Good Morning, All,
Today's post is about standing on the edge of the world! The Haleakala volcanic crater is in fact an active volcano with its last eruption being in 1790. I found a great synopsis of the history of all the volcanic action on all of the Hawaiian islands on www.to-hawaii.com. Though it has been over 223 years since its last eruption, it is considered "active".
Once you have driven on the road up to it; which is off Route 377 and just around the corner from the Kuna Botanical Garden, you find yourself looking at a view that is in many places, higher than the clouds. The vegetation is very sparse and similar to a desert but the islands are all volcanic rock. The geology of it becomes much more visible at the higher elevations.
At its peak, it stands at over 10,023 feet (3055 meters). The pass at Vail, Colorado in the U.S. state of Colorado stands at about 10,316 feet. Not one for heights, the feeling of the height is very present even if you are just walking around in the park area, not necessarily on a rim. The volcano has a 21-mile circumference and is 3,000 feet deep, which I guess is why people live on the island. I don't know if companies have come up with "volcano insurance" for living in these regions but technically, it is an active crater.
The spikey silver-green plants are called Silversword; which are endangered but dot the hillside at the observatory grounds. It was chilly that day but had beautiful views.
For now, I'm off to Kentucky. Until next time, happy trails in your life!
