Haleakala
National Park seems like a very awesome place to go hiking, biking,
or just for a scenic drive. Unfortunately, we didn't get to go up
to the top, or go to see the cinders or the crater. It always rains
in the morning atop of Haleakala, so really it's a pain just to try
and get a nice day to go up there. They call the Haleakala crater,
the House of the Sun, because it is so high in the air. It is the
tallest peak on Maui reaching 10,023 feet above sea level.
Haleakala
crater is 7.5 miles long, 2.5 miles wide and 3000 feet deep. The crater
includes its own mini-mountain range of nine cinder cones, the largest
of which is over 1000 feet high. Many go to Haleakala to see sunrise
or sunset at the crater. If we would of wanted to go and see the sunrise,
we would of had to wake up at four in the morning. The temperature
up on Haleakala is 32 degrees cooler than at sea level, and then with
the wind, it makes it even colder.
This
plant is called the Silversword. This plant is only found growing
upon Mount Haleakala. If the leaves on it are touched by human hands,
it could die. It is a very precious, rare plant, and it is very pretty
with it's shiniest leaves ever. There are also very many plants and
animals that grow and live in Haleakala National Park.
