Sunrise at Haleakala, one of the most breathtaking experiences on the face of the earth.  Mark Twain wrote of this experience more than one hundred years ago.  With the first pallor of dawn, we arose and saw things that were new to us.  Mounting on a commanding pinnacle, we watched nature work her silent wonders.  I felt as I were the last man on earth.
Neglected of the judgement left pinnacle in mid heaven.  A forgotten relic of the vanished world. 

Here on the slopes of Haleakala, the awesome silent beauty of nature overwhelmed the senses and the spirit for indeed here you almost feel and touch with eternity.  So isolated, so ruggedly beautiful, so desolate and yet so alive.  Indeed if that very isolation that has brought about one of the most unusual life forms in the world.  A unique biology that’s distinctly Hawaiian.

The most famous biological resident in the park is the rare silver sword or the “Ahinahina”.  It’s silvery leaves reflect the burning sunlight while gathering in the little moisture the surrounding parks may offer.  With a life span of thirty years, the silver sword blooms only once.  Then surrenders herself to the mountain of which she came.  Once on the verge of extinction, the Nene, Hawaii’s State Bird may also be seen on the slopes from time to time. 

Another thing to guard for before you journey up these lava slopes, is the cold.  In the winter time the temperatures can dip below freezing and even on the best days if your not dressed properly you could find your teeth chattering.

It’s also not uncommon to be rained upon, then baked in the sun, then rained on again, all in just a few hours.  So, be sure to dress accordingly.

Sunrise at Haleakala is indeed an unforgettable event but not without some hardship.  So, before you start out, call this number to make sure the weather will be clear and find out what time the sun rises.

If you're staying in the Lahaina Kaanapali area, plan on a 2 to 3 hour drive to get to the summit and that means getting up real early.  From Lahaina, take Hwy 30 to 380 then turn right on Hwy 36.  This is the Hana Hwy.  Then another right on 37 and on up until you get to 377 and just follow the signs to the summit.  From the Wailea Kihei area, take the Piilani Hwy 31 to 350, then onto 37 and 377.  Your travel time to the summit will be about 2 hours. 

From the snow capped peaks, becoming from the Big Island to the moonscape below.  There’s a lot to see and explore on Haleakala.  For the more athletic, permits are available at park headquarters daily for hiking and camping within the crater.  There are more than 30 miles of trails plus a multitude of volcanic palms, caves, cinder cones and lava tubes to explore.  One word of caution, for you would be sportsmen, at 10,000 feet, the air is very thin, so take your time and don’t over exert yourself.  This is especially true for those with high blood pressure or heart conditions. 

Haleakala the house of the sun, the landscape of the moon and the home of the gods about as close to heaven as most of us could every be, in this lifetime anyway.