GUNUNG · Amerika Serikat

Haleakalā

Haleakalā (Hawaii: "rumah matahari") — puncak Puʻuʻulaʻula

Information

Elevation: 3.055 m
Country: Amerika Serikat (US)
Location / Range: Maui Island, Hawaii, United States — Central Pacific
Mountain type: Shield volcano — dormant; forms about 75% of the island of Maui, Hawaii
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 20.7097, -156.2517
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard — the main Sliding Sands (Keoneheʻeheʻe) trail descends about 600 m into the crater from 3,055 m; the climb back feels hard due to the thin air at altitude. The Halemauʻu trail is shorter and can be combined into an 18 km loop route.
Best Season: Year-round. The relative dry season (June–October) is most stable. For sunrise, a permit must be booked 60 days ahead via recreation.gov — slots are very limited.
Permits & Rules: National Park entry: USD 30/vehicle (valid 3 days) or USD 15/person. Watching sunrise requires a sunrise permit (recreation.gov) that opens 60 days ahead. Camping at Hōlua or Palikū Cabin inside the crater requires an additional permit.
Hazards: Hypoxia and dehydration at 3,000 m; extreme temperature swings (over 30°C by day vs. near 0°C at night); strong summit winds (often ≥60 km/h); high UV from reduced ozone at altitude; sudden weather changes with thick fog; and 53 sharp switchbacks on the road to the summit.

Description

Haleakalā (3,055 m) is a massive shield volcano that makes up most of the island of Maui, Hawaii — its Hawaiian name means "house of the sun", from the legend of the demigod Māui snaring the sun from its summit. The summit and upper slopes are protected as Haleakalā National Park. Its main draw is not technical climbing but descending into a giant erosional crater with an almost otherworldly landscape: volcanic sand, colourful cinder cones, and the endemic silversword (ʻāhinahina). Two main trails cross the crater — Keoneheʻeheʻe or "Sliding Sands", which eases down from near the summit, and Halemauʻu, with steep switchbacks on the north side. Many hikers combine the two into a crater traverse. Haleakalā's summit is also famous for sunrise viewing, which now requires a timed reservation. The biggest challenges are altitude, cold and windy weather, and the long climb back out.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Halemauʻu Trail

Sedang–berat — switchback curam, tepi jurang di beberapa titik

Hiking harian; ±sehari penuh ke dasar kawah dan kembali

Jalur dari trailhead Halemauʻu di sekitar 2.430 m yang menuruni rangkaian switchback curam dengan pemandangan dramatis ke dalam kawah. Sering dipakai sebagai ujung lintasan menyeberang kawah dari Sliding Sands. NPS mencatat medan berbatu dan tidak rata; sebagian jalur menyusuri punggungan sempit.

Source

Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail

Sedang–berat — non-teknis, tetapi tanjakan balik panjang di ketinggian >3.000 m

Hiking harian berat; ±6–8 jam pulang-pergi ke dasar kawah

Jalur utama masuk kawah Haleakalā, berangkat dari dekat puncak (sekitar 2.969 m) di area Visitor Center puncak. Menurut NPS, jalur turun melandai melewati pasir vulkanik ke dasar kawah; perjalanan pulang-pergi ke lantai kawah sekitar 12,5 km dengan penurunan ratusan meter yang harus didaki kembali. Tidak ada air dan nyaris tanpa naungan — bawa air cukup dan lapisan hangat.

Source

Lintasan menyeberang kawah (Sliding Sands → Halemauʻu)

Berat — jarak panjang, perlu antar-jemput dua trailhead

Hiking harian panjang; ±18 km bila digabung

Kombinasi populer: turun lewat Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) lalu keluar lewat switchback Halemauʻu, menyeberangi lantai kawah dan melewati kerucut sinder serta ladang silversword. Karena titik masuk dan keluar berbeda, pendaki perlu mengatur antar-jemput kendaraan. NPS menyarankan start dini dan persiapan air serta cuaca dingin.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Haleakalā hikers' accounts centre on descending into the crater via the Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) and Halemauʻu trails. Vlogs and blogs repeatedly describe a crater floor that looks like the surface of Mars — volcanic sand, cinder cones, and silversword plants — and the contrast between the cold, windy crater rim and the shadeless heat of the floor. Almost all stress the demanding climb back out at altitude, the need to carry water and warm layers, and the beauty of the morning light. Several highlight the crater traverse combining Sliding Sands and Halemauʻu.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.