Haleakala 2012 – Paliku to Holua (Pt 2/5)

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]

Hiking from the Paliku to Holua Cabin was probably one of my favorite parts of this trip. The landscape for much of trek was reminiscent of what I remember seeing in the movie, “Total Recall…” at least the first one that mostly took place on Mars, and not the more recent one with Colin Farrell on Earth (which was underwhelming in storyline to say the least). What the hell happened to Kuato and the rest of the mutants?! Lame. But nevermind, on with the trip recap…

After an inebriated nights sleep on the padded bunks of Paliku Cabin, we set foot on a rainy trail bright and early,

…in attempt to reach the Holua campsite by early afternoon.

As described when we descended into Paliku, the vegetation began to get more sparse and dry as we increased in elevation…

…and once again, we were subjected to the soft sandy-gravel of Haleakala, this time on the Halemauu Trail.

Despite the unfavorable footing, the bare landscape was extraordinary and picturesque.

Reaching the 1/2 way point within <2 hours, we were on a good pace.
However, the blisters several of the crew had acquired during the hike in had become worse. It was definitely time for a break to re-apply “mole skin,” a type of bandage which helps alleviate pain and pressure on blisters.

After the break and taking in some calories, we were soon on the trail again on our way to Holua.

Shortly afterward, we saw some travelers catching up to us in the distance…

Another group who were camping in the crater decided to travel by horseback… How luxurious. haha. In passing, they mentioned to us how they used to do what we were doing when they were younger, but weren’t physically able to do such things at their age anymore. Though that may have been true, I also wanted introduce them to Laredo aka “the legend” aka “rainbow man” Muredo who’s old enough to be a grandfather and still a hike-beast, lol.

Still gaining elevation, we started hiking at the same height as the clouds… which portrayed an eery, yet surreal feeling while we walked through them.

As I mentioned earlier, hiking this stretch/section of Haleakala was probably one my favorite parts of the trip. Mostly because this type of unique landscape/environment is only found at high elevations in Hawaii, and restricted to mountain ranges like Haleakala on Maui and Hualalai, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on Hawaii Island.

One of the less impressive scenic points trail side was the “bottomless pit…” which did indeed have a bottom… which could easily be seen when peering over the circumscribing fence. I didn’t (nor anyone else) bother to read the sign, but I’m guessing the hole was once an exit point for a lava tube in the crater.

The crew hiking through the mist (from closest to furthest): Katie, Jennifer, Jenelyn, Reanne and Justin.

One of the more notable areas trailside was where two large gullies (for lack of a better word which describes erosion by “mass-wasting”) formed,

…between the two large cinder dunes.

Despite being a far shorter route than what we had traveled the previous day, the Halemauu trail to the Holua campsite seemed endless.

But when you have comedians like Aaron Toma on trail, spirits are much brighter for those around him… unless you’re Katie Ersbak. hahaha.

A 0.9 mile marker was well-received by the crew, as most of our feet were getting angry at our boots.

Much props to Troy Takara up front, who had the worst damage on his feet, but still set a quick pace up front and lead for the majority of this leg of the trip.

And there is was, appearing out of the mist 200 feet away… we reached Holua cabin before 2pm, which would be “home sweet home” for night #2. Hope the clouds burn off tonight so we can see some stars!!!

But for now, we’d enjoy the warmth of wood burning stove in the cabin. 🙂

Backpacking from Paliku to the Holua campsite via the Halemaumau Trail is approximately 6 miles. There is a slight gain in elevation for the first half of the trek, with the majority of the trail having sandy/gravel footing. As mentioned in Part 1, the weather in the crater is typically sunny with little to no cloud cover, and the temperatures can range from mid/upper 70s (day) and as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit (night) in the summer months. Catchment water is typically available for both campers using tents and cabins at each of the campsites. Cabins must be reserved 90 days in advance, and will almost always be booked at any other day after the 90 day period. Make sure to become familiarized with the online reservation system, as it is a huge pain in the ass. If not, you may miss your window of opportunity to get the set of days you desire. Cabins come furnished with a picnic bench-mess hall/bedroom (12 padded bunk beds), kitchen and composting toilet. Other amenities include a wood burning stove with limited firewood, 2-burner propane stove, cooking utensils and dishes. The cabins had dish washing liquid, matches and candles when we were there, but I can’t imagine this being accommodated all the time or may have been just left-over from previous campers. Despite such luxuries in the cabin, make sure to check in with the visitor center and rangers what will be available at the time of your stay, e.g. during drought conditions.

Epic GoPro Video recap of our journey, courtesy of Justin Ugalino. Watch it! You won’t regret it!!!

For more adventures of the Lost Trailblazers, either look at my other blogposts and “Adventures with the Lost Trailblazers” photo gallery. Thanks for visiting and come back again soon!

Questions??? Just Ask!!!