Haleakalā 2015: Day 4 - Holua Cabin to Halema`uma`u Trail

Final day at Haleakalā.  Early morning start up the switchbacks of the Halema`uma`u trail.  During the night we watched as about a dozen hikers came down Halema`uma`u, at various times, heading off to Kapalaoa or Paliku or to the Holua camp area.  Was kinda creepy seeing lights descending Halema`uma`u at midnight and having strangers walking past the cabin in the middle of the night.  Of course the hikers that passed by were all very friendly.  Still...kinda eerie.

Beautiful color in the pre-dawn sky above the Ko`olau Gap

Pink skies above the southern rim of the crater 

Sunrise!

Haleakalā 2015: Day 3 - Paliku to Holua Cabin

6.5 mile hike from the lush Paliku cabin across the barren landscape to Holua cabin nestled at the top of the Ko`olau Gap.

Paliku Sunrise.  Sun illuminating the southern wall of the crater

Pancake batter

Non-potable water spigot/faucet

Paliku Cabin

Haleakala Post-Script

During the first week of July 2015 I spent four days and three nights hiking Haleakalā with the LDS Makiki Ward Young Women.  It was awesome.  (Pics here).

I had a goal of keeping my backpack to 30 pounds for the Haleakalā hike.  I originally wanted to keep it to 25 pounds, but that quickly became unrealistic (and I didn't want to spend the money needed to keep the weight that low).  I created an inventory of what I was packing listed here: http://lighterpack.com/r/8nisub