The forgotten volcano

KONA International Airport on the Big Island floats in a sea of ebony lava that's part of the 1801 eruption of a vent 1,500 feet up the slopes of Hualalai Volcano. The flow of molten lava lasted weeks without abating, prompting King Kamehameha I to sail from Kailua-Kona to personally offer a pig and a lock of his hair to ease Pele's wrath.

Legend says the tempestuous volcano goddess accepted the gifts, and Hualalai stopped spewing lava. Although volcanologists consider it to be an active volcano, it has been silent ever since.

Standing 8,271 feet above sea level, Hualalai is dwarfed by its neighbors to the east, 13,796-foot Mauna Kea and 13,677-foot Mauna Loa. It receives little more than a passing mention in guidebooks, but it harbors a host of extraordinary geological features and plant life. Because most of the ahupuaa (ancient land division) of Kaupulehu, where Hualalai is located, is owned by Kamehameha Schools, the public did not have access to the area until 2002, when Hawaii Forest & Trail launched its Hualalai Volcano Adventure.

"Kamehameha Schools offered us exclusive commercial recreational access to several thousand acres of land in mauka (of) Kaupulehu," says HFT President Rob Pacheco. "We've had a long relationship with them, and they've been very proactive in finding ways for the public to have controlled access to the amazing resources of their lands."

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COURTESY HAWAII FOREST & TRAIL
A hiker enjoys checking out a cave on the Hualalai Volcano Adventure on the Big Island.

That Pacheco was able to seal such a deal with the state's largest landowner is a testament to the stellar reputation HFT has developed since he and wife Cindy founded it in 1993.

"Working with landowners is first and foremost a trust-building relationship," Pacheco says. "They have to be comfortable with who you are, how you operate and that you'll do what you say you will do. When we started HFT, I realized that many of the wonderful places on the Big Island were on private land. I began a dialogue with several landowners. Some ideas came to fruition, others not, but as we've grown and become a recognized player in tourism, certainly more gates have been opened for us."

The Hualalai Volcano Adventure begins with a 45-minute drive from the hot, barren flats of the Big Island's west coast to a rain forest lush with ohia trees and ferns. Smooth asphalt yields to a rugged unpaved road that can be negotiated only by four-wheel drive. It's a jarring mile-long ride through a series of locked gates to the trail head at the 5,000-foot elevation, flanked on one side by dense forest and on the other by a long, deep rift zone from which lava poured during eruptions in 1800 and 1801.

On the 2-mile hike, you'll ascend another 1,000 feet up the flanks of Hualalai. Native birds such as the amakihi and apapane often can be seen flitting in the treetops, and the landscape is carpeted with native and endemic greenery, including ohia, koa, pilo, ohelo, and amau and akole ferns.

The native pukiawe also thrives in this upland region. In ancient times the Hawaiians burned its branches and immersed themselves in the smoke, believing that it would hide their mana (spiritual power).

Another native plant common to this area is the kukaenene, which translates as "droppings of the nene" (Hawaiian goose, the state bird). Its name refers to its black, berrylike fruit used long ago to make dye.

Distinguished by narrow, oval leaves growing thick at the tips of its branches, the native kolea tree provided the Hawaiians with red sap for dye, strong wood to build houses and hard logs for beating tapa. The kolea lau lii is a rare miniature version of the kolea; in fact, its name means "small leaves of the kolea."

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COURTESY HAWAII FOREST & TRAIL
The 6,000-foot elevation of Kaupulehu Crater is an excellent viewing spot for hikers. The tour also showcases numerous geological wonders.

THE TOUR showcases numerous geological wonders as well, including a lava tube partially concealed in a thicket of ohia, pukiawe, kolea, kolea lau lii, ohelo and painiu (native Hawaiian lilies). Steadied by a rope rail, you'll descend into the cave, gingerly making your way down a rocky, uneven path. A calabash placed on a ledge shows how the ancients collected rainwater that dripped from a skylight.

"We knew there were lots of caves up there," says Pacheco, "but we were looking for one that would be easy for guests to enter and exit without backtracking. Katy's Cave, as it was named in the mapping, was a perfect find. It's relatively small, has beautiful stalactites and provides hikers with the thrill of climbing up one side of it and through a skylight into the open air. The skylight allows us to pass through without flashlights, and the lava tube is only a hundred feet in length, so most folks have no problem traveling through it."

From there you'll climb to Kaupulehu Crater at the 6,000-foot elevation -- the source of Hualalai's 1800 eruption. Wide rivers of red-hot lava spilled over the bowl and flowed to the sea, forming cinder cones, lava tubes and Pele's tears (spatters of molten lava that solidified in teardrop shapes) along the way.

Looking west to the Kohala Coast from this vantage point, you can see Hualalai and Waikoloa resorts, the airport, Honokohau Harbor, the bright blue of the Pacific and, beyond that, the summit of majestic Haleakala on Maui. On extremely clear days the breathtaking vista also includes Molokai and Lanai.

A third kind of volcanic crater lies a bit further along the trail. Unlike the rift zone and Kaupulehu Crater, which were formed at the site of eruptions, this "pit crater" was created when the ground beneath flowing lava collapsed. It's been nicknamed Parrot Crater after the flocks of mitred conures that usually can be seen circling within it.

Recalls Pacheco: "When workers and I were blazing the trail, we knew it had to include these craters, which range from a couple hundred to 400 feet deep and from 150 to 500 feet wide. Tour participants can walk right up to the edges of these massive depressions as the guide explains how they were formed.

"Even looking at them without the narrative gives you a clear picture of the incredible power of nature."

That is the reward of the Hualalai Volcano Adventure. You'll realize nature is not mute. It's there with you the whole time, speaking volumes.

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COURTESY HAWAII FOREST & TRAIL
Many Hawaiian plants and greenery thrive on the slopes of Hualalai Volcano, and native birds can be seen flitting in the treetops.

If you go ...
What: Hualalai Volcano Adventure
Where: At Hawaii Forest & Trail's headquarters, 74-5035-B Queen Kaahumanu Highway, about five miles south of Kona International Airport. Pickups also can be scheduled at resorts along the Kohala Coast.
When: Offered at 8 a.m. or noon, depending on the day
Cost: $99 per person, $79 for ages 8 through 12, including snacks, beverages and use of rain gear and walking sticks. Kamaaina receive a 15 percent discount.
Notes: Wear comfortable clothing, closed-toe shoes and a T-shirt or similar casual top. It's a good idea to bring a jacket and hat, cap or visor. This tour is limited to 10 participants. Guests should be able to hike on uneven or rocky terrain in sometimes cool, wet or muddy conditions.
Call: 808-331-8505 on the Big Island, 800-464-1993 from the other islands or the mainland
Notes: Hawaii Forest & Trail offers seven other nature tours, including a mule ride, birding excursions, waterfall hikes and expeditions to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the summit of Mauna Kea. Call or check out the Web site for details.
E-mail: info@hawaii-forest.com
Web site: www.hawaii-forest.com

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Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based free-lance writer and Society of American Travel Writers award winner.