Pele's Morning Show, March 1, 2018

Lava March 1
What an amazing day I had out with Tutu Pele. 11 miles, 4 hours plain hiking time round trip, rain on and off, solitude and a lot of lava. This all sums it up what I experienced on my morning out. I hiked in from the National Park again, a great and pretty easy hike if you choose your angle right to drop into the field.

I just started to set up my camera when a huge breakout appeared right in front of me and during the 80 minutes I stayed admiring the view and Pele's latest creations, it advanced at least 300 feet downhill. The breakout was not on a pretty steep part, but there was so much pressure and push from behind, so it advanced a lot. Trees in the long Kipuka were burning and there was still a massive flow up there. 

My original plan was to climb up and see what was up there, but this breakout provided me with so many shooting options that I stayed the entire time and enjoyed it as the only person out this morning. The entire morning rain showers moved in infrequently but the on and off showers were actually pretty nice compared to the downpours I had the entire last week. I couldn't ask for better conditions. 

No one else was around the entire time I was out and I enjoyed the solitude with Pele's latest creations while she was moving forward and rewarded me with wonderful flowing rivers of lava. I couldn't ask for anything better. Pele provided and I sat in awe and admired. It was mesmerizing, it was amazing. I left the scene with a big smile.

A morning out with Pele, February 26, 2018

A morning out with Pele

I did another scouting trip to the lava this morning to the new flows within the park boundary. It finally dried out a bit and I was more than excited to take a few images and video footage with my good camera. The last few days had been so soaking wet, I did not even bring a camera out on my tours. But this morning was the day I was waiting for. 

Huge rivers were coming down all over the place, at the former boundary Kipuka just outside the park as well as far inside the park in two separate locations. I decided to hike halfway up Kamoamoa Pali as activity looked really nice up there with huge rivers coming down. And what a sight it was!! 

I reached the area in the dark and scrambled around for a while to get the best perspectives. Pahoehoe lava rivers were coming down pretty fast and soon changed to A'a and back. It was absolutely amazing. Pele provided a wonderful show and let me enjoy her creations for quite a while. Even the weather held up until the hike out when it started to pour like crazy again.

I hiked about 11 miles to get to my spot just below the long Kipuka inside the park, so if you want to head out and see some lava, be prepared for a long hike. 

Pele is back in Volcanoes National park, February 23, 2018

Pele is back in the park
For a few days right now, most of the activity is confined to an area within Hawai'i Volcanoes NP, about 2 miles to the west of the former boundary Kipuka. it is a long hike to reach the area and the easiest way is to hike in from the NP park side. 
Great A'a channels plus several pahoehoe rivers rewarded me on several 10+ miles hikes the last few days and even the heavy rain did not limit the sight of the hot flows coming down the Pali. 
It's a long and not always easy hike, you should not venture out on your own if you have never hiked on rugged terrain like this. The surface of these old lava fields consists of silica glass and a fall will end with severe cuts and skin lacerations.
For the more experienced lava hikers amongst us, the new flow is a wonderful treat and offers wonderful views after a long hike.

Lava February 20 - testing the limits

Lava February 20 - testing the limits

Today was another lava-ly trip for me. It finally dried out and I wanted to do another scouting trip. Not exactly knowing what to expect I left a bit earlier than normal and started to hike out about 4:10am. Back in the national park, there was a massive breakout of lava coming down the cliff and it was literally calling my name. For me, it was crystal clear where my final destination for the day would be.
It was a long and very humid and muggy hike. Despite the clear sky, it was pretty uncomfortable with the lack of any type of breeze. I passed the boundary Kipuka and headed further into the park. This was by far one of the more strenuous hikes I've done so far and the flow still seemed far off on the Pali.
The approach from the national park side would have been much easier but finally, I reached the tip of the first massive flow. I had to walk around a massive old A'a field which was barely visible in the dark. A new massive A'a channel was pushing forward and hot clinkery A'a rubble was tumbling down the base of the Pali. I really love the sound of it when it is pushed forward and finally tumbles down to its final destination. Huge pahoehoe rivers were coming down the steeper part of the Pali before transforming to A'a. I tried to climb higher, but a huge field of old A'a rubble made it almost impossible to do so in the dark and I didn't go any higher due to the dangerous conditions.
This was definitely no place to explore in the dark. This was for sure Pele's playground and I had to retreat to a more safer and stable surface. This scouting trip made clear that it would be much easier to approach the massive flows from the national park side and I guess my next trip out will be from there. Despite not fully completing my goal this morning I had a great time out on the edge of this massive flow and my scouting trip was still pretty successful. The total hiking distance was 8.5 miles round trip and especially the hike back in full sun was not very pleasant at all.

