Submitted to: The Nature Conservancy By: Rick Warshauer, October 2005 (GIS files, maps, images submitted separately)

THE PROPOSED MAUKA TRAILS SYSTEM

Historical Setting, Alignment, Physical Setting, and Natural History

THE ROLES AND HISTORY OF TRAILS ON THE BIG ISLAND EARLY TRAILS At the arrival of Europeans in the Hawaiian Islands, an extensive trail system existed on the Big Island of Hawai’i. A prominent trail system encircled most of the island, now known as the Ala Kahakai. Numerous shorter trails serviced local areas along the main trails, becoming extensive networks within the major Hawaiian agricultural field system areas. These local trails connected living locations with farming and fishing areas, and with a few to upland areas used primarily for gathering. Additionally, there were cross-island trails that enabled inter-district travel and/or access to specific upland resources. Most trails were marked or constructed to the point that they have remained identifiable long after regular use has ended. Some of the trails are represented on early maps. Not long after European explorers happened upon the Hawaiian archipelago and its Hawaiian inhabitants, early Western visitors introduced cattle and inadvertently carried various disease organisms to the native populations. Both actions had profound effects on both the culture and the landscape, and they also influenced the differential preservation of parts of the original trail system. The introduced diseases partially depopulated the islands in the early to middle nineteenth century. This caused collapse of the larger upland agricultural field systems, and resulted in their virtual abandonment. This tragedy was concomitant with the extensive spread across them, and beyond, of free-ranging introduced cattle that had been released at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The use of many trails into the uplands continued, however, as the cattle began to be commercially hunted by some Hawaiians, then later fenced and ranched over much of the island. Numerous trails continued their use as ranch access routes, and more trails were developed as ranching continued its spread across the landscape. Additionally, new trails were also built elsewhere to wider and more level standards as horse and wagon travel supplemented foot traffic. Maps of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries illustrated quite an array of trails that were still in use. Many of these trails followed ecotones, zones of transition across moisture-related habitat types, here usually a mesic (moist) region. For the purpose of locating trails, this region is where altitude and/or drying conditions caused a more open vegetation that is easier to traverse, but with enough periodic moisture that waterholes could be located along the route. Notable in the array of older trails were the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail on east Mauna Loa, the Kahuku-‘Ainapo Trail on southeast Mauna Loa, the Humu’ula Trail and ‘O’okala Trail on northeast Mauna Kea, all of which appear to be early trails that were adapted to ranching use. Other trails with comparable history have since transitioned into roads of more regular use, including the Saddle Road of north and east Mauna Loa, the Keanakolu Road of north and east Mauna Kea, and the Kohala Mountain Road and Kawaihae Road of western Kohala.

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Excerpt from 1928 Walter Wall map: south Hawai’i

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Excerpt from 1928 Walter Wall map: northwest Hawai’i

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By the latter half of the twentieth century, trucks were venturing all over the upland ranges, and many of the early trails became rough ranch roads. Establishment of more rough roads accompanied expanded and intensified ranch use. The advent of the bulldozer has facilitated this construction of rough roads, and some of these extend well into the interior of the island. On the more geologically active portions of Mauna Loa, Hualalai and Kilauea volcanoes, abandoned early trails have been reduced to fragments as cumulatively more of their lengths have become covered by lava flows. Lore has it that the sustained 1859 flow caused abandonment of the effort to link Kona and Hilo via the Judd Trail. Even active trials such as the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail have become truncated as the 1942 and 1984 flows covered portions. While these sections have been re-established over slightly different paths, the original route to the Volcano area has been abandoned, and now the only active portion is a 5.1 mile segment that is walked as a one-way trail to the impressive edge of the 1984 flow. This pattern has been repeated elsewhere on the active volcanoes. CONTEMPORARY TRAILS Newer trails were constructed by Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on east Mauna Loa and across portions of Kilauea volcano, mostly in the 1930’s, greatly enhancing visitor usage of the park. In the last decade, the State of Hawai’i re-located and re-opened the ‘Ainapo Trail on south Mauna Loa. The rebuilding of the ‘Ainapo Trail shelter at just below 8,000 feet elevation has made the trail a viable entity for hikers. Its connection to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s Mauna Loa summit cabin and trails makes travel on these interconnected trails an attractive and flexible option for hikers. Both of these cabins and trails see steady increase in use to the point that registration is required. Early trails also crossed active Kilauea volcano, but a combination of declining usage and lava flow coverage has limited the survival of most of them to those within and maintained by Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. An ongoing community effort to reclaim the Old Volcano Trail from subdivision roads and overgrowth is re-opening this route from Hilo, running along the Kilauea side of the geologic contact with Mauna Loa volcano. The Volcano-Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park area has become a local hub for trails on this side of the island, connecting south Mauna Loa and Kilauea. The only relatively long upland hiking trails in regular use today on the island are three trails that converge on the Mauna Loa summit caldera (the north and east summit trails in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and the ’Ainapo Trail to the south) and separately a portion of the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail on east Mauna Loa. Shorter trails are used elsewhere in the park (with one cabin and three trail shelters on Kilauea) and in some other scattered locations on the island. There no longer is an interconnected hiking trail system such as you would find in other places of the world. However, there exists much potential and some interest to re-establish one in the Big Island. This could be done without a major outlay of funding or effort. It lends itself to public participation, as trail establishment continues to be popular in Hawai’i. The Mauna Loa-Hualalai region has the best potential. Such an extensive trail system could easily have a wide range of options for trail length and type. Existing and proposed elements could extend the system’s reach to other regions of the island.

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Active ranch roads usually have been reconnected after lava flow severance, and, consequently, they retain considerable continuity. Both ranch and recreational trail roots have potential to be rehabilitated into a broader access network. On an active volcano, a commitment to re-connecting severed routes is important to maintaining an active trail network. So far, this commitment has been provided only where there has been an alternative economic incentive to do so, generally ranch access. It is hoped that a growing desire to re-establish a functional and widespread hiking trail system will provide sufficient incentive to re-open lava-interrupted alignments and also establish new ones to bring public and private routes together into a much broader network of trails for recreational use. Such would foster the appreciation of the many scenic, geological and ecological aspects of one of the planet’s most interesting landscapes, and both local and international residents will use it widely. NEW TRAIL ESTABLISHMENT The availability of public and private roads into the uplands provides necessary access to trailheads, and reduces the effort needed to get into higher elevations. Some roads are paved and generally available, but many require 4-wheel drive and often permission of landowners. This, plus land ownership patterns, suggest that a mix of public and private participation is essential to expand the mauka trail system. There is ample opportunity to make the most of existing upland access opportunities in the design and interconnection of new trails. There is also a need to explore, design and refine a comprehensive and interconnected structure of stewardship, responsibility and management of the system that leaves all parties satisfied. Internationally, at least, there are such models. Especially in the areas of more frequent lava flows near the rift zones, a resurrection of trail use should be readily accomplished where ranch road use has maintained trail continuity and expansion, and where new trail layouts can be easily accomplished. The existing array of ranch roads on Mauna Loa and Hualalai is extensive. Most are interconnected, facilitating continuity and flexibility in routing. These roads ameliorate the sometimes very rugged nature of recent volcanic surfaces. The elevation range of ranch roads is wide, a factor that encourages parallel trails at different elevations. Thus, the vistas, available experiences and vegetation along different segments are varied. Within the ranch road grid, the types of amenities, additional user activities and levels of supervision or independence can be quite different from trails laid out in more remote regions. The more remote areas can be designed to have wilderness qualities and amenities, but can be interconnected to the ranch road array below. In remote areas, paying close attention to geologic maps is a key factor in design and layout of new trails. Regions of older pahoehoe flows, generally away from the rift zones, tend to be the most amenable to trail use, as the routes need little more preparation than careful scouting and systematically laying out obvious trail markers. Sections of ‘a’a or particularly rough pahoehoe lava may require some dressing or construction. In contrast, the very rugged nature of the rift zone landscape allows few places for trail crossings on readily passable flow surfaces, and these places need careful selection. For example, only two places along the middle Mauna Loa southwest rift zone appear accessible for safe trail crossings. The rewards, however, of walking across the rift zones include spectacular volcanic features and stunning views. There is a road across the Mauna Loa southwest rift zone, and one paralleling a portion of the northeast rift zone; these provide additional, less challenging access to these regions.

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New trails laid out in the high uplands have several advantages. In the subalpine to high montane areas, the naturally open nature of the vegetation makes passage easy and vistas extensive. The cool upland climate is amenable to hiking and requires less drinking water than trails in the hotter regions below. Trails traversing the drier region above the wetter forests are pleasant for hiking, even in the rainy season. The risk of hikers starting fires or damaging biological resources is much diminished here, where the vegetation is discontinuous due to altitude and/or early degrees of vegetation development on lava flows. Generally, the high ecosystems are some of the most pristine in Hawai’i, and they still convey a pleasant coherence. Availability of drinking water and camping or shelter sites along the trails is a major limitation to the realized distances hikers can attain within a long trail system. For wilderness hikers, such amenities need not be fancy, but should be spaced frequently enough across the trail landscape that large amounts of water need not be carried. Away from municipal water systems, all drinking water on the island is captured on guttered roofs and stored in various designs of water tanks. The same model applies in remote areas: a small roof area feeding a small water tank is all that is needed for wilderness use. Should the catchment area be designed to provide shelter for several campers on a crude floor beneath, it could eliminate the need for them to carry tents. Such structures could be quite inexpensive and unobtrusive. In the ranch region, existing water systems for cattle might be modified to provide drinking water for hikers. Stored water can be passed through commonly carried personal filters to ensure its purity. The ranch livestock water systems typically rely on roofed catchment areas, some of which might be altered to provide minimalist shelter in more remote areas. Where appropriate, a very simple hut, such as seen along some backcountry trails of New Zealand, would be a nice upgrade. As a trail system evolves over time and increased usage, the addition of more huts or larger cabins can keep pace with demand. There is an existing set of ranch cabins scattered over the landscape, and others might be constructed to suit the needs of a ranch’s involvement in a trail system. As the system grows, it might also support a series of fancier group lodging facilities that serve food and drink, similar the “rifugio” of the European Alps. As also can be seen in the European Alps, a network of trails with adequately spaced shelters and access points can provide a superb recreational resource that is far more valuable than simple linear trails. Numerous hikers can be accommodated without the feeling of crowding. The range in trail challenges and amenities also tends to sort out the hikers according to their abilities and interests. Individual hikers can tailor each trip to their specific desires, schedules, logistics and weather changes. With the presence of such a system, both local and visiting hikers are big users, many coming long distances, with the trail system being a prominent part of their interest in the destination region. The following presentation of trails includes the four active long trails mentioned above, older trails and portions that could be re-activated (mostly now used as ranch roads), and a few new routes that would help to tie the system together and to open new areas of magnificent landscape to public appreciation. The presentation often refers to trail elements as if they were already in use. The presentation also is limited to the mauka Mauna Loa and Hualalai region. The total length is approximately 350 miles. In numerous places, additional historic trails connected to these trails and interconnected the whole island. More expansion is possible.

