8.05 Mauna Ulu and Napau Trails, into the darkness of the day
Miles and miles of...nothing On the side of Makaopuhi Crater Miles and miles of desolation with earlier scattered seeds turned into plants every now and again. That’s what confronted us as we headed on a nearly twelve-mile hike through volcano country. We came across two craters, Mauna Ulu and the much larger Makaopuhi . Both are bleak, crumbling and a trap for the unwary. The edges are unstable and so our editor was more cautious than ever. The hike was not at all difficult but long as well as enjoyable. The important lesson was to step correctly because the lava rock is treacherous. In many parts, it crumbles easily even where layers appear to be thick. The idea is to realize there are large air pockets beneath the surface leaving the lava unsupported. The lava flow crossed this particular area during the 1970’s. Venting steam but not anger, we hope As we reached halfway along the side of Makaopuhi Crater, we entered a rainforest, without rain—the best kind. The contrast was ...