Forces of Nature, February 17, 2018

Forces of Nature

Today's day to the lava flow let me experience all the forces of nature again. Fire, water, steam, thunder, and lightning. It was a pretty intense but also amazingly beautiful day. You really need to like being out in intense weather like today, and for some reason, these are normally my favorite days.
It all started that my tour was being late this morning. Normally I would be pretty annoyed about it, but it turned out that it was a really good thing in the long end. An intense lightning storm suddenly popped up with some massive cloud to ground lightning strikes. Normally I would already be out in the field and on my hike to the lava, but today I was still on my way down to the Kalapana area when the storm hit. I couldn't think of a better place to be in a storm like this one than in my car. It was a short but pretty intense lightning storm. As soon as we pulled into the parking area the storm was gone and it was just pouring down.
The hike was a really wet one with a lot of steam out in the field. There were some local whiteouts, but I safely guided my group around it and arrived at the base of the Pali after about an hour of hiking. It was still coming down pretty hard. For some reason, I always picked the wettest days to be out here. After a while, the rain let go for a bit and lava was pushing forward instead. A big push of pressure opened a huge tumulus mount and a river of hot molten rock poured out and down to the base of the Pali. The hot red-orange snake of liquid rock advanced fast, creating a glowing trail on the old black lava rock. 

Some steam was creeping up the Pali on the backside, creating an eerie scenery which reminded me of a movie setup. It was wet, it was hot, it was intense out here. But most of all, it was beautiful.
Rainy days aren't necessarily bad days to be out, but they are for sure days to be aware of all your surroundings. Things can deteriorate within seconds. My group and I had a blast with Pele's latest creations, but the rain started to come down pretty hard after a while. When cold rain hits the heated surface and hot ground, it creates a lot of steam. And in many cases, this steam creates whiteout situations with literally no sight at all. They are often short-lived but can last for hours. I knew right away that this one wouldn't move out fast, so we hurried up and hiked out along the edge of the steam cloud. 

Rain hit us in full force, and a cold breeze felt like a slap in the face. We were out of the whiteout before it could completely develop around us and safely hiked back to the cars.
I really enjoyed this day a lot but it also showed that conditions can change within seconds. And no matter how amazing and mesmerizing the lava flow is, when you know it's time to go you do not ask but get your butt out of it. It felt great to cut the line at the right moment but also great to be out in the field and enjoy the flow with all the steam and rain. It was by far the wettest day I ever had out at the surface flow in all the 150+ trips I've done so far. Days like today are only for experienced guides and hikers who exactly know what is going on and know when it's time to leave.

Rainy Day at the flow - Valentine's Day 2018

Rainy Day at the flow

Valentines Day lava - my plan was to hike way up to the Pali and check out the flow up the there again. But mother nature always has different plans. While I was hiking out it started to pour and was getting worse and worse. For sure, this was no day to hike up to the pali. It would be way too dangerous getting caught in a whiteout up there with massive lava flows all around me plus the extremely steep cliff where one wrong step could be fatal. So I decided to go to the regular lava flow instead. I was already wet, so I didn't mind. I managed to check the radar on my phone and a huge rain cell was hanging over the area. I still had hopes that it would move out within the next hour as it often did. Okay, forget about wishes and face reality.
I was already three quarters done when I saw the big white steam cloud ahead of me. Great, this will be another whiteout day in the field. I walked around the eastern edge of the whiteout and continued to go. Every rock, tumulus mount, and each corner was more than familiar to me. If I would end up getting stuck in the whiteout at least I knew where to go. For a few minutes, I was completely surrounded by hot humid steam but I was so close to the pali that the wind shifted suddenly and my view was clear.
The lava was just a few hundred feet ahead of me, and it was amazing. So much activity coming down the Pali, wow. As I walked along the edge of the Pali I kept walking out of the steam and soon reached the surface flows in the pouring rain. What a sight!!! Rivers coming down in several places. It rained so hard that it made a crazy noise on the hot lava. Not just the nice sizzling sound when rainwater hits it. It sounded like a hurricane. It rained so hard that I could not even set up my camera and take a few shots.
Here I was, way too early out in the field at 5:20 am and hoped the rain would eventually stop. It was just me and the weather. The spot where I was standing at was completely spared by the whiteout and the hot and humid steam. Everything else was covered in white, there was no sight at all. This was for sure no place you want to be in in the dark if you have no clue how to deal with it. I felt extremely comfortable where I was. It was loud and peaceful at the same time. It thought of my friend and colleague Sean who passed away earlier this month in a whiteout out here in the field. He must have experienced something similar while he was caught in it. He might have felt a peaceful moment as well, who knows. I was only a few hundred feet away from the spot where he was found that day. I miss you brother, you're probably smiling back from where you are right now.
I stood there for more than an hour, took advantage of short breaks in the rain and captured the beauty of Pele. She even smiled while letting her fiery hair down. It was mesmerizing.