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THE MAUKA TRAILS SYSTEM

BY GROUP, BY TRAIL, BY SEGMENT

RANCH ROAD TRAILS Kapapala Ranch Road Trail (KpRRT) (13.8 Mi. / 22.2 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 7.3 11.7 4880’-4570’-4260’-4800’ S-2 4.3 7.0 4800’-4930’ S-3 2.2 3.5 4930’-5640’

Kahuku Ranch Road Trail (KhRRT) (42.2 Mi. / 68.1 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1a 6.3 10.2 7700’-7500’-7330’ S-1b 6.8 10.9 6800’-6880’-7330’

S-2 6.1 9.9 7330’-6400’ S-2a 0.7 1.2 6400’-6170’

S-3 10.0 16.1 6400’-6180’-5620’-4760’ S-4 8.0 12.8 4760’-4440’-5180’-5300’ S-5 4.3 7.0 5300’-5680’-5400’-5580’-5400’

Kona Ranch Road Trail (KRRT) (48.2 Mi. / 77.9 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 8.5 14.5 5700’-5500’ S-2a 7.7 12.3 5500’-6200’-6050’-6150’-6000’-5300’ S-2b 6.2 9.9 5500’-5200’-5350’-5575’-5300’

S-3 6.4 10.2 5300’-5800’-5100‘ S-4 6.1 9.7 5100’-4620’-4850’

S-5a 7.6 12.2 4850’-5040’-5000’-5100’-5040’-5050’ S-5b 5.7 9.1 4850’-5040’-5150’-5050’

Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail (HMRRT) (19.1 Mi. / 31.8 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1a 4.1 6.5 5050’-5850’ S-1b 3.3 5.3 5150’-5850’

S-2 5.4 8.7 5850’-7100’-7600’-7650’ S-3 7.1 11.3 7650’-7900’-7720’-6015’-5000’

Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch Road Trail (PWRRT) (9.5 Mi. / 15.3 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 3.5 5.6 7600’-6300’-4375’ S-2 6.0 9.7 4375’-2600’-2055’

MAUNA LOA SUMMIT TRAILS ‘Ainapo Trail (AT) (10.9 Mi. / 17.4 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 2.7 4.3 5640’-6800’-7650’ S-2 4.0 6.4 7650’-11,360’ S-3 4.2 6.7 11,360’-13,275’

East Mauna Loa Summit Trail (EMLST) (19.1 Mi. / 30.8 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 7.5 12.1 6670’-10,035’ S-2 11.6 18.7 10,035’-13,275’

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North Mauna Loa Summit Trail (NMLST) (6.6 Mi. / 10.6 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 3.9 6.3 11,020’-12,010’-13,030’ S-2 2.7 4.3 13,030’-13,679’

West Mauna Loa Summit Trail (WMLST) (9.0 Mi. / 14.5 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 7.0 11.2 13,679’-12,800’-8800’-8380’-8260’ S-2 2.0 3.3 8260’-7180’

MAUNA LOA FLANK TRAILS Pu’u ‘O’o Trail (POT) (25.2 Mi. / 40.6 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 5.1 8.2 5760’-5770’ S-2 8.1 13.1 5770’-6200’-5050’

S-3a 4.1 6.6 5050’-4880’ S-3b 7.9 12.7 5050’-4000’

Northeast Mauna Loa Trail (NEMLT) (23.9 Mi. / 38.5 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1a 8.5 13.7 6580’-8300’ S-1b 6.6 10.7 8300’-6840’-6200’

S-2 8.8 14.1 8300’-11,020’ Northwest Mauna Loa Trail (NWMLT) (38.0 Mi. / 61.1 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 8.2 13.2 11,020’-11,460’-8360’ S-1b 0.7 1.1 8360’-8380’

S-2 3.5 5.6 8360’-6800’ S-2b 2.2 3.6 6800’-6360’

S-3 7.0 11.2 6800’-6360’ S-4 16.4 26.4 5150’-5080’-5575’

West Mauna Loa High Trail (WMLHT) (32.0 Mi. / 51.8 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 3.7 6.0 5720’-7800’ S-2 6.2 10.0 7800’-7250’-7320’

S-2a 1.9 3.1 7250’-6130’ S-3 7.6 12.3 7320’-7000’-7200’

S-3a 3.2 5.2 7180’-5750’ S-4 9.4 15.2 7200’-6400’-5040’

OTHER TRAILS Pu’u O Ke’oke’o Trail (POKT) (13.4 Mi. / 21.7 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 5.5 8.9 4770’-4900’-6700’ S-2 4.5 7.3 6700’-4700’ S-3 3.4 5.5 6700’-6800’-5300’

Keapohina Trail (KT) (13.7 Mi. / 22.0 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 9.8 15.8 6200’-7060’-9130’-9000’ S-2 3.9 6.2 9000’-7770’

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Judd Trail – upper (JT) (7.1 Mi. / 11.4 Km.) Segment Mi. Km. Elevations (bold = highest, underline = lowest)

S-1 4.8 7.7 5160’-5340’ S-2 2.3 3.7 5340’-4650’

EXAMPLE FEATURE TRAILS Label Parent Trail Mi. Km. Elevations (bold=highest, underline=lowest) F-1 Kahuku Ranch Road Trail 4.8 7.7 6950’-6100’-6200’-7340’ F-2 Kahuku Ranch Road Trail 0.7x2 1.1x2 6800’-6560’-6800’ F-3 Kona Ranch Road Trail 4.1x2 6.6x2 5300’-7325-5300’ F-4 Keapohina Trail 0.9 1.4 9130’-9200’-9020’

TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS RANCH ROAD TRAILS

KAPAPALA RANCH ROAD TRAIL

This trail connects to the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail (Segment 3a) to the north, and to the ‘Ainapo Trail to the west. Its origin in the national park lies on the access road to the most frequently used Mauna Loa summit trail (EMLST), so it connects two of the summit trails and a flank trail. SEGMENT 1. This trail begins where the Powerline Road crosses Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s Mauna Loa Strip Road, at 4880 ft. elevation. This is the main access road. It follows the Powerline Road southwest through this narrow section of the park for 1.5 mi./ 2.4 km until it crosses into Kapapala Ranch at 4570’ elevation. The trail continues down slope on the Powerline Road until it turns off to the west at 4510 ft, following another road. This road continues up and down to the southwest, crossing several rough ‘a’a flows before turning mauka at 4260 ft. elevation and climbs to the Kapapala Forest Reserve boundary at 4800 ft. elevation. There may be an alternative path for this segment. SEGMENT 2. Running just outside the forest reserve boundary, this segment follows a ranch road southwest 4.3 mi./ 7.0 km. to a point at 4930 ft. elevation, where it meets a branch road into the forest reserve. From this point, the branch road heading makai is another access road to the Belt Highway, through the ranch. SEGMENT 3. This segment crosses into the Kapapala Forest Reserve and follows a road 2.2 mi./ 3.5 km. until it ends at the trailhead of the ‘Ainapo Trail, 5640’ elevation. IN GENERAL. The portions of the trail crossing the national park and forest reserve are in the “C” district, and the remainder on Kapapala Ranch is in the “A” district. A wide range of geologic ages is traversed. Segment 1 starts across very old Mauna Loa flows that have been veneered with multiple layers of volcanic ash erupted from nearby Kilauea volcano’s summit area, now forming deep soils in places. Segment 2

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also crosses a variety of flows, although younger, including the relatively barren 1880 flow. The older flows are veneered with the same ash. Except for the western portion of Segment 2, the first two segments cross flows that originate from the northeast rift zone, and can be seen coursing down from their source on the northern skyline. Segment 3 is nearly all on intermediate aged flows that are derived from summit area overflows, emplaced before the evolution of the current summit caldera. Segment 1 crosses national park lands that are covered with a native mixture of shrublands, large and small koa forest patches, and are enriched with ‘ohi’a and mamane trees and stands. Segment 2 crosses grazing-modified vegetation that as originally similar, but now is much opened and dominated by pasture grasses in much of the area. Segment 3 crosses through vegetation with reduced alteration from introduced grazing animals, and is dominated by open koa-‘ohi’a forest, broken by areas of native shrubland. Native birds including ‘apapane, ‘amakihi, ‘i’iwi, ‘io, and pueo can be seen along the whole length. Near the upper portion of segment 3, there may also be ‘oma’o, ‘elepaio, and possibly Hawai’i creeper.

KAHUKU RANCH ROAD TRAIL The historic Kahuku-‘Ainapo Trail is found on old maps (e.g., 1927, 1928) connecting the ranch with the old ‘Ainapo Trail and the ‘Ainapo house site at Kapapala. It is quite likely that the alignment has a pre-historic origin, as well, given the proximity and alignment of other ancient trail segments. The eastern portion of the older mapped trail corresponds well to the forest reserve section of Kapapala Ranch Road Trail, plus the contiguous lower ‘Ainapo Trail. The old mapped trail appears to fall slightly below the lower alignment presented here (Segment 1b), although east S-1b falls precisely along a nearby series of mapped bench marks that probably correspond to points along an old stone wall. Segment 1b was drawn along this wall for ease of field recognition and convenience. The old mapped trail continues southwest as far as Kipuka Pe’ehi, in rough congruence with the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail presented here. From the kipuka, the original trail headed down to the Belt Highway between the 1868 and 1887 flows. The Kahuku Ranch Road Trail continues from the kipuka northwest along ranch roads until it becomes the Kona Ranch Road Trail at the north edge of Kipahoehoe. Most of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail lies within or adjacent to the recently acquired Kahuku portion of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The Kahuku Ranch Road Trail is easily traversable from either direction, and its 42.2 mi./ 68.1 km. length has a modest grade that makes it easy for many people to travel, even for long distances. It is a key element in circumnavigating Mauna Loa and in the Mauka Trail System concept, as it links, via the southern route, the east and west flanks of the huge volcano. In addition to connecting the ‘Ainapo and Kapapala Ranch Road Trails to the Kona Ranch Road Trail, it connects to the two trails that arc across the southwest rift zone in rare traversable paths, the Keapohina Trail and the Pu’u O Ke’oke’o Trail. Starting with Segment 2, the rest of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail is all on ranch roads. Starting on the east end, the hiker needs to first ascend the ‘Ainapo Trail from its trailhead at 5640’ elevation for 1.5 mi./ 2.5 km. and 1160’ to the Segment 1b starting point, or for 2.7 mi./ 4.3 km. and 2010’ to the Segment 1a starting point. These distances need to be added to the segment lengths to determine total walking distances.

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These two segments plus the ‘Ainapo portions can provide a 20.5 mi./ 33 km. loop trail that would be an exquisite trip through forest and open shrubland habitats, especially with the addition of a shelter at the Kahuku junction of the two segments. An additional access to the ‘Ainapo Trail and the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail can be made by marking a short connector trail from the northeast corner of the accessible Kapapala Koa Management Area up to the ‘Ainapo trailhead, an alternative to the Kapapala Ranch-Kapapala Forest Reserve sections to access the trailhead. A 4WD vehicle could reach this 4900’ elevation point in the Kapapala Koa Management Area, where there is an existing pedestrian gate entering into the forest reserve. From there, the hike to the trailhead, is only 1.3 mi./ 2 km. and 740’ of elevation away. There are only three existing cabins along the length of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail, one at the east end and a pair in close proximity in the middle third. The addition of several shelters along its length is necessary in order to make the trail functional. Five shelter sites are shown on accompanying maps, but at least one more shelter is needed, such as where the trail nearly touches the northwest corner of Ka’u Forest Reserve. SEGMENT 1a. This 6.3 mi./ 10.2km. segment begins at the Halewai Shelter, the new cabin at 7650’ along the ‘Ainapo Trail. It drops gradually southwest through open native shrubland with scattered ‘ohi’a trees, the vegetation increasing as the elevation declines. This alignment is a new one, all through open country and needing marking. It meets the mauka end of the existing Kahuku Ranch road at a point a half mile from the road’s split into two faint ends. This road fork is an excellent location to site a shelter or camping area. The elevation drop along this segment from the ‘Ainapo Trail is only 370’. SEGMENT 1b. This 6.8 mi./ 10.9 km. segment also starts from the ‘Ainapo Trail, but at the 6800’ elevation point, where the trail crosses an old stone wall. The stone wall is easily followed southwest along-contour for 2.5 mi./ 4.0 km. until it ends at the Kapapala-Kahuku boundary, a good location for a trail shelter. From this point, continuing cross-country to the southwest, the trail needs to be marked for 1.0 mi/ 1.5 km. to hit the lower fork of the Kahuku Ranch road near its eastern end. From here, the segment continues along the road to the southwest-northwest for 4.0 mi./ 6.0 km., and ends at the road fork mentioned above. The elevation gain of this segment is 530’ from the stone wall, and 1690’ from the ‘Ainapo trailhead. This segment, especially the east portion, is an excellent place to observe native birds, including ‘apapane. ‘amakihi, ‘i’iwi, ‘omao, ‘elepaio, ‘io, ‘akepa, ‘akiapola’au and Hawai’i creeper. SEGMENT 2. This 6.1 mi./ 9.9 km. segment continues southwest, losing 930’ of elevation from its start at the road fork (7330’). This segment runs along the lower eastern portion of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku section, just above the State Ka’u Forest Reserve. It roughly follows a descending mesic ecotone, drier above and wetter below the trail. For most of the way, the trail follows a rugged 4WD road that parallels a better 4WD road below it. This segment ends at Kahawai (6400’), where there is a road fork and a cabin nearby to the northeast. Another, older one (Punalu’u Kahawai cabin) lies at the end of a 0.7 mile long road below the road fork. Near the east end of the segment, a 4.8 mi./ 7.7 km. feature trail (F-1) loops down from the road to an old stone wall, along it, and back up to a point along the west portion of Segment 1b. This trail drops down a sharp moisture gradient from dry open ‘ohi’a scrub,

