Rangers spot missing
mom and child

They're seen hiking out
of Haleakala after being
caught in a storm

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By Gary Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

WAILUKU >> Haleakala National Park rangers located a missing California woman and her 3-year-old daughter who were caught in stormy weather while trying to leave the crater yesterday.

Chief Ranger Karen Newton said that before 8:25 a.m. today, a ranger using binoculars saw four people hiking on a trail from the Kapalaoa cabin area, including the woman and her 3-year-old daughter.

The woman and her daughter were in good condition and were making good progress in their hike out of the crater.

"They're moving strongly," Newton said.

The other two people seen walking with them were a man and a 6-year-old boy who had been scheduled to spend last night at the Kapalaoa cabin.

The search began last night when rangers rescued a Maui woman who got separated from the woman and her daughter.

Newton said besides the rain, the temperature last night was 40 degrees Fahrenheit and probably closer to 10 degrees considering the wind chill factor.

She said winds were blowing at up to 65 miles per hour last night, making an air search too dangerous to attempt.

"The weather's too severe to put aircraft in the air," she said.

A ground search began last night at about 7:45 p.m., but was canceled a couple hours later because of the extreme weather.

The search resumed at 5:30 a.m today.

Newton said the Maui woman suffered from severe hypothermia and had difficulty giving full details of the incident last night. Rangers talked to the woman again today.

She said the two women and child spent Sunday night at a wilderness area at Kapalaoa cabin. Newton said the three initially planned to exit the crater at the Halemau'u trail at the 8,000-foot level, but then the storm hit.

The Maui woman became separated from the California woman and child while gathering up some belongings. She left the crater at the Sliding Sands trail at the 10,000-foot level at 7:30 p.m yesterday, Newton said.

Newton said about 10 park rangers had joined the search for the pair today, including two rangers on horseback.