GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF HAWAII. 141 



on leads up and down over the points of the ridges the road is a difficult and 

 tedious one to travel. The absence of important canons on the western side 

 of Haleakala seems to be due to the fact that the rain clouds are relieved of 

 their burden on the opposite slopes of the mountain, so that the two sides when 

 compared furnish interesting examples of the effect of wet and dry climate 

 on the same mountain. 



The Great Crater Described. 



The trip to the summit of the mountain is usually, though not always, made 

 from Paia, the terminus of the Kahului railroad. Paia is situated on the north- 

 western slope and can be easily reached from most of the landings on both 

 ]\Iaalaea and Kahului bays. As no better conception of the great crater and 

 this portion of the island can be formed than that gained from making the ascent, 

 it is proposed to follow the usual route, which, from Paia, leads to Idlewild^ 

 and on the way to the summit, a distance of about twenty-two miles. 



The outer slopes of the crater on all sides are quite irregular, ranging be- 

 tween eight and ten degrees, but the slope is a trifle steeper on the northeastern 

 side. This jnakes the ascent an easy uphill climb that it most deceiving. The lower 

 western slope of the mountain has been graphically described as resembling a 

 whole township diversified with farms and woods, valleys and hills, resting on 

 its elbows, so to speak, and looking out over the broad Pacific. From the base 

 of the mountain one can look up to the cloud-line and often get a glimpse of the 

 summit through an occasional rift in the clouds. 



At Idlewild ^ the traveler leaves his wheeled conveyance and continues the 

 ascent for a distance of eight miles on horseback. For six miles the trail leads 

 by an easy, gradual climb through grassy pasture land, where the skylarks, 

 stimulated by the fresh, cool air of the mountain side, often mount skywards, 

 carrying their song far into the clouds. 



From the cloud-belt on to the summit the trail becomes rougher and steeper. 

 The grass and trees of the lower reaches give way to low, scrubby bushes. 

 Entering the clouds the soft white fog usually obscures everything above 

 and below, but in less than an hour's climbing the rough, jagged outline of the 

 summit appears, floating on a sea of clouds as the traveler emerges into the 

 sunshine again. Often the world below is completely hidden from view ; more 

 often, however, the blue Pacific may be seen in the distance, apparently rising 

 like the inner side of a vast blue bowl until it joins, in some mysterious way, 

 with the edge of the bright blue dome that overtops everything, even this high 

 mountain. 



From the favorable places, at this great height, much of the outline of the 

 island may be seen, spread out like a great colored map lying on the lap of 

 the mountain. West Maui appears usually above the clouds as the detached 

 summit of another island mountain. 



As the trail ascends it winds about the l)ase of more than one sizable crater, 



s Olinda. » Elevation 4500 feet. 