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through more closed ‘ohi’a forest, to the edge of mesic ‘ohi’a-koa forest, where more native bird species can be seen. This loop trail makes most sense logistically if there is some sort of trail shelter or campground in place at or very near the road fork at the junction of Segments 1a and 1b. Incidentally, the old stone wall extends southwest all the way to the northwest corner of the Ka’u Forest Reserve, along its boundary, and might be considered for an additional trail, parallel to the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail, but in a wetter habitat. The wall passes close to Punalu’u Kahawai cabin at one point, and the wall alignment could be used as legs in various loop trail configurations. A second feature trail (F-2) can be made as a two-way passage down a 0.7 mile long dead-end road, again dropping down a sharp moisture gradient to denser forest below. This side trip is about half way along Segment 2. SEGMENT 2a. This 0.7 mi./ 1.2 km. segment is the short side road that departs the main trail at the Kahawai fork and drops 230’ elevation to end at the Punalu’u Kahawai cabin. The cabin is in a more closed forest canopy than the main trail, and is an excellent place to observe native birds, including ‘apapane. ‘amakihi, ‘i’iwi, ‘omao, ‘elepaio, ‘io, ‘akepa and possibly Hawai’i creeper. SEGMENT 3. This 10.0 mi./ 16.1 km. segment follows along an old ranch road and continues the trail’s descent to the segment end at Kipuka Pe’ehi (4760’). Along the way it drops 1640’, and the segment crosses a wide range of flow ages. It crosses the 1950 and 1926 flows, and along the lower edge of the 1916 flow to Kipuka Pe’ehi. Along the eastern portion of the segment, the trail passes above the robust population of Mauna Loa silverswords that has survived mouflon sheep, pigs and cattle (the area’s ungulate mammals) within a fenced exclosure. A short side trip along a branch road will take hikers to a smaller population planted not far away. Between the 1950 flow and the silverswords, the Keapohina Trail branches mauka from the road to climb up and over the rugged southwest rift zone at 9000’ elevation. There is a road fork at Kipuka Pe’ehi, where the main Kahuku Ranch road drops down about 7.1 mi./ 11.5 km. to the Belt Highway at 2000’elevation, a logical place for a trail access road. Segment 4 follows this main ranch road down 750-800 yards, then branches southwest on a little-used side road, later connecting to one more travelled. SEGMENT 4. This 8.0 mi./ 12.8 km. segment starts at Kipuka Pe’ehi, in the heavily grazing-diminished core part of Kahuku Ranch, and travels west to northwest, mostly near the southwest edge of the Kahuku Ranch portion of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Initially it dips to the trail’s low point, 4440’, after which it gradually climbs back 860’ of elevation. The trail follows 1.7 mi./ 2.7 km. just above the common boundary with Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision before it moves away and travels across a broad cinder field, the lower slopes of an old cinder cone scarred by hundreds of old tracks from trespass off-road vehicles. The trail (on the road) continues through the park lands, transects the apex of the State’s Manuka Natural Area Reserve, and eventually it moves back to park boundary, just outside The Nature Conservancy of Hawai’i’s Kona Hema Preserve. Alongside the boundary, the trail follows a new sturdy fence line designed to keep all ungulates from crossing it. The trail sometimes moves outside the park, but tracks the alignment of the boundary. The segment ends along the top of the Honomalino portion of the new Kona Hema Preserve, at about 5300’ elevation. At this point, a trail access road drops to the Belt Highway at 1700’. Right near this point, is a good site for a trail shelter, within the

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preserve. Another area for a cabin or trail shelter is along the top of Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, on a subdivision lot. The point that is mapped is at the subdivision end of a 0.9 mile road connecting to the trail in the park, but other sites could function as well. Segment 4 crosses the southwest rift zone the direct and easy way, along roads. Within this segment, they cut across the 1916, 1887, 1907 (two branches), and the 1926 flows. The segment connects at three points to the Pu’u O Ke’oke’o Trail, which climbs up and across the rift on traversable routes without roads. SEGMENT 5. This 4.3 mi./ 7.0 km. segment continues along the trail close to contour, with a maximum elevation change of only 380’, ending at 5400’. It continues across the Honomalino and Papa portions of the Kona Hema Preserve, across State lands, just above Alika ahupua’a and along the narrow top boundary of the Kipahoehoe Natural Area Reserve, ending at the northern side. This segment continues to follow the sturdy fence line the whole way. The trail crosses a number of recent lava flows: 1926, a narrow 1950 branch, and five flow lobes from the 1919 eruption. A shelter site is mapped adjacent to the south side of Kipahoehoe, near the north end of the segment and trail. IN GENERAL. The middle portion of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail is owned by Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The east end of S-1a and S1b are State owned, as are the Manuka portion of S-4 and the north half of S-5. The south half of S-5 and adcacent portion of S-4 is owned by either The Nature Conservancy of Hawai’I or Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, depending which side of the fence the trail is to track. Segments 1, 2 and the east half of S-3 are all within the “C” district, and the west half of S-3 is within “A” district. Segments 4 and 5 are split between the two districts, in part dependent upon which side of the fence is deemed the trail. The majority of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail features the presence of active Mauna Loa volcano -- broad vistas and close up contact. The easternmost part of the trail lies on intermediate-aged flows erupted from the summit of Mauna Loa, and tend to be easy to walk on. As the trail progresses southwest along the ranch road within Kahuku ahupua’a, the flows that are crossed have been erupted from various points along the southwest rift zone, and the darker recent flows become more apparent and frequent. These flows are prominent in the landscape of Segments 3, 4, and 5. The axis of the rift zone is crossed at about Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, and an array of old and newer vent features is quite apparent from the trail along the road. Taking the connecting Pu’u O Ke’oke’o or Keapohina Trail will give the hiker an up close and personal experience with these eruptive features and flow surfaces. While the whole trail runs along a sharp ecotone and parallels the mesic transition into higher and drier habitats above it, Segments 1-a and 2 are well within the open subalpine environment. Lower and with more moisture, Segment 1b, at least on the east side travels through a richer set of forest types, one which hosts the most species of native birds and plants to be seen along the trail. The two feature trails and Segment 2a dip into this richer, more moist region above the wet Ka’u Forest Reserve. From the middle of Segment 3, the rest of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail is in drier habitats, most of which have been opened by logging and additionally degraded by sustained grazing. Transfer to national park ownership should foster recovery of surviving native vegetation when and if the ungulates are removed from Kahuku. A dramatic vegetation recovery

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has been demonstrated very convincingly over much of the original montane parts of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park to the east, once the ungulates were removed. This recovery pattern of at least of the more common vulnerable elements of vegetation can also be seen in the State Natural Area Reserves that are crossed, and it is beginning in the new Kona Hema Preserve below the trail. To the north, along the Kona Ranch Road, Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road and Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch Road Trails, former logging and ongoing active ranching use continues to degrade the native vegetation, and, consequently, the native bird life there is not as diverse as can be seen on trails to the south and east sides of Mauna Loa. The scenic and recreational values of all the Mauka Trail System, however, are superb. For the students of natural history, the lessons of volcanic dominance and land use patterns upon the landscape will be quite apparent all around the Mauka Trail System routes.

KONA RANCH ROAD TRAIL The 1928 Walter Wall map of Hawai’i island shows a number of interconnected trails that are scattered over the large portions of North and South Kona and that were used for ranching at the time. These tend to cluster near the tops of the numerous smaller ahupua’a that connect to the ocean, and extend into some areas of the few much larger land units above them. Connecting mauka-makai trails reach the Belt highway in various locations. Some longer regional trails pass through and beyond the area. This basic pattern is retained in the Kona Ranch Road Trail, those connecting ranch road trails to the north, the regional trails beyond, and the proposed access roads. Laid entirely on ranch roads, the Kona Ranch Road Trail is easily traversable over its whole 48.2 mi./ 77.9 km. length. In every segment the grade is moderate and is readily walked in either direction or combination. This trail is prominant in traversing the west side of Mauna Loa and in connecting to Hualalai and to several upland trails. The existing array of ranch cabins and water catchment structures have the potential to add to the infrastructure necessary to implement an extensive trail system design. The nature and quality of cabins can do much to extend the appeal, functionality and potential commercial application of the ranch road trail system beyond that of the more spartan upland trails. The Kona Ranch Road Trail connects the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail with the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail to the north. It also has four links to a parallel path over most of its length, the West Mauna Loa High Trail. This upland trail has, in turn, connections to the more rigorous and remote Keapohina Trail, West Mauna Loa Summit Trail, and Northwest Mauna Loa Trail. As proposed here, the Kona Ranch Road Trail has seven access road connections down through the ranches to the main Belt Highway. These are examples, and a number of alternatives exist. This trail covers a region crossed by a maze of ranch roads, fences, stone walls and logging tracks. Many routes are possible, and only a few examples are given here. Landowner preferences may alter selected routing. A number of rain sheds with water tanks are scattered along the routes within the Kona Ranch Road Trail, and USGS quad maps can be referenced to see their locations, should using some for as trail infrastructure be desired.

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SEGMENT 1. This 8.5 mi./ 14.5 km. segment leaves the north edge of Kipahoehoe Natural Area Reserve at 5700’ elevation continues nearly on contour, following along the upper mesic portion of the ecotone that marks the higher limits of periodic moisture on the unique Kona-side climate. Near the beginning of the segment, a feature trail (F-3) branches off. It is a 4WD road heading steeply mauka from the 5200’ point along the reserve boundary, going straight upslope 6.7 km/4.2 mi to just under 7600’ elevation. This road goes along 1950 and 1919 flows to a point 1.25 mile below the source vent of the 1919 Alika flows, and amid a suite of other vents of different ages. This is within the active southwest rift zone, where flow pieces run an age progression from recent black, through grey, brown and weathered red in color, reflecting a sequence that is broken into a complex mosaic of ages and rough textures. In this subalpine environment only the older flow pieces bear any vegetation, and it is sparse. A round trip up this road is a challenging climb of 2400’ elevation and 8.3 mi./ 13.4 km. Within a half mile the trail crosses the abutting Alika flow of 1919 and the broad 1950 Ka’apuna flow. It next climbs a bit through opened mesic koa-‘ohi’a forest and up into drier open ‘ohi’a forest that characterize the younger flows. After passing through the Keanapa’akai area, the trail crosses two more of the 1950 flows. Just south of the northern of the two flows, the trail meets a road that runs makai a little over a mile to the old Ka’ohe Ranch cabin, sitting the boundary of State and private land. An alternate return road meets the trail on the second 1950 flow to the north. Just 0.8 mi./ 1.3 km. farther north another road leaves the Kona Ranch Road Trail, this one heading straight up mauka. This mauka road intersection is the southern end of the West Mauna Loa High Trail. It climbs over 2000’ directly up the slope to where it turns north and gently drops over the next 28.3 miles. Near the north turn, the Keapohina Trail ends on this same road. Including this 4.2 mi./ 6.8 km. connection back down to the Kona Ranch Road Trail, the total across rift zone passage using the Keapohina Trail, 17.9 mi./ 28.8 km., is a shortcut from east Kahuku to the south Kona Ranch Road Trail. It is not surprising the old Hawaiian trails also follows cross-rift alignments, as cued by the remnant sections that can be found in these remote areas. The ancients must have been used to rebuilding sections buried by Pele. Segment 1 of the Kona Ranch Road Trail continues north of the junction with the West Mauna Loa High Trail for 0.8 mi./ 1.3 km. and passes a new ranch house at 5650’ elevation, immediately south of the 1950 Honokua flow, another example of the widespread 1950 lavas. Segment 1 continues north to where it ends on the Waiea-Kalahiki boundary at 5500’ elevation. The point is on the boundary between State-owned (and leased) Waiea and the newly acquired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge land. The south side of the boundary is a possible location for a trail shelter. Segment 2 begins here, and almost immediately splits into two alternative routes to the same end point, a mauka Segment 2a and makai Segment 2b. Two access roads reach Segment 1 from the Belt Highway. The first passes the old Ka’ohe Ranch cabin. The second comes up mostly through Waiea ahupua’a, and branches to meet the trail just north of the new ranch house at Honokua and also just north of the end of Segment 1.

