--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Barlow, Ora Hansen collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 25 number: 5 published: 1922-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Ora Hansen Barlow, "A Trip to Haleakala," *Improvement Era* 25, no. 5 (March 1922): 448–452.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2505unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2505unse start_page: 448 end_page: 452 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1922-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2505unse publication_year: 1922 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1922, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Trip to Haleakala A Trip to Haleakala (The largest extinct volcano in the world! By Ora Haven Barlow "There's sunshine in the heart of me, My blood sings in the breeze; The mountains are a part of me, I'm fellow to the trees. "In every throbbing vein of me, I feel the fast Earth-call; 0 body, heart and brain of me, Praise Him who made it all!" — Robert W . Service. A trip to Haleakala! This was the thought suggested by President E. Wesley Smith, of the Latter-day Saints' Hawaiian mission to the elders of Maui, while he was on that island at- tending the semi-annual conferences. Of course, everyone was en- thusiastic, because all would be disappointed if they should leave Maui for some other island or home probably, without see- ing the big crater, Haleakala. So, accordingly, Thursday evening, October 27, 1921, Presi- dent and Sister Smith, together with nine of us elders, two being natives, were at the ranch home of Brother and Sister Ako, at the foot of the alluring slopes. Mules and horses suf- ficient to accommodate all had been secured. Eight a. m. Friday saw a file of us riders awakening the mountain road leading to the summit of the crater, which lay along a deep-blue bulwark, against the morning sky. There were to be twelve miles of incessant climbing at a grade ranging from eight to ten degrees at the bottom, but which would gradually increase. So the animals were not crowded at first, were such a thing pos- sible with the persistent quadrupeds known as mules. They had "enjoyed" the trip too many times to be as enthusiastic as their anxious human burdens. AH about and above us were rolling, ascending hills, grassy slopes to be sure, but with abundant evidences of overlapping lava flows, which were belched forth from their prison of fire, ages ago. Clumps of eucalyptus trees could be seen, now and then, grouped together in the distance. The largest of these, the "kamaainas" (old timers) pointed out as Olinda, from A TRIP TO HALEAKALA 449 "We saw the sand cones which appeared like mole hills but in reality ranged from four to nine hundred feet in height and are the last remnants of the awe-inspiring fire that played hundreds of years ago." which we would secure the keys to the mountain "Rest House" at the summit. Reaching this place, we left the wide road and took to the trail up through the pastures. The higher we mounted, the more beautiful did the vast carpet area of central and west Maui seem. Each nook and bay could be readily distinguished and each little village pointed out. The white breakers, in their morning rage, appeared to us as only broad, blanched lines along the shore, lifeless in the dis- tance. Clouds, like fresh piled snow, lay sleeping on the sum- mit of the West Mauri range, which was about twenty-five miles away, while their resultant shadows far below, covered the mountain gulches and villages. Wailuku, the largest city of Maui, could faintly be seen at the edge of the shade. We turned to the slopes above. A mist like an approaching storm-cloud had appeared to the east, and with long, feathery hands was writhingly reaching out and gradually cohering the hillside. The grass had become thinner and the shrubbery scarcer. The trail had been getting more rocky and the animals had settled down to the monotonous upward tread. Even we riders had been growing indifferent to the jog, jog, jog. And then came the mist upon us when we were five miles from the summit. At first it was merely comfortable, but as it continued, and as we climbed higher, it became colder and colder, until it fairly pierced the bone. And during the re- 450 IMPROVEMENT ERA mainder of the ascent it hung about us. On we induced our tired beasts over slippery rocks thinking of nothing but "ex- celsior." When the "Rest House" was at last reached, each with a sigh, unsaddled his brute and placed him in the shelter of a rock-built stable covered with corrugated iron roofing, and then quickly sought the sturdy cement wall of our own abode. A fire was kindled after much exertion, for the mist that chilled us had also dampened the wood which we were forced to carry from two miles below, practically no vegetation grows at the top. It was two o'clock and we had been climbing six hours. After a delicious luncheon, which Sisters Smith and Ako had prepared, together with plenty of hot postum, oh, how re- lieved and satisfied we felt, physically ! But we were much