Eventually, dawn arrived and a short break in the rain offered me a view of the coastal plains lava field ahead of me. Fog and steam were creeping along ridges, crevices and across the old lava. It looked absolutely beautiful. I took a few shots, it was magical. Even weather like this has its own moments. It was all over soon after when the first crazy tourists arrived who had ventured out this morning and somehow managed to get out of the steam. Our own Epic Lava tour with a great group showed up a bit later and my boss looked a bit astonished to see me out here in the ain on my day off. But I had a special morning out here in the rain today. The whole experience was worth it to get wet and to stay here in the pouring rain for a long time.

steam rising from the hot surface during a clear moment

Do not hike out in conditions like I experienced today unless you know what you are doing, what to expect and how to deal with a serious whiteout. These conditions will let you lose all sense of place and it can get so bad that you cannot see your own shoes anymore. You will likely be caught in hot steam and you are completely blind. Unless you know how to get out of it and deal with this situation, don't ever hike out in heavy rain. You can't see the surface or anything else around you. Temperatures might rise to more than a 100F inside the hot steam cloud with a 100% humidity. The steam is thick, it's like being caught in a massive steam bath. You need to hundred percent know what to do and how to get out of it if it worsens. Leave days like today to the experienced tour guides and lava hikers who know what to expect and how to deal with it. Wait a day or two and hike out to the flow when it's safe to do so.

Pele's Call, February 11, 2018

Pele's Call
This morning I did another trip up to the Pali. For some reason, I really love it up there. A wonderful clear night welcomed me as I started my hike. I felt great. I kept going and going, the closer I got to the Pali, the faster I went. It seemed that Pele was calling me... "come up, come up." It couldn't resist but just kept going. 
Up to the Pali, up to the steep part. Lights were glowing down on the coastal plains, it seems a lot of people were out at the lava flow this morning. An almost crescent moon was hanging brightly in the sky, surrounded by stars. Shooting stars were flying by and their tails left a glowing trail. And Pele kept calling me. I pushed more, I still had several hundred feet to climb. I could already see the glow in the distance, I was so close right now. 
And then I reached Pele's latest creations. Hot rising air welcomed me, as well as a sizzling hot river of lava. Pele let her hair down for me. She smiled, she created, she was there. It was so beautiful and peaceful up there, just me and the flow. Sizzling hot lava, scraping sounds of molten rock moving along cooled surfaces.
 It was mesmerizing, it was beautiful. I'm glad I followed Pele's call on this magical morning.

nice sunrise this morning

Pele's Teaser, February 8, 2018

Pele’s Teaser

For days now I saw the massive flows behind the crest of Pulama Pali, where Pele was really teasing me all the time to come and see her latest creations. All the other days did not seem right, but today I decided to climb up. I started early so I would be up on the Pali in the dark. 
It was a fast and steep ascend but Pele welcomed me with wonderful flows. There were tumuli breakouts and fluid pahoehoe flows as well as a widespread area of new activity. It was a long day of scouting but I’m really glad I went. 

massive flows

sunrise high on the Pali

A night in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park during the Lunar Eclipse, January 31, 2018

While everyone was shooting the lunar eclipse tonight, I enjoyed it in my own way.  The moon was way too high in the sky anyway and I did not want to take pictures of the moon in a black sky.  But the view towards Halema'uma'u crater was so beautiful so I went to Kilauea Iki parking lot.  The moon with the layer of fog down at the bottom of Kilauea Iki was for sure a special moment. The moon added a nice touch to the scenery and I used it as an inclusion to the landscape. After dark in the park is always a wonderful experience.

Lunar Eclipse

A Day in Waikoloa, January 25

It was raining for days right now and at one point I was getting a bit weary of it. I really needed a bit of sunshine. The Waikoloa and Kona areas on the west coast of the Big island looked pretty good, so I decided to head over for a day and enjoy the nice weather.
I started early in the morning and added a few stops along the old Saddle Road. I hoped to find any Pueo's (Hawaiian Owls) hanging around, but none were out this morning.  Despite the lack of wildlife, the old Saddle Road was a nice stop. The early morning light was so nice and impressive Mauna Loa in the distance was for sure an eye-catcher.

up in the high country with Mauna Loa in the distance

I went to the Fairmond Orchid area and parked at the Holoholkai Beach Park and walked along the Coastal Trail. Der trail along the coast is always a pleasure and there is so much to see.

Soon after I saw a Black Crowned Night Heron sitting on a rock. As I came closer he dived into the water and came back with a fish in its beak. He flew to a rock and sat there for a while, posing motionless for me. It was pretty cool and I was able to catch a few really nice shots.

Big Gulp

I walked all the way to the Mauna Lani Resort, with several stops along the wonderful coast.
This was for sure a walk I could do over and over again.

Past Mauna Lani the coast was getting more rugged and even a few whales were flapping their tails out of the water. 

Later that evening I was treated to a nice sunset at my favorite spot. For sure a nice day and definitely no rain.