Maui, HI: Haleakalā backpacking trip to Palikū Cabin

When I first began writing blog posts a few months ago I decided that between every few New Zealand posts I’d write about some other adventure I’d done somewhere else. I figure no one could ever truly get bored of New Zealand adventures but at least it changes the readers perspective for a little while. So welcome back to the blog for this weeks post! This week I’ll be writing about a backpacking trip Jay and I did during winter break of our senior year at the University of Maine. The adventure includes some severe sunburns, beautiful views, and a visit to a memorable spot where my grandfather had to be rescued a long time ago. 

I choose to write about this adventure now because recently I had to make a tough decision. For about a year now I’ve been dealing with chronic pain from a severely torn shoulder muscle that when really inflamed and sore causes a flare up of a past neck injury from a year prior. To get the whole story, use this link to find more about my neck and shoulder injury. This tough decision I made a few days ago involved whether or not to tag along on Jay’s upcoming adventure to the Sequoia National Forest Area for a backpacking trip.

I obviously am in no shape to backpack considering I just started being able to carry a bag with water and small items for short hikes, so I new no matter what I’d be only doing short day hikes and be staying in the car on our backseat bed frame for sleeping while he backpacked camped along the trail. The deciding factor was whether I could handle eight nights in the back of the car without the cushion and comfort of my bed at home. I know I sound lame and spoiled. And I hate it. But the fact of the matter is if I am able to sleep well without pain in my hips or shoulders- mainly gained from harder sleeping surfaces- I don’t have the infrequent and horrible throbbing pain in both my shoulder AND neck.

I have a Thermarest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad that is fantastic for backpacking (before my injuries) and is okay for a night or two, but after those first few nights and after hiking during the day I start feeling the pain in my joints and my neck and shoulder. The regular foam and memory foam pads we have for the car bed frame also is comfortable enough for a few nights but then the same effect occurs as with the Thermarest. Jay and I had been planning on eventually getting a Duo Exped MegaMat for car camping in the car or in a tent but then I realized, why don’t I just get it now? I wasn’t sure if it’d be any better than my other options but apparently it’s the shit because its both inflated and has foam for extra comfort. I decided to get a single, that then later could be put next to another single, but if Jay and I are car camping apart we could still fit it in our tents if we don’t want to sleep in the car- Jay still calls sleeping in the car “the coffin”.

The estimated receiving date for the sleeping pad was wrong. On the website it claimed I could get it by July 2nd, two days before we leave. Turns out that was a lie and now the estimated receiving date is July 7th. So now I have a dilemma. I am still mildly hopeful that the amazing UPS Shipping people drop it off on the 2nd or 3rd, but most likely I’ll have no new sleeping pad by then. Sometime this week I’ll be testing out my own makeshift inflated and foam sleeping system by using my Thermarest sleeping pad and the memory foam. Next Tuesday you’ll find out whether or not I’m in California on the trip or whether I’m in Sedona camping for a few nights on my own instead! Now to the adventure from a few years ago, when I could actually hike 9 miles with a 35 pound backpack on my back!

Maui, HI is near and dear to my heart because my father grew up there with his family in a home that the family still owns and he has spent a good deal of time sharing the islands’ beauty with me. Haleakalā Crater on Maui specifically is very special to me. I have so many memories and connections to this place. My grandfather use to work for the Smithsonian doing satellite tracking and was stationed at Haleakalā. At age two my parents backpacked into the crater with me on their back and stayed at Kapalaoa Cabin. When I was older my parents and I backpacked in to Hōlua Cabin camping area and explored the center of the crater during the day.

Jay was itching to do a long backpacking trip and I was curious about the Palikū cabin because I had never hiked that far into Haleakalā Crater. If you look at the first photo in this post you’ll see where Palikū Cabin is and where the Visitor Center is where we started our adventure. We planned our meals and hiking for each day and gathered up our gear, hiking permit, and set out on a 9-mile hike the first day. We began at the Haleakalā Visitor Center and made our way down the Keonehe’ehe’e (Sliding Sands) Trail. We passed several tourists with inappropriate footwear and small plastic water bottles and finally made our way into the crater where only true hikers and backpackers exist. That first day was insanely hot and I applied sunscreen everywhere. Thankfully my mother had let me borrow a sun hat which saved my face from the blinding sun.

The views walking down the Sliding Sands trail were breathtaking. You get such an amazing view of the crater and colorful sands. It took a little while to get to Kapalaoa Cabin because I kept wanting to stop and gaze at the view. The photos below were taken somehwere during the first section of the trail as you drop down from the 9740 ft elevation of the Visitor Center. Fun fact, the tallest point on Maui is the Pu’u’ula’ula Summit of the crater at 10023 ft.