dis- appointed mentally, for the mist lay all afternoon and dark- ness came on without giving us even a glimpse of the big pit. So we contented ourselves with hugging the fire and playing games for the misty night air ten thousand feet above the sea was chilly after we had lived down where one is never cold. Blankets and cots were furnished at the house, so the bed was sought early after the climb. But while we slept, an angel crept And drew away the pall, And the stars did flare with a torch-light glare, Till the heavens seemed to call. So it was a more jolly crowd of missionaries that arose early at someone's call to see the dawn. The new moon had arisen with two bright morning stars in a straight line above it, while at her feet all the mists of the night before lay curled up, dozing like sheep asleep. "On top of the world" was a fitting expression, for it is seldom one has the privilege of seeing a sea of clouds below him. Never a move did they make and gradually the east became brighter, the hidden sun shoot- ing huge broad rays, divulging where he was below the mountain peaks. The two large gaps in the volcano, Koolau or Keanae and Kaupo, could be seen. These gaps were formed during the life of the volcano by two sides of the crater giving way and the molten lava rushing through them into the sea. This is why Haleakala is different from other volcanic mountains of the islands, it being hollow, a bowl two thousand five hundred feet deep, while the craters of most of the others have been oblit- erated, or nearly so, by their being filled up with lava before their extinction. "See the sun!" The first rays had shot out from their A TRIP TO HALEARALA 451 hiding and were shining down on the backs of the dozing cloud-sheep. 'Twas the shepherd's call, for almost immediately they became restless, moving and jostling to and fro. Then the mists began to arise from among them and were wafted down through the crater and out and away by the morning wind, while fresh clouds seemed to take their places from the east- land fold. The weather conditions were not at their best. Therefore, few were the glimpses we caught of the crater itself. Between cloud banks we saw the sand cones which appeared like mole hills, but in reality ranged from four to nine hundred feet in * ' . *? ~'?L>- ajv-v rfVv^ l^St: President and Mrs. E. Wesley Smith, and Hawaiian Brother John Kale- ikini. Elder Leo Van Wagoner took the picture which was taken near the top of the crater. height, and are the last remnants of the awe-inspiring fire that played hundreds of years ago. The far edge of the crater ap- peared apparently near in the morning air, but was really nine miles away, while it is nearly twenty-five miles around the pit. Far beyond, we saw the majestic tips of Mauna Kea, Mualala, and Mauna Loa all volcanic peaks on the island of Hawaii, the latter being just one hundred miles away, and the former at least seventy-five. Such is the lucidity of the high atmosphere. The immensity of the crater does not appal one until it is realized that a city the size of the Island of Manhattan could be com- fortably placed therein. The whole of Salt Lake City would not be able to cover its volcanic floor. Far down yet on the near side, we saw moving specks, and taking the field glasses, discerned plainly the little wild black and white goats climb- 452 IMPROVEMENT ERA ing on rocky perches or nipping at the scarce and dwarfed shrubbery existing on the ashy plains beneath. While the mountain and crater is known as Hal-e-a-ka-la, i. e., House-of-the-sun, legends bear out the fact that it should be Alehe-ka-la, i. e., Sun-snarer, because it is here that the Ha- waiians localize the sun snaring legend which is told among the Polynesians and Indians. But to our breakfast we hastened, after which we swept and left the guest house in order; saddled our "hokies" (mules) and horses, and began the long downward fall to the sea, having the satisfaction that we had seen Haleakala, the greatest extinct crater in the world. Wailuku, Maui, T. H. Nov. 12, 1921 M. I. A. Scouts Enjoy "Good Turn' The Scouts' "Good turn" practiced by troop 5, M. I. A. Scouts of the Bingham stake, resulted in the collection of 410 articles of toys and clothing and their distribution to the poor families of the ward by the Relief Society. The troop composed of 23 boys, under the able leader- ship of Scoutmaster Leonard G. Fox, determined early in December to gladden the homes of the poor for Christmas. The ward was dis'ricted by the patrol leaders and the boys divided into pairs of two. Hand sleighs were used in most cases. The results were amazing. The material received included 214 arti- cles of clothing for men and boys, 102 articles of clothing for women and girls, 30 articles for children and babies, 64 toys, 20 quarts of fruif and vegetables, and 100 pounds of potatoes. The pictures show the boys collecting and distributing the gifts. Many a heart was gladdened, but most of all the boys thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity for rendering service. — J.'O. Ellsworth, Deputy Special Field Scout Commissioner.