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SEGMENT 2a. This 7.7 mi./ 12.3 km. segment begins with a 550 yard contour portion at 5500’ elevation, then rises along a rough road to 6200’, passing out of the mesic habitat of the refuge land at 6080’, and turning north after the first 0.9 mi./ 1.5 km. It continues north in drier habitat, connecting to a better road, and passing by the Komakawai ranch house 3.5 mi./ 5.6 km. after the start of the segment. The segment continues north for 500 yards until it meets a road junction. The mauka fork connects to the West Mauna Loa High Trail by its Segment 2a from here. The north branch continues on through ranch country, passing the corral and water tanks at Kaunene and continuing on to the segment end at Keanapa’akai at 5300’ elevation and 4.2 mi./ 6.7 km. from Komakawai. This and the following segment cross a very wide range in lava flow ages and surface conditions, both of which influence the original natural vegetation and the land use activities. The combination of the latter has provided a broad range of appearances to the west flank landscape on Mauna Loa. SEGMENT 2b. This 6.2 mi./ 9.9 km. segment stays within the mesic habitat the whole length. The segment passes through ranch land after first crossing the grazed refuge land, rising and falling within a 375’ elevation range. The segment ends at the corrals of Keanapa’akai at 5300’ elevation, the same as Segment 2a. An access road en route to Komakawai from the Belt Highway intercepts Segments 2a and 2b. SEGMENT 3. This 6.4 mi./ 10.2 km. segment runs to Papaloa at 5100’ elevation. This site was an early ranch house in the middle of what was once the huge Greenwell Ranch. The segment starts within mesic habitat, and extends into montane dry habitat, within which lies rest of the Kona Ranch Road Trail. The route climbs 500’ before dropping 700’, for a net loss of 200’ of elevation. The first part of the segment goes through opened forest, and then quickly passes into generally open pasture with great views of Mauna Loa and Hualalai. The combination of flow type and different land use pressures makes the landowner boundary a starkly defined straight line as viewed makai from the trail. The south side has been designated as a forest reserve. At the segment’s high point, there is a connection with the West Mauna Loa High Trail via its Segment 3a. At the Papaloa end, there is an access road to the Belt Highway. SEGMENT 4. This 6.1 mi./ 9.7 km. segment connects the two early ranch house areas of Papaloa and Pu’u Lehua, the latter 400’ of elevation lower than Papaloa. The site contains water and a historic old bunkhouse. The lessee, Kona Historical Society, is rebuilding the old ranch house (it was burned down some years ago). The lowest part of the Kona Ranch Road Trail (4630’) is along this segment. The landscape is open with long vistas of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. The long history of ranching in this drier area has left it with a limited amount of forest, but it once supported large areas of diverse forest dominated by koa, mamane and ‘ili’ahi (sandalwood), with ‘ohi’a on the few younger radial flows. One access road to the Belt Highway connects to Pu’u Lehua, at 4850’ elevation, and another access road almost to the middle of the segment, at a slightly lower elevation.

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SEGMENT 5a. This segment and the next are alternate routes to the same north end point of the Kona Ranch Road Trail, but they share the first and last portions. Segment 5a is the longer, 7.6 mi./ 12.2 km., and it rises from 4850’ to 5150’ before ending at 5050’ elevation. The first element common to both routes runs north from Pu’u Lehua and enters into the large flat saddle between Hualalai and Mauna Loa that is called “Devil Country”. The trail runs past the set of walls that define the location of the very old sheep operation at Kanahaha. The whole region has few remaining trees, and the northern portion is vegetated with a naturally open native shrubland and mixed grasses. About 400-500 yards beyond Kanahaha, there is a four-way intersection of trail elements. At this point, Segments 5a and 5b separate, and from the southeast the northern end of the West Mauna Loa High Trail drops to end on the Kona Ranch Road Trail. Also at this point, Segments 5a and 5b both leave Mauna Loa flows and start across surfaces that were laid down by Hualalai volcano. The younger ‘a’a flows that are north of the rejoining of the segments do support an open ‘ohi’a forest intermixed with a few other tree species and a sparse shrub understory. The segment continues north, then west, partially encircling the cinder cone of Pu’u Keanui, which is an old Mauna Loa vent surrounded by younger Hualalai flows. The cone supports more diverse vegetation, with koa, mamane and naio dominating. There is a small cabin at this location. The segment continues across the open flats to rejoin segment 5b, and they both continue along a road which eventually climbs onto a broad ‘a’a flow that was erupted by the Waha Pele vent. Shortly after dropping down from the flow, the Kona Ranch Road Trail ends at the junction of the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail and the top of the Donkey Mill Road. The latter is an access road that leads 10 mi./ 16 km. down to the Mamalahoa Highway, just north of its junction with the Belt Highway. SEGMENT 5b. This segment is the shorter, 5.7 mi./ 9.1 km., going more directly northwest to the same trail end point at 5050’ elevation. It skirts northeast of Pu’u Pohakuloa (its peak is mapped at 5135’), an old vent of Hualalai later surrounded by a younger Hualalai flow. Note that the “Pohakuloa” name for hill features is a confusingly common occurrence on the island, with one on southeast Hualalai, one on south Hualalai, another on southwest Mauna Loa, another on west Mauna Loa, and a region of north Mauna Loa, all within proximity of the mauka trail system alignment. IN GENERAL. There are numerous landowners along the Kona Ranch Road Trail, and an examination of the land ownership map is a more efficient way to illustrate this than is text. The entirety of the trail lies within the “A” district. The Kona Ranch Road Trail runs along much of the west flank of Mauna Loa, within the elevation range of 4600’ to 6200’. The southern portion contains mesic hibatats and the northern portion contains montane dry habitats. In a unique Kona climate regime, the summer rainfall maximum is the reverse of that in the rest of Hawai’i, and daily cloud formation and rain are a regular occurrence in the middle-elevation wet belt below the trail.

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Segment 1 is well within the coverage of the southwest rift zone, and many recent flows are crossed on the ranch roads. Segment 2 quickly passes the recent rift zone flows, and by Segment 3 the matrix of flow cover is derived from different older and intermediate ages of summit overflows. Scattered within the matrix are flows from a number of old and recent radial vents, all found in the northwest quadrant of Mauna Loa and all erupted independent of the two rift zone axes. Younger flows tend to have rougher textures and are the last to be developed, and older flows have the best soil and supported the largest trees.

The Kona Ranch Road Trail extends above the region of early agriculture, and the original forest cover was dense. Within the range of moisture and elevation of the trail, the younger flows tend to support ‘ohi’a forests and open shrublands, and older flows support a variety of other prominent tree species. Within the historic and current land use regimes of the trail alignment, ‘ohi’a forests on ‘a’a flows tend to be the best preserved. Koa forests have all been logged over; grazing has occurred for different amounts of time in different areas; and where the combination has co-occurred, most of the forest structure and diversity have been lost. Nonetheless, most of the alignment is characterized by some aspect of native forest.

HUALALAI MAUKA RANCH ROAD TRAIL There does not appear to be historical precedent for the trail alignment on Hualalai. The Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail is nearly all laid on ranch roads and another cross-mountain road. More ranch road connections and route options are possible utilizing other roads not mapped in this trail iteration. There are several possible access routes that are located around the mountain to reach or exit the main trail. The main trail might be taken sinuously across the mountain, as part of different loops from the south side or top, or to different exit paths. Hikers could spend considerable time on this scenic mountain if they chose to, especially if lodging is available nearby and/or along the trail. The trail that is proposed here is a simple route that continues the Kona Ranch Road Trail alignment to the Hualalai summit area and extends it down the northwest rift zone or, alternatively, down the north flank on the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch Road Trail. The

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Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail also connects to the Judd Trail and to the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail. The total length of the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail is 19.1 mi./ 31.8 km., and it includes a 5000’-7900’ elevation range. This elevation range places about half of the trail in the subalpine habitat and the rest in montane dry habitat. While the lower slopes are/were actively ranched, most of the upper slopes were not, and lack the rain shed and water tank infrastructure of the previous trail. Feral ungulates have, however, thinned out and simplified a naturally open vegetation cover. The lower ends of the segment run through scattered remnant ‘ohi’a or mamane trees amid an open shrubland. The open county facilitates viewing the abundant geologic features and vistas. The geologic features present along the trail are stunning, and concentrated within a short distance. The views from the trail are of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Kohala, and Maui. SEGMENT 1a. This segment is 4.1 mi./ 6.5 km. long and rises 880’ in elevation. The main route begins at the north end of the Kona Ranch Road Trail, a junction (5050’ elevation) of the Donkey Mill Road (an access road) with the main road up south Hualalai. It is next to a new rain shed and tank, and about a half mile southeast of the cone Waha Pele. The rain shed could easily be converted to a trail shelter. The trail begins north and goes only 1.0 mi./ 1.6 km. before it crosses the Judd Trail at 5325’ elevation. From here, the trail continues for 0.7 mi./ 1.2 km. to Pu’u O Mawae, where two road junctions are found just above the cone (5850’ elevation). The right fork at each junction follows this mapped route, and the two lefts lead to potential alternative paths to the upper reaches of the mountain, should that be desired. Each of the two alternatives passes through a somewhat different vegetation zone than does the selected route. The mapped trail route goes northeast on the contour for about 2.3 mi./ 3.7 km. more before it ends. At this point, Segment 1b climbs up from the southeast to meet it. SEGMENT 1b. This is a 3.3 mi./ 5.3 km. cross-country leg is proposed to connect the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail with the West Mauna Loa High Trail, just north of its connection with the east end of the Judd trail. Near the southeast start of the segment, a shelter site is proposed to be placed on a small ash kipuka surrounded by the barren 1859 flow. The segment climbs about 700’ through open vegetation. SEGMENT 2. This 5.4 mi./ 8.7 km. segment climbs the steep southeast rift zone 1800’ to the summit region. After 1.6 mi./ 2.6 km., there is a level area that would be good for a shelter site. From there, it is 3.8 mi./ 6.1 km. to the segment end. At the segment end is a cabin down a short road. Just a third of a mile southeast of the segment end is a junction that marks the upper end (the beginning in this description) of the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Trail. The country is very open, with only sparse vegetation. SEGMENT 3. This 7.1 mi./ 11.3 km. segment climbs 250’ elevation to the highest point on the trail, then descends the northwest rift zone to the trail’s end at the Kaloko Mauka Subdivision at 5000’ elevation. This terminus is at 5000’ elevation, and a paved public road climbs up to it. This access road allows a drop off for a high start on the trail when it is walked the other direction. This segment, and the last, are surrounded by a large number of pit craters and cones, some very impressive. The views are equally stunning. Along the way down there are a

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number of short side roads, a few of which could be used as feature trails to points of interest. Two longer roads branch to the southwest onto State land, and while not mapped here, could be considered for connecting loop trails or alternative segments. Part of the State land is Honua’ula Forest Reserve, and part is land (formerly) leased for pasture. Together there is a considerable amount of the west flank of Hualalai in wet and moist forest surviving in different states of intactness. There are also roads running through the area. Perhaps some of this area should be considered for addition to the trail network on Hualalai. IN GENERAL. All of the upper slopes of Hualalai are owned by Kamehameha Schools, and the flanks mostly belong to large private ranches, Kamehameha Schools and the State. The Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail routing that is proposed and mapped here is all on Kamehameha Schools’ land. The first half of Segment 1a is in the ”A” district, and the rest is in the “C” district. The potential additions that are discussed are on State lands that are in both the “C” and “A” districts. Hualalai is a more “mature” active volcano than Mauna Loa, and its main structural shield of tholeiitic basalt has been capped by alkalic lavas of a slightly different chemical nature. A consequence to the landscape is that the lavas are more gas-charged and can make vigorous, explosive eruptions. Eruptive vents tend include cones that have spread lots of ash and cinders over the landscape. This has left the region with generally smoother walking surfaces than on Mauna Loa. Upper slopes on Hualalai volcano are studded with scores of eruptive cones and pit craters. Most of these are distributed along two rift zones (2-5 km. wide) that extend southeast and northwest away from the summit. This makes for a very scenic landscape and a concentration of geologic features along the trail system. The main trail of this segment follows the main rift zone axes, and the connecting Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch Road Trail extends down a less prominent north rift zone axis.

