The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-04-27
A Trip to
Haleakala
BY M. A. Moore.

Editor Advertiser: This is my
fourth visit to Honolulu. Each time
have had a hankering to see a sun
rise from the top OF Mouna Halea
kala, on the Island of Maui. Each |
time I have Investigated the eondi |
tons necessary to make the trip, and |
after. doing so I have heretofore not |
had the courage to tackle it. This |
time, having just returned from
trip through New Zealand, where our /
party wandered over the rocky noun |
tains and the icy glacier of Mount |
Cook, We concluded to tackle the Ha-
leakala proposition, and we are all
very glad we did so. With my wife
and two daughters, sailed on the
Mauna Kea, April 6, FOR MeGregor's
landing. Arriving there We took coach
for Wailuku. It rained all night, and
was still raining in the morning. After
having telephoned to Mr.. Aiken, at his
mountain home at Idlewilde, near
| Olinda, and finding that it was clear
| there, We took a carriage from Wal
| luku TO Idlewilde. Owing to the fact
| that the roads were somewhat muddy
| a part of the way, we did not reach
Idlewilde till 1:30 p. m. 1t was driz-
| zling when we arrived there. Along
! toward night it cleared up, and as
/ there was nearly a full moon we de-
cided to make the ascent by moon
| light and I believe that is the best
way TO do it--during the moonlight
season. As the writer does not ride
horseback he took a special guide
| with a mule and started for the sum-
| init about 1880 p. M, the balance OF
the party following on horses later
/ We took ample time for the ascent
stopping occasionally to build fire
and rest. The ascent by moonlight is
very attractive. The view of the val
ley below, with the moon shining on
the floating clouds, was very beauti-
ful We arrived at the rest-house
about 4:45 a. m. After short rest,
we climbed to the edge of the crater.
in ample time to see the beautiful col
oring of the sky preceding the sunrise.
All the lowlands surrounding the
mountain We're covered with floating
clouds in all sorts of fantastic shapes,
their white tops reminding US very
forcibly of some photographs We have
received from our home in Iowa, show
| ing some of the snoWdrifts which
piled up during the blizzard last
| winter.
AS the sun rose and tinged these
with GORGEOUS anIarS and as
they gradually changed form AMI
ftoated away, opening up view OF
| the landscape and water below, the
sight was the most magnificent it has
ever been our fortune to behold
| Words entirely fail to express the
beauty of the scene. AS the sun grad
| ually rose higher and the light showed
up the giant crater, with all the beau
| ties of form and color, and the i'm
mense cones formed in its bottom by
the titanic forces Of nature in ages
long past, the view was an awe-in
spring one. In looking into this vasi
basin it was almost impossible to real
| lze that it had a diameter of sever
to nine miles and depth of 250t
feet. Truly. there must have beer
something doing when in past ages
this crater was filed with boiling
lava. A modern volcano like Kilauet
i or even Vesuvius would be a pigm!
beside it.
After a breakfast at the rest-house
| we made the descent, arriving at Idle
| wilde at about II q. m. 1t would b:
useless to deny that the trip was {
= somewhat strenuous one, but to thos'
| who can ride horseback it can b.
| made without serious hardship, an,
| the sight at the summit is worth en-
during any amount of discomfort. TIL
= air at the summit is very keen am
penetrating. and one should carr.
plenty of warm wraps. Mr.. c. .
Lufkin OF the First National Bank
Wailuku tan old friend whom w
knew in the States. accompanied u
ON the trip. and helped to make
J. more enjoyable. Mr.. and Mrs. Alike,
also made our stop at Idlewiide YER
pleasant. Mr.. Aiken tells me that h
is planning to put additional cots an
other conyeniences in the rest-house
so that those who wish to spend tn
night on the summit can do SO i
comparative comfort. I earnestly &C
wise everyone who is in good physlcs
condition to take this trip 1t is
sight that may be seen only once i
lifetime, but il viii long be remen
! bered by ali those who see it.
Honolulu, April u. 1909.