We stopped at Kapalaoa cabin for lunch and a breather. The next event was bound to happen. Ever since an unfortunate experience with a Nene (Hawaiian goose), where it chased me around this cabin, I’ve been a bit afraid of the bird. They can be very territorial and will definitely chase you and peck at you if they feel threatened, or in my case, because they hate me. This time I did not get chased, but did cowardly hide behind Jay whenever they were near. I’m not ashamed. I’d prefer to keep my skin intact. After lunch we made our way to Palikū. As you near to the cabin, slowly the environment changes from desert, to rocky with shrubs and plants, to grasslands, and then to lush green rain forest and meadows as shown below. At Palikū we saw the Nene’s again and Jay got a photo shown below.

When we arrived at Palikū Cabin we found a nice little shaded camping spot to set up our tent, dry our sweat soaked clothing, and make some dinner. The next day I woke up and my skin hurt. As I said earlier, I SWEAR I put sunscreen everywhere, but apparently during the times I was wearing my sports bra and had my backpack off I didn’t have enough sunscreen on those areas. So being curious, I had Jay take a photo. Here is what happens when you don’t where enough sunscreen, as plenty of you already know too well.

During the rest of that day we explored a bit and found what was barely a trail up the side of the crater that gave you a pretty good view of the area. The next day we packed up camp and made our way across the crater once again, but this time we headed in the direction of Hōlua Cabin and would meet up with my father along the way because we were to end our backpacking adventure at the Halemau’u Trailhead. My mother hiked in as well but got distracted by a conversation with a stranger and painting and didn’t make it down into the crater and waited for us up on the rim instead. The hike from Palikū Cabin to the Halemau’u Trailhead and parking lot is 10 miles total.

After hiking for almost 3.2 miles, we stopped at an iconic spot for my family. Kawilinau (Bottomless Pit) is a stop along the hike where you find a hole with interesting rock formation surrounding the opening and a fence surrounding the area. For many years it was considered to be bottomless. Not sure if a depth survey had been done prior to the event I’m about to disclose but nevertheless, this event confirmed that it was not a bottomless pit. If I recall the story correctly- family please comment below with any changes- my grandfather was curious to find its depth, and with about a 50ft rope, he descended into the hole. He reached the end of his rope and fell- my guess is that he had not tied off the system. He fell from that height and landed on the bottom, about 15ft below and was then at the 65ft depth of the hole. Unfortunately he broke is back and I’m guessing he was then flown or carried out of the crater. The family now jokes that he was the one who discovered it wasn’t bottomless.

After visiting this spot we continued our hike among the silverswords and met up with my father. When we reached Hōlua Cabin we snacked, hydrated, and then began our ascent up the crater wall, switchback after switchback. About half way up we took the funniest selfie with my father yet. I think he did this on purpose because he gave the goofiest facial expression. This photo is still one of my favorites because of my father’s face and because I am the most normal looking one since Jay isn’t even looking at the camera directly.

We hiked the rest of the way up to the crater rim, met up with my mother after a few loon calls (how my family communicates while in nature), and hiked out to the parking lot. The seats in the car felt wonderful on my sore joints and I think I passed out for a bit on our drive back down to the Kula family house.

In case you were wondering if it’s worth it to go to the summit during sunrise? It is! The photo below is from a week before our hike but the sunrise crater view definitely helped cement the idea of hiking into the crater. If you do go to the summit for sunrise: bring blankets, flashlights, and layers of clothing because it goes from 20s to 60s real quick. Also make sure to get there 30-60 minutes before sunrise so you can get a good spot and set up a time lapse. If I had an upgraded plan I’d share mine, but it is definitely worth it!

Thank you for reading our backpacking adventure out to Palikū Cabin! Stay tuned for next weeks post where I’ll disclose if I am on the California trip or camping down in Sedona. Not sure what I’ll be writing about next week. I might continue the New Zealand adventure with a backpacking trip we did along the Abel Tasman Great Walk, summarize a more recent hiking adventure to a swimming hole in Camp Verde where I almost over heated, talk about one of my solo backpacking adventures pre-Jay up to an Appalachian Trail camp spot in Crawford Notch NH, or reminisce about a camping trip I did with two friends from UMaine on Mount Greylock in Mass.

I’m asking my readers! Which post would you rather read next week? Like the NZ, Swimming, Solo, or Greylock comment below for your vote. The one with the most likes will be the topic for next weeks post. If no one likes the comments I guess I’ll just close my eyes and point. See you all next week! Have a good masked fourth of July. Stay safe y’all.

Mahalo and Kia Ora!