Dateline: Sunday November 7th

We arrived back at the start of the Sliding Sands trail hungry after our morning hike into the crater. The parking lot for Sliding Sands is actually not at the summit. We decided to drive up to the actual summit and have our lunch. It was pretty windy by noon so we ate in the car.

There is a small lookout and a couple of paths at the summit area. We walked up to the lookout and we had a great view over to the Big Island. You can actually see Mauna Kea. There is also a great view down into the crater. I can how this would be a great place for the sunrise.

We returned to the car and what did we see? A group of birds looking for handouts. I thought they might be Nene but they really didn’t look like geese. They were chukars which actually came from India. Bummer – I had wanted to see a Nene.

It was time to head back. We headed back down and stopped in Paia again for some more fish at the Fish Market. Ono for me and Ono burger for G. It was an early night for us.

Mother, Father and baby Silversword along the Sliding Sands Trail

Another view of the silversword gardens in the crater

G up close and personal with a silversword at the Haleakala summit

Amazing views across the top of clouds covering Central Maui from Haleakala Summit

View to Sliding Sands Parking lot

Chukar

Over 10K at the summit.

I also wanted to show the contrast of areas of Haleakala. Here are shots from the crater rim looking towards Kaupo Gap and looking back at the gap from the Kaupo side from the Piilani Highway.

Looking towards the Kaupo Gap (center)

On the opposite side of the Kaupo Gap