PU’U WA’WA’A RANCH ROAD TRAIL Similar to the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail, there does not appear to be historical precedent for the mapped Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch Road Trail alignment. It is based on relatively recently constructed roads that run through and above the ranch along the upper north slope of Hualalai. From just above Kileo, the upper road branches into two parallel routes. The selected one is arbitrary, and the other route around the east side of Pu’u Wa’awa’a might be used as well, or both might be combined for a loop. The eastern option has along it two cabins adjacent to the pu’u at 3570’ and 2900’ elevation, and the route can be shunted to the east from just below Shangri-la or farther mauka near Kileo. The trail alignment that is proposed here is a route that runs directly north from Kipahe’e at 7600’ elevation in the Hualalai summit region down to the Belt Highway at 2055’. The whole trail is only 9.5 mi./ 15.3 km. long, but it runs down (or up) for a 5545’ elevation change. This drop or climb needs a break, and a shelter site has been located part way down at Shangri-la, splitting the elevation into an upper 3225’ portion and lower 2320’ portion. The only connecting trail at this stage is the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail, and the Pu’u Wa’awa’a Ranch Road Trail is described here as starting on it.

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SEGMENT 1. This 3.5 mi./ 5.6 km. segment leaves the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail at Kipahe’e, a large pit crater near the summit cabin. The grade is fairly steep for the whole segment length, dropping 3225’ from the 7600’ start. The Pu’u Wa’awa’a Wildlife Sanctuary lies immediately to the west of the trail between about 6200’ and 4000’ elevations. A shelter could be made at the 4375’ Shangri-la site (the old cabin burned down). SEGMENT 2. This 6.0 mi./ 9.7 km. segment continues on a somewhat gentler grade, dropping 2320’ to the highway at 2055’ elevation. At a point 1.7 mi./ 2.8 km. above the highway, there is a branch road that leads northwest to a cabin. IN GENERAL. The upper part of Segment 1, above Kileo, belongs to Kamehameha Schools, and the rest of the trail to the State. The latter was leased out for a marginal cattle operation for decades. The lower portion of the trail, roughly Segment 2, is in the “A” district, and Segment 1 is in the “C” district. The route passes from subalpine scrub, through the edge of moist forest, to the scattered remnants of formerly diverse dry forest. The region was once one of the botanically richest in the islands, but it has been degraded by continued intense grazing. Part of this area of State land was deliberated for a Natural Area Reserve in 1984, but denied over objections of the lessee. Subsequent logging, shooting of endangered ‘alala, and suspicious wildfires ensued, and of most of the live trees below Segment 1 were quickly depleted. Droughts have added sufficient stress in the last decade to accelerate the decline. The scenic qualities of the area are excellent, however, and views of Maui, Kohala, Mauna Kea, and south to Mauna Loa are evident the whole route. MAUNA LOA SUMMIT TRAILS

‘AINAPO TRAIL This is a pre-historic trail alignment to the summit area (across the caldera from the actual summit). Archibald Menzies was the first European to reach the Mauna Loa summit in 1794 via this path. The 1840 U.S. Exploration Expedition members under Charles Wilkes also approximated most of the path on their summit escalation and scientific studies. Some use continued later, as evidenced by remains of an old shelter and water tank at different locations. In the recent years, the State of Hawai’i has re-located and re-opened the ‘Ainapo Trail on south Mauna Loa, and provided access to the hiking public through Kapapala Ranch to the Belt Highway. It now connects to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s (East) Mauna Loa Summit Trail at the summit cabin. The1994 rebuilding of a trail shelter at just below 8,000 feet elevation has made the trail a viable entity for hikers. Its connection to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s Mauna Loa summit trails and cabins makes travel on these interconnected trails a challenging but attractive and flexible option for hikers. Should an emergency camp location at 11,000 ft. be upgraded to a shelter, it would make the trip even more of an attraction. SEGMENT 1. This segment begins at the ‘Ainapo trailhead, at the southwest end of the Kapapala Trail or the upper end of an access road from the Belt Highway, both congruent for the last 2.2 mi./ 3.5 km. From this start, the trail climbs 2000 ft. elevation to the Halewai Shelter, a comfortable, modern cabin at 7650 ft. elevation. En route, the

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trail crosses an old stone wall at 6800 ft., which is the proposed start of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail (S-1b). The cabin is the other proposed start of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail (S-1a). The sparse remains of a much earlier shelter can be found a quarter mile northeast of the present cabin, but well off the current alignment. There is an access road that runs down to the Belt Highway through Kapapala Ranch, as well as the connecting Kapapala Ranch Road Trail, both of which are congruent within the Kapapala Forest Reserve. SEGMENT 2. Starting at the cabin set in a kipuka, this segment runs up to the 11,360 ft. point along the trail where a small flattened area can be found to pitch a tent if the long traverse to the summit cannot be made in a single day. This would be an excellent place in the barren landscape to locate a trail shelter. SEGMENT 3. This segment plus the previous one is the actual interval between cabins (8.2 mi./ 11.1 km., 5625 ft. elevation gain). Menzies’ impressions of the ascent ("The most persevering and hazardous struggle that can possibly be conceived.") may well have been inspired by the rigors of this portion of the trail. Segment 3 ends after 4.2 mi./ 6.7 km. and 1915 ft. elevation gain, at the national park’s Mauna Loa Cabin. This is on the edge of Moku’aweoweo Caldera and near where the Wilkes party spent nearly a month. IN GENERAL. This trail is a challenging 7635 ft. climb or descent, with a thousand feet more elevation change than the national park’s East Mauna Loa Summit Trail, but in considerably less distance (only 10.9 mi./ 17.4 km.). The addition of a new trail shelter or cabin at about 11,360 ft. elevation would go far to make the trip safer and more pleasant. As proposed, the ‘Ainapo Trail would be on the northwest ends of two branches of the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail, running through the newly acquired Kahuku portion of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. ‘Ainapo Trail’s start is the west end of the Kapapala Ranch Road Trail, which connects to the middle portion of the park, and thus these two trails can form a key link in connecting the two Mauna Loa portions of the national park. The ‘Ainapo Trail is wholly within the “C” district. Nearly the whole of the trail is laid upon a broad apron of 1000-1500 year old lava flows that erupted from the summit region before the present, dynamic caldera was formed. Nearly all are from a single intermediate age class, but a few kipuka are from a much older age class. The trail follows alongside or within several of these older small, linear kipuka, such as at 6100-6800 ft., the Halewai Shelter at 7650 ft, and 11,700-12,400 ft. The difference in degree of vegetation development due to age is evident when comparing the old kipuka with the intermediate-aged flows surrounding them. There is a variety of lava flow appearances over the length of the trail, despite nearly all of the flows falling into the same age class. This region of summit overflows is generally dominated by easy to traverse pahoehoe flows, the oldest of which may show an accumulation of ash-derived soil on their surfaces. Visible near the summit cabin, large blocks of basalt were ejected from the caldera by powerful explosions during some stages of the caldera’s evolution. Segment 1 starts in the mesic moisture zone, in a mix of koa-‘oih’a forest and shrubland, and rises to subalpine ‘ohi’a forest (in older kipuka) and woodlands. This segment is one of the best places in the whole Mauka Trail Network to see a variety of native birds, including ‘apapane, ‘amakihi, ‘i’iwi, ‘io, pueo, ‘oma’o, ‘elepaio, and possibly Hawai’i creeper, ‘akepa, and ‘akiapola’au. Segment 2 starts in the same subalpine ‘ohi’a forest,

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but shifts to open shrublands, then progressively sparser vegetation until it just becomes basically devoid of vegetation. Segment 3 and the upper half of Segment 2 are in the alpine zone.

EAST MAUNA LOA SUMMIT TRAIL (MAUNA LOA TRAIL) This trail was constructed by the U.S. Army in 1915, shortly before the establishment of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. It connects the Mauna Loa summit area with the Kilauea summit area, an original trek of about 30 miles. The lower portion was replaced by roads, including the Mauna Loa (Strip) Road, which reach up to the present trailhead and picnic shelter at 6660 ft. elevation. From here, the trail climbs to the summit caldera in two segments, each with a cabin at its end. On the east end of Moku’aweoweo Caldera, and 2.1 mi./ 3.4 km. below the Summit Cabin, there is a junction with a mid-portion of the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail, which courses down to the north and also west to the actual summit (13,679 ft.), across the caldera from the cabin. At the Summit Cabin, there is a connection to the rugged ‘Ainapo Trail that leads down the volcano’s southeast flank. SEGMENT 1. Starting at the top of the Mauna Loa (Strip) Road (the access road), this segment climbs 3375 ft. in 7.5 mi./ 12.1 km. to reach the ancient Pu’u ‘Ula’ula cinder cone, on which is located Red Hill Cabin, a short side trip from the main trail. The cabin was built in 1915, but replaced in 1996. The views from the top of the cinder cone are spectacular, and include a fine profile of Mauna Kea. Vents and flows from the 1984 eruption can be seen above and below the cabin, amid a number of other vents. SEGMENT 2. The trail continues for 11.6 mi./ 18.7 km., climbing 3240 ft. to the old Summit Cabin at 13,275 ft. elevation. After 9.5 mi./ 15.3 km., there is a junction with the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail near Jaggar’s Cave, an early walled shelter site at 13,035 ft. elevation. The cabin dates back to 1934, and was moved to this site six years later, after flows from the 1940 eruption passed only 30 ft. from the cabin’s original site. Its current location is near where the Wilkes party spent nearly a month in 1840, and stone walls from their encampment can be found near the cabin. IN GENERAL. This trail is a challenging climb of 6615 ft. over a path of 19.1 mi./ 30.8 km. It is one of the most traveled long trails on the island, and is likely to see even more usage. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park requires registration before staying at either of its cabins, no matter which trail to them is taken. That there are two cabins, easy connecting access, and a less steep slope has made this eastern route much more popular than the ‘Ainapo Trail to which it connects. Its other connection to the much shorter North Mauna Loa Summit Trail makes attractive in its alternative routings. Re-establishing the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail connection would make the summit area a more diverse hub. The entire trail falls within the “C” district, and all also lies within the national park’s “wilderness” designation, except for three portions near 12,000 ft. elevation that stray slightly outside the park. Segment 1 starts in the montane dry zone in koa forest of a very old kipuka and quickly exits the kipuka to a mix of ‘ohi’a, mamane and native shrubland on an intermediate aged flow. Birds common in the area include ‘apapane, ‘amakihi, and ‘i’iwi, and

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sometimes one can see or hear ‘io, pueo, ‘oma’o, ‘elepaio and nene. Before too much longer, the vegetation transitions into subalpine open ‘ohi’a forest and native shrubland, still on the same age flow. The park is restoring the Mauna Loa silversword plants along either side of the trail, but off in the distance. Most of the rest of the segment is in the subalpine zone, and the stature and cover of the vegetation can be seen to diminish as the trail ascends. Just before the cabin is reached, the trail passes into the alpine zone, and the vegetation by then is nearly absent. Segment 2 is totally alpine, and the scenery is even more dominated by the vistas and the geology. Because the East Mauna Loa Summit Trail lies in a region covered by rift zone flows, and Segment 2 is along the rift zone, the range of geological features is much greater than trail segments laid on summit overflow areas. This refers to both age and type of features. Flows range from very old (for an active volcano) to 1984, with more to come. There are numerous colors and surface textures, lava tubes, lava channels and lots of vent features (fissures, cinder cones, spatter cones) to be seen, especially on Segment 2. The latter part of Segment 2 also has the mostly-filled North Pit (crater) and the huge Moku’aweoweo Caldera as prominent features. There also views of distant cinder sheets and, near the Summit Cabin, scattered blocks of rock blasted out of the caldera by explosive events hundreds of years ago.

