to be seen by adventurous hikers. I zeroed my sights in on the famous Hiilawe Falls - a 1400 foot high waterfall at the back side of the Waipio. I knew that hiking up to the waterfall would be a challenge.

I studied a 1:24,000 topo map of the valley and even entered a few coordinates (including the location of the falls) into my GPS for situational awareness. We loaded up on water and my camera and began our hike down the narrow switch-back road from the Waipio Valley Lookout to the valley floor below. The hike down provided a wide panoramic view of the Waipio Valley - as you hiked further and further down the road, you saw a more expansive view of the valley, the farm lands beneath, the black sand beach at the mouth of the valley, and the steep trail scaling the north cliff face leading you over to the next valley, the Waimanu Valley. We spotted several hawks flying overhead, welcoming us to the valley.

You could see small houses and primitive shelters used for farming taro in the fields below. A river winds its way through the middle of the valley - probably fueled by water from the waterfalls. Once we got to the bottom of the valley, we turned left (west) and followed a rough road towards the back end of the valley. Towering fruit trees line the road and the plant life was vibrantly alive - you could smell the freshness and fertility in the air. As the road neared its end, we caught glimpses of Hiilawe Falls in the background and we knew the general direction we needed to go. At this point we wandered down a path (left turn from the road) and ended up passing by several houses. We continued and the trail for the most part ended, but by using the GPS we knew to continue. This led us through a set of taro fields - which are much like rice paddies, water-soaked fields blocked in by man-made walls. We traversed the fields and ended paralleling a stream in the forest.

Then the trail ended abruptly - in front of us was deep water at a bend in the river and on our left and right high, steep rocky canyon walls. We were at a bottle neck with nowhere to go but wade through deep water - my GPS said we were only 0.25 miles from the falls! A mere quarter mile from our goal and it looked unpassable - unless we waded through this deep water with our packs on and camera equipment to get wet, we wouldn't get to the falls.

We decided to turn back and hike down to the black sand beach and enjoy the sights there, a little deflated, at least we saw the majestic Hiilawe Falls. At the beach we saw the mighty Pacific Ocean waves crashing on the shore. Right here in the shade of the coniforous trees, wild horses grazed in the grass, oblivious to us. The raw natural beauty of the Waipio is incredible!

Hike to the Active Lava Flow

We decided to hike once again to watch the active lava flow of Kilauea volcano at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We have done this many times now, but wanted to do it once more - plus, we have some new camera equipment that we wanted to try out. As usual, we stopped in to the visitor's center to ask them about the lava conditions and how long the hike would be (the conditions change almost daily). On this occassion it turned out to be about a 3.5 mile hike each way.

We chose to start the hike in the late afternoon to ensure we arrived at the viewing spot prior to sunset - that way we get to see the lava flow as the sky and sun change in the early evening. Also, this way we only have to hike one way in the dark. We were prepared with sturdy hiking boots, lots of water, jackets (it frequently rains here), one flashlight per person, and of course our camera equipment including tripod.

It was not surprising to see so many people unprepared for the long hike - many with open-toed sandals, many without water or even a flashlight. On our return hike from the lava flow back to the car, as we crested a hill, we came across a young girl about 20 years old, alone and crying in the dark. We tried to console her and see if she needed any help - it tourned out that the hike was too long and she did not want to go further, so her friends just left her on this hill in the dark with no flashlight, in the wind with a light rain beginning to fall! At this point she was about 1.75 miles from the car and the same distance to the lava flow - too far to walk alone in the dark with no light. The last group of hikers we saw were starting their hike at 8:00PM - which puts them back at the start somewhere around 1:00AM! Be smart when you hike in Hawaii - nature can be unforgiving.

The hike was definitely worth it - it was a surreal setting with the crowd silent in the dark watching the dramatic lava flow as the sun set in the background. The bright flashes of lava entering the ocean, and the hard-hitting waves pounding the shore mesmerized you. We got back to our car at about 9:00PM and we were starving! I had left me dinner in the car not thinking that I would be hungry long before this - so we chowed down on some stir-fried noodles that we had bought earlier and then drove back to Hilo for the night.

Hike the Pololu Valley

We revisited the Pololu Valley and hiked down to the bottom once more. Previously, earthquake damage had closed the Pololu Valley trail, but it is once again open - and it is a hike that you must do! The scenery is breath-taking with the rough ocean waves crashing against the sea cliffs and black sand beach on one side, and the densely forrested valley on the other. Like all things on the Big Island, the Pololu Valley is diverse and fertile. From this photo, you can see the series of gorges and valleys from the Pololu Valley (foreground) leading to the Honokane Nui, and eventually to the Waimanu Valley and ending up in the Waipio Valley. We saw swimmers braving the rough waters and a variety of hikers from young kids to older enthusiasts. The hike is an easy one, about 25-minutes from the parking lot at the lookout. Drive north from Kona and take Highway 270 to the end and park at the overlook.

Kiholo Bay, Kona

I finally found the trail that leads you from Highway 19 to Kiholo Bay. Kiholo Bay is like an oasis surrounded by the barren Kona lava fields and twisted brush and trees. There is a black sand beach on one end and a beautiful tree-lined inlet on the other end. There are various clear-water ponds brimming with fish in and around the bay. You can see Kiholo Bay from the scenic overlook at mile-marker 82 on Highway 19. It's about a one-mile hike from the highway to Kiholo Bay. It wasn't as easy as I thought to find the trail from the parking area on Highway 19 (about miles north of the overlook). I had the parking area coordinates in my GPS (N19.8520, W155.9133), but I still had to search for the faint trail (N19.5104, W155.5449). Then it was fairly easy following the trail towards the ocean. There is a family of wild goats that lives in the brush alongside the trail - keep an eye out for them - I was able to photograph the adult, adolescent and even two of the young "kids". Continuing on the trail you will eventually pass a twisted dried-out trees off to the right of the trail - the trees and underbrush are so dense that taking a short-cut through them proved impossible. The day was pretty hot and I was glad I brought my water bottle with me! I continued past a gated entrance and eventually passed many palm trees a few shallow ponds in the shady beneath the trees, and finally I started to see sand as I approached the shore. I was excited - for the many many times I had spotted this little oasis from the highway, I never knew how to get to this place. I was finally here!