1999 National Space Grant
Directors Council Meeting
FIELD TRIPS

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Cost: $130, includes roundtrip airfare, lunch, and ground transportation. Lodging must be paid directly to the hotel (see above).

WARNING: The high altitude at Mauna Kea can make anyone in poor health very sick. Children under 16, persons with heart conditions, and pregnant women cannot go on this trip. Chain smokers will not enjoy the high altitude very much, either! The Saddle Road is a long and winding road.

CLOTHING: You will need a warm jacket for use on the summit, as the daytime temperature is likely to be around 50^o F or even cooler, and it will probably be windy.

October 26: After dropping our luggage off at the Hilo Hawaiian, we will drive to Volcanoes National Park. Once there, we will go to the Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory (HVO), which overlooks Kilauea caldera, and tour it and the adjacent Jagger Museum. The tour will continue around the caldera, where we will examine the southwest rift zone, Halema'uma'u pit crater, numerous other impressive pit craters, Pu'u Puai (a cone formed by the 1959 eruption), Thruston lava tube, the flows from Mauna Ulu that cascaded down Halina Pali, and other amazing features. We will return to the hotel around dinner time. Lunch will be provided. This day's itinerary is exactly the same as for trip 2b and both groups will spend the day together.

October 27: We part company with the people taking the vigorous tour (trip 2b) today. First, we drive back up to the summit of Kilauea, and head for the Mauna Ulu trailhead. From there, we can hike out to Mauna Ulu, a parasitic shield volcano built on Kilauea. This hike is about a mile and a half each way, but not everyone will need to hike the entire distance. There are great things to see near where we park, too. For those who go the distance, we will get a good view of Pu'u 'O'o (the current active vent eight miles in the distance) and a close-up view of an old, grassy vent (Pu'u Huluhulu) and a young, forbidding vent (Mauna Ulu). Seeing the pit crater at Mauna Ulu is well worth the walk -- it is a sheer drop of more than 100 meters to the floor! After Mauna Ulu, we will have lunch at a scenic spot on Kilauea, and then drive back towards Hilo, stopping at Kaimu beach. This was a famous black sand beach on a lovely bay, until it was overrun with lava in 1991. It is a great place to study a large field of pahoehoe lava.

CLOTHING: For those who will hike the mile and a half to Mauna Ulu, hiking boots would be useful, but not absolutely essential. A long-sleeved shirt or sweatshirt is useful as the mornings near the summit can be somewhat cool. As much of Kilauea is in a rain forest, it would be wise to bring a poncho or other rain jacket. Binoculars are recommended. A camera is a must!

Cost: $195, includes roundtrip airfare, ground transportation, lunch both days, and a field guide. Lodging must be paid directly to the hotel (see above).

Trip 2b: Kilauea Summit and Active Lava (2 days. Rating: strenuous)

Dick Henry demonstrates the courage characteristic of all Space Grant Directors and Program Managers by approaching an active pahoehoe lava flow at Kilauea Volcano. Note spots of red hot lava in the middle of the photo.

To see lava flowing you have to do some walking. At present, the lava is entering the ocean 4 miles from the closest place to park a vehicle, and there is no trail. You have to walk over four miles of pahoehoe lava, which is like walking up and down stairs for four miles. If lava is breaking out onto the surface or can be seen in a partially collapsed lava tube, we may have to detour up to a mile or so to get close to it, so the entire trek is likely to be about ten miles. Thus, only people in reasonable shape ought to try this. For those who do, the rewards will be a glimpse of lava flowing into the ocean, perhaps a close look at lava flowing in a tube, or forming intricates shapes on the surface. The entire second day will be devoted to hiking out to the ocean entry.

October 26: The day's itinerary will be exactly the same as for the Leisurely Tour (trip 2a), and both groups will spend the day together.

October 27: We will drive to Kilauea, down Chain of Craters Road, to where the road is now covered with lava. We will hike out to the lava and return, then drive back to Hilo.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT DRESS AND EQUIPMENT: Lava flows have irregular surfaces, so hiking boots are required. Because the flows are also glassy and sharp on the outer surfaces, falling can cause some nasty cuts. Thus, gloves and long pants are also required. Leather gardening gloves are ideal. Wear a hat and bring sun screen. The hike is long, so we will have to bring lots of water, at least three liters per person. Bring a camera. The weather may be quite variable, so bring a rain jacket or poncho, as it rains frequently on the windward side of Kilauea. Also bring a sweatshirt or long-sleeved shirt for the morning. The temperature will range from hot to cool (it will not be cold), as we will be at elevations ranging from sea level to 4000 feet (1400 meters). You'll need a daypack to carry all your gear. It is not legal to collect samples inside Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park unless you get a permit to do so, and that requires advanced planning and a good reason.

Cost: $195, same as for the Leisurely Tour, and including the same things: airfare, ground transportation, lunch both days, and a field guide. Make your own hotel reservations (see above).

Cost: $50, includes ground transportation and lunch (no airfare, since you will already be there!)

Total cost for both Kilauea and Mauna Kea trips: $245. This price includes airfare, ground transportation, lunches, and field guides. Hotel costs are separate, as explained above.

Top of page.

Advance reservation form for the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Completed form must be sent directly to the hotel.

http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/spacegrant/mtg_fieldtrips.html spacegr@pgd.hawaii.edu Updated OCTOBER 99.

HSGC