NORTH MAUNA LOA SUMMIT TRAIL This is a fairly recent trail alignment, one that has undergone various changes over the years. It grew as an offshoot from a rough north-slope 4WD road that was put in 1951 as access to a short-lived weather station near the summit. It has been re-routed to become a fairly straight trail that begins at a high 11,020’ starting elevation. Its elevation gain is 2660’, and its length is only 6.6 mi./ 10.6 km., short enough to do as a round trip to the summit in a day. It also can be taken as a route to the summit cabin (across the caldera from the true summit, its terminus) by switching over to the East Mauna Loa Summit Trail’s ultimate portion at the Jaggar’s Cave nexus of the two trails. This connection provides some flexibility to summit trip itineraries. Should the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail is put back into use, particularly if a shelter is built just below the west-slope park boundary, then there would be one more attractive option for users of the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail, and the summit area could be a more flexible hub. The North Mauna Loa Summit Trail starts at the end of the Mauna Loa Observatory Road (the road is the same as Segments 1a and 2 of the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail), that can be walked or driven in a 2WD vehicle. There are no facilities at the start of the trail currently, but there is a nice flattened area at the trail start that could be used for a camp site or shelter. SEGMENT 1. This trail starts on State land (Mauna Loa Forest Reserve) at the end of Mauna Loa Observatory Road (the access road), below the facility. It initially follows an old road for a ways, then heads mauka, crossing into Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park after about 1.7 mi./ 2.8 km. The trail is marked to avoid confusion where it crosses or follows the old road three times. This segment climbs a bit over 2000’ in 3.9 mi./ 6.3 km, until it meets the connection to East Mauna Loa Summit Trail at Jaggar’s Cave (a walled structure) at 13,030’ elevation. From here, the trail forks to join the EMLST or continues

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on to the actual summit in Segment 2. North Pit, partially filled with 1984 and earlier lavas, is just to the south. SEGMENT 2. Continuing to the west, the segment follows the northern circumference of the Moku’aweoweo Caldera 2.7 mi./ 4.3 km. until the actual summit is reached. This is the end of the trail, and it needs to be retraced at least to Jaggar’s cave, where the junction allows one to return north to the start, go south to the Summit Cabin, or head east to the more distant Red Hill Cabin. IN GENERAL. The entire trail lies in the “C” district, and the upper 75-80% of it is within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, all in its “wilderness” designation. The trail begins a short distance below the Mauna Loa Observatory, which was constructed to collect data on atmospheric and solar phenomena, including the important data set of global carbon dioxide changes over recent time. The whole of the trail lies in the alpine zone. Vegetation is all but absent over most of the trail’s length, as is bird life. Certain areas of the upper reaches are home to the Mauna Loa populations of the Wekiu bug, an endemic insect that forages upon waif insects that are blown up into the alpine region and immobilized by the cold. By having evolved a special internal antifreeze, it is highly specialized for year-round survival in this harsh region, a region where summer to winter ranges of temperature occur from day to night. The geological features of Mauna Loa that are experienced along this trail do not have quite the stunning range of those seen along the East Mauna Loa Summit Trail, with most of the flows here being only of recent to intermediate age. The views of the north part of the island and Maui compensate. The high vantage and generally clear air gives unparalleled views of dormant Mauna Kea, including the grey and tan colored glacial moraines (formed separately 13,000, 40,000, and 70,000 years ago), and the large gulches rapidly cut out of the southwest flank when summit area eruptions melted the glaciers above them. The signs of glaciation on Mauna Loa have all been buried by the active volcano’s flows. The impressive views of Moku’aweoweo Caldera from along its north perimeter in Segment 2 enrich the latter part of the trail. In portions of the trail, one can see chunks of variously different basalt that were explosively ejected (not erupted) from the caldera.

WEST MAUNA LOA SUMMIT TRAIL This trail has its upper origin near the actual 13,679-foot summit of Mauna Loa, within the HVNP, and descends the west slope of the volcano. It is a pre-historic trail alignment, although the exact on-the-ground path is now ambiguous. In 1793 Archibald Menzies and party were the first Europeans to attempt the trail from the Kona side, following native guides. They under-estimated the length and challenge of the trip, and abandoned the effort part way up (they later succeeded along a south slope alignment, the ‘Ainapo Trail of today). The west-slope trail was still shown on early 20th century maps, and it departs the summit area to the west, passes just north of Pu’u O ‘Uo in upper Keauhou, crosses upper Kealakekua and into the middle and lower reaches of Hokukano. The last known passage was by Dave Woodside in the 1950’s. This trail, as used here, begins at the current end of the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail, and could be used as a continuation of the same. From the 13,679-foot summit of

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Mauna Loa, the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail descends over 5400 feet to the proposed campsite near Pu’u O ‘Uo, and another 1080’ to its end at the intersection with the West Mauna Loa High Trail. The original pre-historic trail alignment continued down slope to about the Papaloa location (here, via connecting trail segments past the 7180’ end of the WMLST), and from there on down to the ocean. The trip up or down from the Mauna Loa summit could be made less daunting by the placement of a cabin or simple shelter in its upper reaches. One such site might be just below the Kamehameha Schools boundary with the national park, at about 12,800 feet elevation, or 1.25 mi./ 2.0 km. below the summit. SEGMENT 1. Taken from a 1928 Walter Wall map, the current alignment approximates the mapped path in its mauka portion, starting about 100 yards southwest of the summit. It descends west-northwest along 750 to 1500-year old pahoehoe flows, passing just to the north of the 8835-foot Pu’u O ‘Uo and its vent. It continues along the north edge of the large apron of flows from the 200 to 750 year-old vent to a point about 8400 ft. elevation. At this point, the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail meets a connector trail to the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail (NWMLT S-1b). Also at this point, the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail, turns southwest for about 350 yards across a mix of ‘a’a and pahoehoe to intersect a rough road at 8300 ft. elevation. From the summit start to here is 6.8 miles/ 11.0 km. There is an excellent all-around view of the landscape from this high point, including Hualalai, Kohala and the Mauna Kea summit. At about 250 yards down the road there is a flanking flattened area that would be great for a shelter site and drop off point. SEGMENT 2. From the 8300-foot road connection on downward, the trail follows the road built on the Pu’u O ‘Uo flow until after 2.2 miles/ 3.5 km, at 7200 ft. elevation, it intersects another road running along the contour, and the segment and trail end. This intersection is with the West Mauna Loa High Trail that here runs north-south along the road, with connector branches down to the Kona Ranch Road Trail to the west. At this 7200 ft. intersection with the West Mauna Loa High Trail, one such connector trail runs 5.0 mi./ 8.0 km. down to the Kona Ranch Road Trail at Papaloa, another drop off point and possible shelter site. IN GENERAL. All of the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail except for the lower half mile or so lies in the “C” district, and the lower part in “A”. The portion in the national park is in “wilderness” designation, and no cabins can be built there. Segment 1 follows intermediate aged pahoehoe lava derived from summit overflows, and is moderately uniform in appearance. The last portion of this segment and Segment 2 are on top of a younger, much more rugged lava flow that was erupted from nearby Pu’u O ‘Uo. The latter is one of a number of radial vents that encircle the northern half of Mauna Loa, and that are not connected to either summit or rift zone activity. The upper portion of the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail descends through barren alpine lava flows. By a little below 10,000 feet elevation, or about half of the trail length, it transitions into subalpine habitat. From here on, an increasing amount of scattered native subalpine shrubland is encountered. It is within this zone, near Pu’u O ‘Uo, that Dave Woodside was the last to document a population of the striking Mauna Loa silversword plants. Menzies was the first European to discover this species, along the

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‘Ainapo Trail. Along the lower reaches of the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail, patches of ‘ohi’a forest are encountered on older flows. MAUNA LOA FLANK TRAILS

PU’U ‘O’O TRAIL This is an old trail used to move cattle between Pu’u ‘O’o Ranch on southeast Mauna Kea, Keauhou Ranch on Mauna Loa and ’Ainahou Ranch on Kilauea, but the alignment probably has prehistoric usage as well. Much of the trail has fallen out of use over the years, and it has been cut by the 1942 and 1984 lava flows. New links over these flows can now be used to take it from the Saddle Road to near the junction of the north sides of Keauhou Ranch and Kulani Prison properties. Currently, it only is used as far south as the north edge of the 1984 flow, as a round trip day hike. If more of the trail is put back in use, then it could run from the Saddle Road to the Volcano area, and also to the north of the Saddle Road to the Keanakolu Road, via the old Pu’u ‘O’o cabin. The latter is one of the few trail connections between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The trail described here meets Segment 1b of the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail, terminates in the Volcano area, and also can connect to the Kapapala Ranch Road Trail at the Mauna Loa (Strip) Road at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The connection with the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail allows it to loop back to the Saddle Road or to access the various connections of that trail. The trail starts 22.4 miles up the Saddle Road from Hilo, and heads south 5.1 mi./ 8.2 km. until it is cut by the 1984 flow. Construction of a shelter at this point would make both continuation along the original trail alignment and connecting to the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail a practical option. This portion of the trail is paralled by the rough powerline road below, which can make an easier to follow return trip should rain or fog make following the trail difficult. The two converge near the south end of the segment, but are separated by nearly a mile of highway at the Saddle Road. The full trail drops gently over its course, only 880’ elevation to one terminus, and twice that to the other. SEGMENT 1. The segment leaves the Saddle Road (the access road) at 5760’ and nearly tracks this elevation until it meets the 1984 flow at 5770’. There is a good location for a shelter at this point. The early portion of the segment goes through the edge of the Kipuka ‘Ainahou Nene Sanctuary, an area with numerous patches of grassland. SEGMENT 2. The first 2.7 mi./ 4.3 km. of the segment is across the tracks cut into the daunting side-by-side, thick 1984 and 1942 flows. En route, the trail goes across two small kipuka of 1852 flow, and turns upslope along the 1984-1942 contact for nearly 200’ of elevation gain. It drops down from the 1942 flow, continues south across a mix of forest and grassy shrubland, skirting around an end of another 1984 flow lobe, until it comes to where the trail has been converted to a road, which is followed for the rest of the trail’s length. The portion ends where the road forks into segments 3a and 3b, and has dropped a net 1150’ elevation. SEGMENT 3a. This 4.1 mi./ 6.6 km. segment is a proposed new modification. It follows a good, straight power line road from the fork at 5050’ elevation and goes across a little drier portion of Keauhou Ranch and into adjoining Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park a short distance to the Mauna Loa (Strip) Road, where it terminates at 4880’ elevation. From this point, hikers can connect to the Kapapala Ranch Road Trail by

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continuing along the power line road, or head down the scenic Mauna Loa Road to the highway 5.7 mi./ 9.3 km. below, and 0.8 mi. from the Namakani Paio Campground at 3900’ elevation. SEGMENT 3b. This 7.9 mi./ 12.7 km. segment is part of the original trail that has become the main ranch road. It departs the fork and descends 1050’ elevation through the ranch, a small subdivision and golf course to the highway at 4000’ elevation. From here, it is only 1.5 miles to the Namakani Paio Campground. IN GENERAL. Except for a small bit of Department of Hawaiian Homes land at the beginning, the land in Segment 1 and the first third of S-2 are State owned; the remainder of S-2, S-3b and all but 470 yards (national park land) of S-3a belong to Kamehameha Schools. The State and national park lands fall into the “C” district, and the rest is “A”. Flows erupted from the middle northeast rift zone have been redirected east by the opposing slope of Mauna Kea, across the trail’s alignment (Segment 1 and north S-2). This has partially filled the swale between the volcanoes. It also has acted to concentrate the frequency of flows covering on this part of the flank, as well as aim them toward Hilo. The trail crosses as wide an age range of flows as can be seen on Mauna Loa, the mass of younger flows providing the matrix into which the variously aged kipuka are set. Younger flows crossed include the 1852, 1855, 1880, 1942 and 1984. Many of the same barren flows seen barren in the subalpine and alpine habitats of the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail have some degree of vegetation development in the lower and wetter environment along the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail, and the role of moisture in this process is evident. The flows of the remainder of the trail are skewed toward older ages, and the influence of age in vegetation development (succession) is also evident. The trail follows along a narrow ecotone, with drier habitats above and wetter below. The whole of the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail is in montane mesic habitat, but there is considerable variety in the vegetation. Most of this variety reflects different degrees of vegetation development across the broad range of lava flow ages encountered. Kipuka of diverse ‘ohi’a and koa forest, pioneer plant communities, native shrubland areas, and swaths of grassland alternate with barren and gray lichen-covered younger flows. Segments 1 and 2 are in one of the best locations on the island to view native birds, including endangered species such as ‘akiapola’au, ‘akepa, Hawai’i creeper, ‘io and possibly nene, which are found with more common ‘apapane, ‘amakihi, ‘elepaio, ‘omao, and pueo. Another aspect of lava flow life is the simple “neogeoaeolian” and lava tube ecosystems found within them. They are both composed of simple very specialized suites of invertebrates (featuring different species of wolf spider, crickets, and, in the tubes, additional invertebrates). The subterranean lava tube (cave) assemblage, found within pahoehoe flows, is an interconnected network of invertebrates that is ultimately dependent upon the intruding ‘ohi’a roots as an energy source. The neogeoaeolian system, composed of a few predator and scavenger arthropods, is found on barren or sparsely vegetated flows, and is independent of on-site vegetation. It is fueled instead by a slow deposition of waif flying insects, entrained in upslope winds and carried from kipuka vegetation into the harsh flow-surface environment. Daytime conditions are fatally dessicating for the stranded waifs. This system can be colonized from nearby flows within the first few months of the flow’s existence. As vegetation slowly develops

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on the new flows, and the harsh environmental conditions are ameliorated, the neogeoaeolian system disappears, but not before dispersing colonists to younger flows. Plant succession needs to wait a number of years after the flow is laid. Comparing the amount of the lichen on the 1942 versus 1984 flow gives an idea of how quickly the process can start, however. Ferns and ‘ohi’a trees are the first larger colonists, and over time, shorted in wetter areas, there is an accrual of other species. The very small ‘ohi’a can flower precociously, attracting ‘apapane and ‘amakihi early on.

