# Kilauea crater getting more active?



## DaveNV (Jun 7, 2009)

Saw this today online:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31145344/

Anyone on the Big Island seeing this?

Dave


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## DeniseM (Jun 7, 2009)

That's exciting!  If that continues it might be worth a day trip from Kauai this summer!!!


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## Luanne (Jun 7, 2009)

Cool!  We'll be staying in Volcano Village on our "gap night" between timeshares next month.  It would be great if it's viewable then.


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## lynne (Jun 7, 2009)

We have plans to drive down there sometime this week.  Will update this thread if the viewing is worth the trip.


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## Palguy (Jun 7, 2009)

We leave 7 weeks from tomorrow. My grandson and I are taking a day to spend exploring the volcano along with a helicopter tour, just the two of us. What I wouldn't give for him to experience something like that.


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## lynne (Jun 7, 2009)

Palguy said:


> We leave 7 weeks from tomorrow. My grandson and I are taking a day to spend exploring the volcano along with a helicopter tour, just the two of us. What I wouldn't give for him to experience something like that.



You will definitely see the hot lava flow from the helicopter.  It is rare to be able to see it within walking distance.  We had the opportunity a few years ago where the lava was flowing within 1/4 mile from the end of chain of crater's road.  It was the thrill of a lifetime to get within 6 feet of the flow but our clothes smelled like sulfur and the air was quite toxic.  Flashlights, water, long pants and good walking shoes are recommended for up-close lava viewing.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 7, 2009)

lynne said:


> You will definitely see the hot lava flow from the helicopter.  It is rare to be able to see it within walking distance.  We had the opportunity a few years ago where the lava was flowing within 1/4 mile from the end of chain of crater's road.  It was the thrill of a lifetime to get within 6 feet of the flow but our clothes smelled like sulfur and the air was quite toxic.  Flashlights, water, long pants and good walking shoes are recommended for up-close lava viewing.



We did the lava hike in 2004. There's really nothing like getting that up front and personal with hot lava. When we did the hike you get as close as you could stand the heat.


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## travelbug (Jun 8, 2009)

The vogg that is mentioned in the article impacts all the islands.  In November on Maui the vog was thick.  It really impacts people with asthma.
Marlyn


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## Palguy (Jun 8, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> We did the lava hike in 2004. There's really nothing like getting that up front and personal with hot lava. When we did the hike you get as close as you could stand the heat.



Did you do the hike on your own, or is there a guided hike that will get you close to the lava? I know there is an access area near Kalapana, but it is restricted to the end of the road there.


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## DeniseM (Jun 8, 2009)

Palguy said:


> Did you do the hike on your own, or is there a guided hike that will get you close to the lava? I know there is an access area near Kalapana, but it is restricted to the end of the road there.



You can pay for a private guided hike, or you can just walk out there.  If the lava is in the Kilauea crater when you are there, you won't have to hike - the circle drive goes all the way around the Caldera - it will be right there.  On this map, the area marked #7 is where the current activity is.






If you decide to get up close and personal, be very careful with your grandson.  There is nothing to keep people from being incredibly stupid out there.  You can walk right up to the lava and fall in if you want - and people do.  When we were out there a guide (not ours) told us the previous week he had seen someone walk right up to the lava, break through the thin top crust and burn both legs off at the knees!    When we were there, we saw teenagers walk up to the hot lava and poke it with a stick....I was scared to death that I was going to see a terrible accident! 

This is about as stupid as you can get:  (IMNSHO)


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 8, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> You can pay for a private guided hike, or you can just walk out there.  If the lava is in the Caldera when you are there, you won't have to hike - the circle drive goes all the way around the Caldera - it will be right there.
> 
> If you decide to get up close and personal, be very careful with your grandson.  There is nothing to keep people from being incredibly stupid out there.  You can walk right up to the lava and fall in if you want - and people do.  When we were out there a guide (not ours) told us the previous week he had seen someone walk right up to the lava, break through the thin top crust and burn both legs off at the knees!    When we were there, we saw teenagers walk up to the hot lava and poke it with a stick....I was scared to death that I was going to see a terrible accident!


