An Ascent of Haleakala: Sea to Summit Adventure on Maui

By Dayle K. Turner

Part 1: The Plan and Expedition Overview

Up early for a 6 a.m. flight to Kahului. Maui resident Mark Short and his son will meet Ed and me there, and away we go bound for the Kaupo Coast. We'll be dropped off on the highway by Manawainui Gulch, which is a few miles on the Ulupalakua side of Kaupo.

We'll start basically at sea level and head upslope, keeping Manawainui to our right as we ascend. About 3 miles from the highway, we'll pass Pu'u Pane (elevation 4,032 feet). Continuing up, our goal is to intersect the Kahikinui Trail, which contours across the mountain at about the 7,000-foot level. From there, we'll head west on Kahikinui to reach the Kahua Shelter (elevation 7,126 feet) to overnight and get water.

On Saturday morning, we will continue from Kahua to the summit of Haleakala (10,023 feet). From there, we will descend the Skyline Trail to Polipoli (elevation 6,472 feet), where we will camp on Saturday and Sunday nights to explore the regional trail network.

"At least all of the above is our plan. Hope it all pans out. If not, we will have an adventure nonetheless. Excelsior and imua!"

Part 2: Day 1 – Climbing Manawainui Gulch

On Friday the 13th of December 2002, Ed Gilman, Mark Short, and I attempted to climb to the summit of Haleakala from the Kaupo Coast. The idea came to me during a flight home from Hilo when I had a clear view of Haleakala's southern flank. Manawainui Gulch heads almost in a direct line to Pu'u Ulaula (Red Hill), the 10,023-foot summit. Joining us was Mark's energetic Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kimba.

Just before 10 a.m., Mark's wife, Mary, dropped us off along Piilani Highway. We tossed stones into the sea as a ceremonial start and set off through former Kaupo Ranch cattle lands. Early on, I realized I had left my ziplock bag containing our map, cell phone, and camping permits on the back seat of Mary's car. Map-less, cell-phone-less, and permit-less, we pushed on.

Key Milestones Along the Ascent

• Ranch Road & Lantana Scrub: We spent the first hour climbing old ranch roads in searing heat before pushing through dense, scratchy lantana.
• Manawainui Gulch Route: Sticking close to the gulch, we followed goat paths, spotted feral herds, and passed an old metal ladder once used to service water pipelines.
• Pu'u Pane Landmark: We targeted Pu'u Pane (4,032 ft) and entered native dryland forest filled with hapu'u, uluhe, ohia, and koa trees, active with native apapane and i'iwi birds.
• 5,500-Foot Campsite: We crossed the forest reserve boundary fence and set up camp at 5,500 feet under clear, freezing skies, viewing Mauna Kea and the Geminid meteor shower.

Part 3: Day 2 – Reaching the 10,023-Foot Summit

Rousing ourselves after sleeping under the stars, we enjoyed clear morning views of Big Island peaks over Alenuihaha Channel. We broke camp around 6:30 a.m. and climbed steadily through ohia forest until intersecting the Kahikinui Trail near marker 5 (elevation 6,600–6,800 ft).

Kahua Cabin Rest and Summit Push

The trail led directly to Kahua Cabin, a single-room shelter with bunks, a catchment water system, and propane amenities. After replenishing our water, Mark decided to bypass the summit and take the Kahua jeep road toward our rendezvous point at Ballpark Junction (7,100 ft). Ed and I pushed directly up the ridge mauka of Pu'u Kahua.

Navigating rough a'a lava, collapsed lava tubes, and thin air, we reached the main summit ridge at 9,200 feet by 12:30 p.m. Dropping our heavy packs, we hiked the remaining distance up the Skyline Trail 4WD road, passing the observatory complex to stand at the 10,023-foot summit sign.

After celebratory photos, we descended Skyline Trail, collected our gear, and pushed down to Polipoli Campground (6,200 ft) to pitch camp before dark.

Part 4: Day 3 – Exploring the Polipoli Trail Network

We spent our third day exploring the extensive trail network around Polipoli Springs State Recreation Area. After breakfast, Ed and I hiked up toward Ballpark Junction to locate Mark and retrieve cached canned goods. En route, we met friendly DOCARE officers who accepted our explanation regarding the forgotten paper permits.

Trail Loop & Historic Highlights

• Ballpark Junction Reunion: We met Mark and Kimba at the junction and enjoyed a trailside meal of canned beans, Spam, and stew.
• Mamane Trail: We descended through dust-laden mamane, pine, and eucalyptus forests offering views across central Maui.
• Waiohuli & Boundary Trails: We explored natural rock overhangs and rested in high-elevation grass meadows before reaching the historic 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) bunkhouse.
• Redwood Trail: We looped back up through coastal redwoods and conifers to our campsite for an evening campfire.

Part 5: Day 4 – Waihe'e Valley, Waterfalls, and Coastal Tour

By 7:30 a.m. on our final morning, we packed Mark's truck and descended the steep Waipoli dirt road into Pukalani. After stopping for breakfast and retrieving my forgotten cell phone and ID from Mary, we drove to Waihe'e Valley.

We hiked along irrigation ditch trails to the famous Swinging Bridges and enjoyed a plunge into a deep mountain swimming hole. Moving further along the coast, we explored a side gulch, ascending fixed ropes beside a 60-foot waterfall before driving the narrow, cliffside roads around northern Maui to inspect coastal tide pools near marker 16.

We concluded our island tour with chimichangas in Napili, a drive down Lahaina's Front Street, and a full loop back to Kahului Airport for our evening flight to Oahu—completing an unforgettable sea-to-summit Maui adventure.