NORTHEAST MAUNA LOA TRAIL This trail is all on rough single lane roads; Segments 1a and 2 are paved. It departs the Saddle Road at the 27.7 mi. point, just east of the Pu’u Huluhulu Native Tree Sanctuary. This trail can be used as a central access to the broad north flank of Mauna Loa. It connects with the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail and its multiple options, to the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail and its various connections, and to the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail, where it can loop back to the Saddle Road or connect to the Volcano area via a lower elevation than the summit route. Segments 1a and 1b can be taken to the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail, then back to the Saddle Road for a long loop route. Construction of a simple shelter at the mauka end (11,020’elevation) of the trail and another near the 8300’ junction of segments 1a and 1b would add immeasurably to the flexibility and safety of this and connecting trails. The trail began as Segments 1b and 2 as part of a 1950 rough road to the short-lived, near-summit, Mauna Loa Observatory from the Kulani Prison property, via Stainback highway, from Hilo. When the observatory concept was re-established, a new structure and expanded mission began in 1956, and the simple single-lane road to it was improved some. In 1963, the portion of Segment 1a was cut to connect to the Saddle Road, allowing the option of public access onto the north slope of Mauna Loa. The jagged ‘a’a of the 1984 flows cut Segment 1b, and it was later re-routed some to act as a new powerline road to continue providing electricity to the Mauna Loa Observatory. SEGMENT 1a. From this 6580’ elevation start on the Saddle Road, the access road, the trail climbs south, gently at first, then more steeply until it abruptly turns southwest at the fork to Segment 1b. An “antenna farm” assembly of repeater stations is found at this point. The segment rises 1720’ in 8.5 mi./ 13.7 km. It has views of this portion of Mauna Loa’s mosaic of rift zone flows and of southwest Mauna Kea. SEGMENT 1b. This segment is on a gravel road, and cuts across recent and intermediate-aged flows until it meets a re-routed section of the Pu’u ‘O’o Trail that had been buried by the 1984 flows. From the fork, it drops 2100’ elevation in 6.6 mi./ 10.7 km. It meets a re-routed Pu’u ‘O’o Trail along the contact between the 1942 and 1984 flows. The construction of a shelter 600 m. or more east of the junction with Segment 1a would elevate the trail’s utility considerably. SEGMENT 2. From the 8300’ junction of Segments 1a and 1b, this portion continues southwest up to below the Mauna Loa summit area on a path parallel to the east rift zone. It ends where a short road south accesses the Mauna Loa Observatory and where a wider flattened area is located. This would make an ideal site for a trail shelter.

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IN GENERAL. All the land along the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail is State owned, in the Mauna Loa Forest Reserve, and the whole length is in the ”C” district. Segment 1a and the adjoining halves of segments 1b and 2 are subalpine. Segment 2 continues up into the alpine, and Segment 1b drops through the montane dry habitat zone to the edge of the mesic. The upper elevation vegetation is a very sparse open low shrubland on the few flow patches where it occurs, and below about 8000’, these patches’ vegetation is a denser shrubland and/or open ‘ohi’a forest further down. The youth of the lava flows in this area and the altitude and dryness generally limits the vegetation to the older (intermediate ages) flows, the rest being fairly barren. This trail gives an excellent view of the nature of volcanic activity in a rift zone area. Its three segments cross multiple flows from the 1843, 1852, 1855, 1880, 1899, 1935, 1942 and 1984 eruptions. Nearly half of the landscape crossed by the trail has been covered by these flows. The slow development of vegetation in these higher, dry environments leaves even the intermediate aged flows of the area with limited vegetation cover. Bird life is more frequently seen at the lower elevations, where ‘amakihi might be seen foraging on the lower scattered ‘ohi’a trees. However, even in the vegetation-limited, harsh high elevation region, there are some specialized native birds scattered about. , Alpine populations of ‘oma’o and ‘apapane might be encountered, nesting on tumuli and in lava tubes, respectively. Further south along the rift zone, nesting colonies of the endangered ‘ua’u (Hawaiian petrel) and ‘ake’ake (band-rumped storm petrel) are believed to be persisting, given the amounts of night-time calling heard along the rift zone. All four of these alpine ground-nesting birds are declining rapidly due to their extremely vulnerability to feral cat predation.

NORTHWEST MAUNA LOA TRAIL This proposed trail starts at the upper end of the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail, and goes west, north, and finally east across the northwest flank of Mauna Loa. The geology and vegetation are much different from that seen on the NEMLT. Along its course, the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail connects to the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail, the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail, the West Mauna Loa High Trail, the Judd Trail, the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail and ultimately the Saddle Road. It is a key element in the circumnavigation of Mauna Loa, providing two connection options to cross its north flank. The upper one starts at the end of the Mauna Loa Summit Trail at 11,020’ elevation, and climbs a little before crosses west and north in a long descent. From the saddle between Mauna Loa and Hualalai, the lower option heads northeast across Pohakuloa Training Area at about 5000’ elevation to terminate on the Saddle Road, where it reaches the west slope of Mauna Kea. The NWMLT can be accessed at four mid-point connections. SEGMENT 1. The access road is the Mauna Loa Observatory Road, which is the same as the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail. Starting at the upper end of the Northeast Mauna Loa Trail, the uppermost Northwest Mauna Loa Trail tracks the beginning of the North Mauna Loa Summit Trail as they both follow an old bulldozer road. The NMLST breaks south after a half-mile, and the old road is followed another ¾ mile to just past where it breaks away to the south to climb towards the summit. The Northwest Mauna Loa Trail now is on untouched flows from here on, and it starts to descend, and

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continues west to just above the top vents of the 1859 eruption. It continues tangentially down slope until it ends at a point below and north of Pu’u O ‘Uo, at 8360’ elevation. It has dropped a net 3100’ over 8.2 mi./ 13.2 km. SEGMENT 1b. This segment is a short (0.7 mi./ 1.1 km.) connector to the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail. It meets the WMLST at about 8200’ elevation, near where a proposed shelter site could be located (in a barren flattened area along the top reaches of a rough road). This lower WMLST is the link to the West Mauna Loa High Trail and Kona Ranch Road Trail. The Northwest Mauna Loa Trail can be accessed at this lower elevation via its Segment 1b. SEGMENT 2. This 3.5 mi./ 5.6 km. portion drops 1560’ to where Segment 2b branches off at 6800’. SEGMENT 2b. This 2.2 mi./ 3.6 km. connector trail provides an additional, lower elevation access to the West Mauna Loa High Trail and Kona Ranch Road Trail. It can be used as a lower access to Northwest Mauna Loa Trail, as can Segment 1b. About 300 yards south of Segment 2b’s lower end, on the West Mauna Loa High Trail, there is a relatively barren area that is suitable for a proposed shelter site. SEGMENT 3. This section has a gradual descent of only 440’ over its 7.0 mi./ 11.2 km. length. The end lies in the saddle between Mauna Loa and Hualalai, right along the contact between the two. The segment end connects to Segment 1b of the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail, and about 750 yards south of this end, Segment 3 crosses the upper end of the Judd Trail, both trails crossing Hualalai. About 300 yards to the east of the segment end a lobe of the barren 1859 flow provides a good site for a shelter. SEGMENT 4. This very long 16.4 mi./ 26.4 km. section is all on roads, and it runs northwest nearly on contour until it meets the Saddle Road a mile south of the Kilohana Girl Scout Camp. Given the long distance, it should have a shelter along its length. Because this State land has been leased to the military for a training area, it is unlikely that a shelter would be built along it. It all follows an unpaved road, of good quality over most of its length. IN GENERAL. The first half of Segment 1 is on State land, the Mauna Loa Forest Reserve. The second half, plus S-1b, S-2, S-2b, S-3 and the first sixth of S-4 are all on Kamehemeha Schools land. Except for another sixth on Parker Ranch land, the rest of S-4 is on State land leased to the Army. All but the Parker Ranch portion is in “C” district. The habitat of two-thirds of S-1 is alpine; the remainder, plus S-1b, S-2, S-2b, and uppermost S-3 are subalpine; and the rest is montane dry. The alpine area is nearly barren of vegetation, and that of the subalpine and montane dry is a mix of open native shrubland and open ‘ohi’a forest, with some patches of open mamane forest. Kipuka Kalawamauna along S-4 contains diverse native shrubland that is a relict of what was once widespread on mid-Mauna Kea. The native bird life along the way is limited to ‘apapane and ‘amakihi, some ‘elepaio and ‘i’iwi at lower, more forested areas, and the occasional ‘io and pueo. Except for the first mile or so of the trail, this portion of Mauna Loa is well away from both rift zones, and most of the lava flow surfaces are of summit overflow origin. The

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exceptions are the flows that originated from off-rift zone “radial vents”, over 30 occurring in the northwest sector of the volcano. The most interesting of these are the 1859 vents and its 30-mile long flow to the north. Segment 1 passes just above the highest vent (11,100’), Segment 4 crosses it in one of its widest points, and the shelter site nearby at 5200’ is also on a lobe of the flow. Segment 4 also crosses Kipuka Kalawamauna, a Mauna Kea remnant surrounded by Mauna Loa. The segment starts to climb upslope at its northeast end, the abutting lower west flank of Mauna Kea. The saddle area at the lower end of Segment 3 is a fairly level plain constructed of interleaved flows from Mauna Loa and Hualalai, where those two active volcanoes abut.

WEST MAUNA LOA HIGH TRAIL This proposed trail is nearly all on existing rough roads that traverse the high parts of Mauna Loa’s west flank, paralleling ranch trails below. Most of the trail goes through seldom traveled wilderness-type areas, some of it relatively barren of vegetation, and provides a remote, no-frills alternative to the ranch road trails below. The southern part is on rugged flows from the southwest rift zone, and follows along the southern and mauka boundaries of parts of Kahuku ahupua’a that were cut off and sold about 50 years ago. Some of the northern portions are over smoother flows. The trail starts up and north from the Kona Ranch Road Trail and connects back down to it at three other points. It connects to the proposed Keapohina Trail, forming its lower leg connection with the Kona Ranch Road Trail, and the combination can be used as a stenuous alternative crossing of the southwest rift zone. Farther north, the West Mauna Loa High Trail also connects to the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail and the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail. The trails starts from 5720’ elevation with a rapid climb of 2080 feet, then continues north with a generally gradual descent to 5040’. The addition of simple shelters at three points along its 32.0 mi./ 51.8 km. length are essential to make it a useful trail. All but about 3.7 mi./ 6 km. are on existing rough roads, and the remainder is on pahoehoe. SEGMENT 1. This segment leaves the Kona Ranch Road Trail at 5720’ and goes straight up the slope to 7800’ elevation in 8.2 mi./ 13.2 km. A shelter site at this point would serve both this and the Keapohina Trail. SEGMENT 2. From this high point the trail turns north and continues along the road that runs just below the boundary with the new Kahuku portion of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. After a half mile (0.8 km) the proposed Keapohina Trail turns off and heads straight up the slope into the park. The West Mauna Loa Summit Trail continues north 4.4 mi./ 7.1 km. before it meets a road branching downslope, the beginning of Segment 2a. About a half mile south of this junction, the road curves mauka into the national park lands, and continues for a total of 1.5 miles before exiting north to Kamehameha Schools land, on which the rest of the trail lies. A shelter site could be placed in an open spot 1.3 mi./ 2.1 km. north of the S-2a junction, just out of the park and at the segment’s end. SEGMENT 2a. This short connector trail drops nearly 1120 feet in 1.9 mi./ 3.1 km. to connect to the Kona Ranch Road Trail just north of the Komakawai cabin.