Walking out on the lava field on your own is even more incredibly stupid.  The terrain is both rugged and featureless, so it's very easy to get lost.  It can be extremely hot with no shade, and there is no water.  Fresh lava is often razor sharp; if you fall you can easily wind up with deep gashes.  If you put your foot down in the wrong place you will slice the sole of your shoe to shreds, and possibly lacertae the bottom of your foot.

And in the midst of your disporientation you could stumbe right into the active flow.


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## DeniseM (Jun 8, 2009)

I agree Steve - since it appears that Palguy's grandson is pretty little, I think I would check it out from the observation points along the Circle Drive.


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## Luanne (Jun 8, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Walking out on the lava field on your own is even more incredibly stupid.  The terrain is both rugged and featureless, so it's very easy to get lost.  It can be extremely hot with no shade, and there is no water.  Fresh lava is often razor sharp; if you fall you can easily wind up with deep gashes.  If you put your foot down in the wrong place you will slice the sole of your shoe to shreds, and possibly lacertae the bottom of your foot.
> 
> And in the midst of your disporientation you could stumbe right into the active flow.



We were talking last night about our one, and only attempt, to walk out to see the lava flowing up close and personal.  I don't even know how far we made it out before turning around.  We had at least one flashlight die, I'm very "unsure" footed so it was slow going, but the final straw was when we saw a family heading back and their young daughter was all cut up and bleeding from her fall(s) onto the sharp lava rock.


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## DeniseM (Jun 8, 2009)

We saw several bleeding people as well - especially bare knees and hands.  We saw people trying to hike out there in shorts and flipflops, with babies and toddlers!  Scary!


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## charford (Jun 8, 2009)

I'm on the Big Island now. It's about my 10th trip, and we were here in February and saw the volcano at that time. Didn't really have plans to visit this trip, but after reading this report......We'll be off to the VNP visitor center tomorrow!  Thanks tuggers.


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## DeniseM (Jun 8, 2009)

charford said:


> I'm on the Big Island now. It's about my 10th trip, and we were here in February and saw the volcano at that time. Didn't really have plans to visit this trip, but after reading this report......We'll be off to the VNP visitor center tomorrow!  Thanks tuggers.



Please give us a full report!  We are contemplating making a daytrip from Kauai if it's worthwhile.

Here is some more info. - http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2009/6/7/Kilauea_lava_volcano_geologists


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 8, 2009)

When we did the hike to the lava flow, in 2004, the National Park Service had marked a trail to the flow area using yellow reflectors.  You parked your car at the end of Craters Road, and followed the markers onto the lava field.

The NPS took pains to pick out a relatively "safe" route with the markers - by safe I mean that there was reasonably good footing without sharp edges in path.  But next to the path there certainly were sharp edges.

We did the hike in just before dusk, so we could see the lava at night.  There was a very steady stream of people on the trail; in fact it was about one half hour hike from where we able to park until we could even reach the trail head at the end of Crater Road.

It was amazing to me to see the number of people who seemed to regard it as a like a stroll in a meadow.   People in flip flops, bathing suits, carrying infants in arms. I even saw a some ladies in dresses and and 2- or 3-inch heels!!!!

*****

That being said, we would do a similar hike in a heartbeat.  We were disappointed on our last two visits to the Big Island that we couldn't get out to the lava flows.


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## HatTrick (Jun 8, 2009)

USGS video of Halema`uma`u vent.


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## Luanne (Jun 8, 2009)

My first trip to the Big Island was in 1968 with my parents.  I remember going to the park and having dinner at the Volcano House.  We could see the lava bubbling in the caldara through the window.  Quite a site.  This is the view we had.


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## DeniseM (Jun 8, 2009)

HatTrick said:


> USGS video of Halema`uma`u vent.



Thanks for posting!  WOW!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 8, 2009)

HatTrick said:


> USGS video of Halema`uma`u vent.



That was about one month after we were at Park, viewing the vent from Jaeger Observatory.


