Recently several Hualalai folks went on a hike to the highest level of craters on Hualalai Mountain. Led by Robert Pacheco, the founder of Hawaii Forest and Trail, and Melanie Seyler, one of his top guides, the group hiked through lava tubes, three different levels of high-altitude tropical forest eco-systems, and over narrow ridges that topped vertical crater walls.
“We were at altitudes ranging from 5,500 to 6,500 feet. At the end of the day we all felt a pleasant tiredness, just short of exhaustion,” Chantal Prunier said.
“It was an absolutely fantastic hike,” Sebastian Hinsch said.
FACTOID: the coast west of Hualālai is a popular location for vacation resorts, since the rain shadowof the mountain causes many sunny days. The first, Kona Village resort, was built in 1961. Since then the Four Seasons Resort[21]and the Kūkiʻogolf course and vacation home complex have also been built on the 1800 flow.[(Wikipedia)
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