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SEGMENT 3. This section drops only a net 120’ in its 7.6 mi./ 12.3 km. length to 7200’ elevation. Slightly over half follows a road, and the remainder goes cross-country on fairly open pahoehoe. The segment ends on a three-way road intersection, where Segment 3b heads makai, the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail begins, and Segment 4 continues north. SEGMENT 3a. This 3.2 mi./ 5.2 km. segment drops 1430’ to meet the Kona Ranch Road Trail at a point 1.6 mi./ 2.6 km. above Papaloa. SEGMENT 4. This segment drops 2160’ over its 9.4 mi./ 15.2 km. length, meeting the Kona Ranch Road Trail at 5040’ elevation. A shelter site could be located in a convenient barren patch of lava 2.5 mi./ 4.1 km. from the S-4 start, and 450 yards before the connection to Segment 2b of the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail. IN GENERAL. Segment 1 climbs up the northern edge of C.Q. Yee Hop property, but after the climb, the road turns north and immediately crosses first into land owned by Cynthia Salley, then into Les Marks Trust land, and then into that of Elizabeth Stack before it veers mauka into the new section of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. It transits just a small corner of the park land, 1.6 mi./ 2.5 km. in length before crossing into land of Kamehameha Schools for the rest of the trail. The full length of the trail is within the “A” district. Much of the West Mauna Loa High Trail is above 7000’ elevation, in subalpine habitat, so the vegetation cover is minimal. This leaves the vistas and stark nature of the volcanic surfaces to provide the setting for the trail. The wide range in age of the lava flows, many of them quite rugged, is reflected in their colors. For about the first half of the trail, the landscape is dominated by lava flows from the middle southwest rift zone, recent flows to the south, much older farther north. By early in S-3, the trail has ventured into the region of more uniform lavas from summit overflows. Occasional flows from radial vents add variety. The trail terminates in the flatter area next to the contact with Hualalai volcano. By the time the trail approaches S-3, it is in lower, older flows which support a more prominent scrub vegetation. Segment 4 begins in an area of low ‘ohi’a forest and shrubland, and moves from subalpine into montane dry habitat, progressing across flows with taller and more diverse forest types that include mamane, ‘ili’ahi, and naio trees in their compositions. Different flows generally have different forest types. Birdlife in this vegetation includes mostly ‘apapane, ‘amakihi’ and ‘elepaio. The vegetation of the latter part of the trail has been fairly modified by a long history of grazing, with some logging and fire impacts as well. OTHER TRAILS

PU’U O KE’OKE’O TRAIL The proposed Pu’u O Ke’oke’o Trail is the other known alignment where the rugged middle southwest rift zone of Mauna Loa can be walked across readily. It is presented here with a three-branch alignment that can be walked in several combinations from its base trail, the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail. It can be taken as a crossing from either side, and as various loop passages from either side or the middle.

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The trail’s physical challenge is modest compared with the other trans-rift passage, the Keapohina Trail, but the rewards in terms of natural appreciation are comparable. The trail climbs to its zenith, 6800-foot Pu’u O Ke’oke’o, in 2030’, 2100’ and 1500’ legs, corresponding to the Segment 1, S-2 or S-3 starting point. The meeting of the tree paths is a bit below the summit, at 6700’. The bottom of each leg is a different point along the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail, points above the main axis of Kahuku Ranch, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision, and Honomalino (a portion of the Kona Hema Preserve). The trail’s scenic focus is volcanologic, given that it touches or views flows and vents from the line of eruptions that marched up this small area of the rift zone in 1868, 1887, 1907, 1916, 1919, 1926 and 1950, nearly all along a linear chronological progression. An earlier pattern of recurrence can be seen in the long-term mosaic of flow surfaces and remnant old vents that are visible along the trail. This is definitely a dynamic and transient part of the island. SEGMENT 1. This 5.5 mi./ 8.9 km. segment leaves the Kipuka Pe’ehi along the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail at 4770’ elevation and climbs from the east-rift side to the junction with the other branches at 6700’. The path follows an old road initially, then it departs to climb up an old pahoehoe flow, following along a series of lava tube skylights, or roof openings into the lava-conduit caves. Most of the length is close to the east edge of the1887 flow, ultimately to its vents, and on to the junction. An eruptive fissure from the eruption parallels the trail, and the spatter ramparts along the fissure are evident in the distance. SEGMENT 2. This 4.5 mi./ 7.3 km. section leaves the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail mid-rift at the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision, and climbs up an old kipuka between the 1887 and 1907 flows and vents, crossing two ages of flows. It passes Ihuanu, the cone that erupted the older flow, as well as a less prominent vent of the younger flow, and next above, intermediate-aged flows that came from Pu’u O Ke’oke’o vent. The trail continues up these oldest flows, hugging the east side of the 1907 flow and its upper vents, including a detached vent-flow segment just below the trail junction. SEGMENT 3. This segment departs near the 1926 flow from the western side of the rift at Honomalino, although the east-mid-west designations seem ambiguous in this unusual area where the line of vents of the rift zone displays an S-curve. Segment 3 climbs 1500’, then drops 100’ to the junction, covering 3.4 mi./ 5.5 km. en route. Its path is all on older flows, and it passes the 1926, 1916, and an earlier undated flow on the way to the upper slopes of Pu’u O Ke’oke’o. The views from this point are striking. IN GENERAL. All the land traversed is part of the new Kahuku section of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The lower halves of Segments 1 and 2 are in “A” district, and the rest is in “C”. The lower portions of each segment are in mesic, the middle are in montane dry, and the uppermost portions are in subalpine habitats. The vegetation on older flow surfaces is open ‘ohi’a forest with an open native shrubland between, the latter becoming dominant in the upper portions of the trail. The scenic views of the rift zone, its numerous eruptive features and the mosaic of flow surfaces is a lot to see for just a 8-10 mile hike.

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KEAPOHINA TRAIL The proposed Keapohina Trail crosses the southwest rift zone, but does not follow old roads or a known pre-historic trail; its alignment is one of geology and opportunity. There was, however, an ancient trail alignment that traversed the Keapohina kipuka and crossed the rift zone about a thousand feet lower in elevation than this Keapohina Trail. The extensive effusions of the 1950 eruption, and possibly those of the 1919 and 1926 eruptions, have covered much of the landscape it traversed and left only sections of the original trail. The proposed Keapohina Trail crosses its alignment in a pahoehoe area where it the old trail is not visible. This trail is a challenging bridge across the southwest rift zone, an area dominated by scenic lava flows and eruptive vents. The massive 1950 eruption changed the nature of the landscape dramatically, erupting from miles of vents along the upper and middle rift zone, and sending numerous rugged ‘a’a flows over a broad expanse of land. Its chevrons of flows covered large areas and flanked the rift crest, transecting the more traversable parts of the region below. This trail climbs nearly 3000’ of elevation from the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail within the large older-flow area of Keapohina. It ascends to 9000’, to where it can cross the rift on the dominant 1950 lava in a specific and unusual area where the flow surface is a solid pahoehoe, easy and safe to walk on. Just before this crossing is short feature trail (F-4) that loops up and down two older flow sections and also courses across the different-aged spatter cones that erupted them. The views up and down the rift zone are striking. Just across the rift crest is an even old cinder cone that would make an excellent shelter site. From the old cone, the trail goes north a bit, then down through older kipuka to terminate at a contour road at 7770’ elevation. This road is part of the long West Mauna Loa High Trail, which, just to the south, drops steeply to the lower Kona Ranch Road Trail, or can be followed north in a slow descent, connecting to the Kona Ranch Road Trail at three other points, and to the West Mauna Loa Summit Trail and Northwest Mauna Loa Trail along the way. The Keapohina Trail departs from two other long trails, covers a long traverse of the southwest rift zone, and thus needs to have access to two proposed shelters in order to be practical. A logical place for the first one is on the old rift zone cinder cone at about 8900’ elevation. The other site that could serve both this and the West Mauna Loa High Trail is along the latter trail at 7800’, just 0.6 mi./ 0.9 km. south of the northwest terminus of the Keapohina Trail. Moving the shelter site just a very short distance can determine on which of two adjacent private lands to locate it. SEGMENT 1. This 9.8 mi./ 15.8 km. segment departs from the Kahuku Ranch Road Trail at 6200’ and climbs up to the crest of the rift at the 9130’ point, then drops to 8900’ 600 yards beyond. This is just across the 1950 fissure, where it terminates at a fork in the trail. The lower branch extends about 400 yards to a shelter location on a partially buried, very old cinder cone. Just before the end of the segment is a 0.9 mi./ 1.4 km. feature trail that goes up an old kipuka to the source cone, across to an abutting younger cone and down along a connecting series of spatter ramparts of its elongate fissure, and along another parallel flat fissure from the younger still 1950 eruption, all located in just a small area. This short trail illustrates the recurrence of rift zone eruptive activity and the dynamic nature of this volcano. The views up and down the rift zone are stunning and same eruptive pattern is very evident at a much larger scale.

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SEGMENT 2. This segment is only 3.9 mi./ 6.2 km. long, dropping 1230’ to the West Mauna Loa High Trail. It starts at the fork to the old cone, crosses more 1950 pahoehoe to drop into an older kipuka, then down it and two others. Trail would have to be dressed for two narrow intervening 1950 ‘a’a flows (totaling 350-400 yards), but the rest of the way would be on older kipuka surfaces. IN GENERAL. The whole trail, except for the last few yards, is within the Kahuku addition of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, and it all is within the ”C” district, except for the same last few yards. These last few yards of the northwest end of the trail are on land owned by Cynthia Salley, which is in “A” district. All but the first mile or so of Segment 1 is in subalpine habitat, and the beginning runs through a sharp mesic to dry ecotone. The trail starts in a native shrubland, initially with scattered ‘ohi’a trees. The tree cover attenuates and the shrub cover is progressively more open and scattered as the trail is ascended, until it becomes effectively barren near the end of the segment. The reverse is seen along the descent of segment 2. The vistas of this flank of Mauna Loa dominate the landscape, especially the range of lava flow colors and textures, and the skyline of eruptive cones. As the trail is ascended, the forests and birds below become more distant and the geologic features associated with this rift zone location become more varied. The trail climbs intermediate and older flows first, then it abruptly switches to younger flows and the collection of vent features along the rift crest.

JUDD TRAIL The Judd Trail is an unfinished Kona to Hilo trail that was constructed by the Kingdom of Hawai’i government in the 1850’s, using prisoner labor. Starting in Holualoa, the trail extends to the southeast flank of Hualalai, where it ends just short of the 1859 lava flow from Mauna Loa. The trail was never completed, and any regular use of it is uncertain. For the purpose of this report and proposed mauka trail system, the only portion of the trail discussed is that 7.1 mi./ 11.4 km. upper part within Keauhou ahupua’a. This short trail is used as here as a connector between the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail and the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail. It crosses the HMRRT near its south end, where it continues south to the Kona Ranch Road Trail. SEGMENT 1. The trail here begins at its mauka end at 5160’ elevation, about 600 yards west of the 1859 flow. At this point, the Northwest Mauna Loa Trail touches the end of the Judd Trail, 800 yards south of the end of NWMLT’s Segment 3, in the Halelaau area. A proposed shelter site is about 650 yards away, next to the NWMLT. The segment runs west to where it crosses the Hualalai Mauka Ranch Road Trail at 5340’ elevation, a mile north of the HMRRT beginning and a proposed shelter site. SEGMENT 2. From the intersection with the HMRRT, the Judd Trail continues west, here extending another 2.3 mi./ 3.7 km. It might be useful for alternative routings on Hualalai’s southwest flank, as more roads exist. IN GENERAL. The whole length of the trail described here is on Kamehameha Schools property. About 40% of the trail to the east lies within the ”C” district, and the remaining 60% is within the ”A” district. Except for bits of the east end, the whole trail is on pieces

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of various Hualalai flows, generally younger to the east and older to the west. The vegetation to the west is dominated by pasture grasses, and that to the east by patches of native shrubland and open ‘ohi’a forest, depending on the flow piece.

APPENDICES (IMAGES)

1: Trail System Layout—Greenshade map 2: Trail System Layout—LandSat Image Map 3: Trail System Layout—Habitat Moisture Zone Map 4: Trail System Layout—Lava Flow Age Map 5: Trail System Layout—Land Use District Map 6: Trail System Layout—USGS Quad Map 7: Trail System Layout—Landowner Map

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