Hawaii Diary
Wednesday, March 25 - Haleakala and Upcountry
As much as we had wished to venture to Haleakala, the House of the Sun to see the sun rise at dawn, practicality, our busy schedule and, more than anything else, our fatigued bodies did not allow us to get up at 2:00 a.m. in order reach the summit in time.
As things worked out, we woke up by 6:00 a.m. and left our home base in Kaanapali at around 7:30 a.m.. The drive to the top of Haleakala takes about 2½ - 3 hours depending on the weather and the traffic. Today was a very windy and cloudy day on Maui, which was good in that traffic was light, but the views from the top of Haleakala were not as good as we had hoped. While the view into and over the crater was amazing, the view back down over central and western Maui was obliterated by a heavy cloud cover.
As I have indicated the winds at the Visitor Center within Haleakala National Park which is located at 9740 feet, as well as those at the summit, at 10023 feet, were exceptionally strong. It was virtually impossible to hold a camera still to photograph into the crater. The hike to the top of Pa Ka'oao (White Hill) was strenuous but the views from the top were well worth the 15 minute hike.
Needless to say, my father, who is 73, did not even attempt the hike. He decided to go back to the car to rest and, unfortunately, he somehow managed to lock the keys in the car! Thanks to some hard work by a National Park Service Ranger, we were on our way with only about a half hour delay (and a nice donation to the National Park to show our appreciation for his help).
Today we found the best views into the crater to be from the Kalahaku Overlook located at the 9324 foot level. This view of Pu'u o Maui was amazing.
Haleakala is a place of great importance to many people. To the Hawaiian people it is a place steeped in history, religion and culture. To the naturalist and geologist it is a place of great diversity and wonder. We will be exploring these topics in more detail in a future weekly feature.
The drive down from Haleakala is somewhat easier than the drive to the summit, that is unless you find yourself behind a group of bikers. It seems that the latest fad is to ride a bike down from the summit of Haleakala and there seem to be a large number of companies offering this option.
Rather than return directly to west Maui once we had descended the mountain, we elected to head further south on Route 37 to Ulupalakua. I have to admit the promos that we have been hearing on KPOA all week for the Tedeschi Winery played a large part in our decision to travel further upcountry, but the trip was well worth the effort.
The views of central Maui, Molokini and Kaho'olawe as you drive Route 37 are amazing, as are the wonderful views of the beautiful ranch country on either side of the highway.
Upon arrival at Ulupalakua, we ate lunch at the Ulupalakua General Store and Deli. If you go be sure to taste the chili which is made of fresh Hawaiian beef. It is served on a bed of rice and the portions are generous. It was the best chili I have ever tasted.
After lunch we wandered over to the Tedeschi Winery. The winery has a lovely tasting room as well as a very nice gallery tracing the history of the Ulupalakua ranch. Did you know that General George Patton stayed at this ranch? Did you know that wine from the winery was served at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan?
If you ever make it to the Tedeschi Winery you must taste the wines made from pineapple. They are wonderful and very unique. This is the only winery located in Hawaii.
From Ulupalakua it was a long ride back to Kaanapali and we were quite tired from a very busy day.
Tomorrow is for the most part a day of rest. We are half way through our visit to Hawaii and we're all pretty tired. We will be making a trip to the new Maui Ocean Center, but the afternoon will be one of rest and perhaps a swim, if only the wind and surf will die down a bit!
See you tomorrow. Aloha.
