16.05 West Napali sunset and scramble down in the dark, Haleakala conclusion
The parting of the Pacific Ocean...oops, wrong sea. Stopping for a break as we head for higher ground to observe the sunset. (See note to right about large photo's) Our editor came up with the smart idea of combining a decent hike with a sunset. Who could argue with that? However, when it came time to begin thinking about a turn-around, we, being you know who, were too excited about finishing the ascent up the mountain and acquiring a vantage point at the trail peak. Unfortunately, the problem with sunset hikes is that should one stay for the climax, a good part of the return journey can be in the dark. That’s what happened—1.4 miles in mostly poor light, including a mile with flashlights on an extremely rocky trail. Of the 1,600 feet descent, at least half of that was very tricky as we had to think about foot placement for every move. The human bone is no match for volcanic rock. A 'sultry blonde' sun cooling for evening, at last. Neverth...