Almont, CO Weather from Weather Underground

Monday, October 31, 2011

The Big Island - Volcano Nat'l Park Part II

October 31st and we go back to Volcano National Park for some hiking and to maybe see a lava flow at night and it is the last day of our Parks Pass.

We start out on the Mauna Ulu Eruption Trail.


Nature is amazing.  Things will find a way to grow through anything.


This is the January 1974 eruption



Caught a couple of the endangered Hawaiian Geese - Nenes - in flight.  They are endemic to Hawaii (found only here)  and only on 3 of the Islands.


Next we tackle the Kilauea Iki Crater Trail which is 4 miles round trip down through a rain forest to and across a Volcanic Crater Lake. 

It's coming into view!


Such a strange landscape.


Again in what seems like a vast wasteland a beautiful flowering bush pushes through.


There are still active steam vents.  Makes you wonder just how smart are you to be walking here? 

I may not be a smart woman but I can hoist large rocks over my head!


Someone call the Highway Dept.!  Reminds me of some of the roads in the Northeast after a bad winter!


It's getting dark so we head to the Jagger Museum to get a look of the Pu' U Huluhulu Crater Steam Vent at night.  There are signs everywhere warning you of the Sulphur in the air from the Volcanic Fumes.  1/2 the scenic loop road is closed because of it. 


The Steam Vent is definitely cooler at night - you see the glow from the Lava inside.  There were no viewable active lava flows when we were there - a disappointment - I guess there had been some spectacular ones back in September.   



Aloha!

Meanwhile, we keep on Trek'n

Melissa & Gary


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