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## MuranoJo (Jun 8, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> When we did the hike to the lava flow, in 2004, the National Park Service had marked a trail to the flow area using yellow reflectors.  You parked your car at the end of Craters Road, and followed the markers onto the lava field.
> 
> The NPS took pains to pick out a relatively "safe" route with the markers - by safe I mean that there was reasonably good footing without sharp edges in path.  But next to the path there certainly were sharp edges.
> 
> ...



We also did this hike a couple of years ago just before sunset and we got up pretty close to some of the minor flows (like the teenager with the stick ), and at a few points could see the lava spilling into the ocean, which was amazing.  However, I 150% agree--wear strong shoes, pants (*not shorts*), take a light, and pack water!  There was a marked 'path' when we were there and people were streaming to and fro, but this path involved climbing up and down rocks.  You might stumble and the shards are very sharp--I came out with some cuts.  I was amazed at the people climbing in there wearing flip-flops.

Sounds like the flow might be closer now.


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## Palguy (Jun 8, 2009)

DeniseM said:


> You can pay for a private guided hike, or you can just walk out there.  If the lava is in the Kilauea crater when you are there, you won't have to hike - the circle drive goes all the way around the Caldera - it will be right there.  On this map, the area marked #7 is where the current activity is.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



   I was not aware the circle road was open all the way around the crater now. I thought it was closed part way around. If that is the case I agree it would be far safer and much less of a chance of something going wrong. No sense ruining a perfectly good vacation by taking unnecessary chances. My grandson is 12 now and still not experienced enough for anything as extensive as an unguided trek such as that.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 8, 2009)

Palguy said:


> I was not aware the circle road was open all the way around the crater now. I thought it was closed part way around. If that is the case I agree it would be far safer and much less of a chance of something going wrong. No sense ruining a perfectly good vacation by taking unnecessary chances. My grandson is 12 now and still not experienced enough for anything as extensive as an unguided trek such as that.



When we were there last August, the circle road was closed south of Jaeger Observatory - #4 on the map posted by Denise.  The closure was due to toxic sulfur emissions from Halema'uma'u.  Below are some photos of Halema'uma'u, showing the plume:











These photos were taken about one month earlier than the video in the link that Hatrick posted; when these photos were taken the lava hadn't broken through to the floor of Halema'uma'u as shown in the video.

Unless gas emissions have significantly declined, I can't imagine that the road would be open past Jaeger.  Below is a photo taken from Jaeger and looking back at the Mamalahoa Highway and Mauna Loa. That cloud hugging the ground on the left side of the photo is a dense VOG cloud.  I was acutally watching the cloud advance from left to right.  We had just come through that VOG cloud on the way to Kilauea, as we ascended from Punalu'lu to Volcano.  The air quality was every bit as bad as it appears in the photo.  I do air pollution control work, and the SO2 levels were clearly enough to send people to the hospital with prolonged exposures.  If it was like that on the Mamalahoa, it was certainly appropriate to close the rim circle road.


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## jlr10 (Jun 9, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> When we were there last August, the circle road was closed south of Jaeger Observatory - #4 on the map posted by Denise.  The closure was due to toxic sulfur emissions from Halema'uma'u.
> 
> Unless gas emissions have significantly declined, I can't imagine that the road would be open past Jaeger.



Per the Park's website:  Chain of Craters Road is open but the Crater Rim Drive is closed past the Jaggar Museaum.


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## dmbrand (Jun 14, 2009)

We just went to the eruption yesterday.  As stated earlier, the Crater Rim Drive is closed after the Jaggar Museum.  If you can plan to go during the evening hours, the crater eruption is bright orange.  

To see the point where the lava flows into the ocean, drive Hwy 130(off Hwy 11) all the way until the road ends.  The county has set up a viewing area, 1/2 mile away from the point of entry.  It is a 3/4 mile hike across an old lava field to get to the site.  We saw this during the day, but the night would be better.  Viewing is until 10pm; last car allowed in at 8pm.  Drive past all the "Do not enter" signs.(You're not breaking any laws).  Bring binoculars for the day, and flashlights for night(to illuminate your path).  You can see small fires buring up the hillside.  The county employees/volunteers even assist with parking.  There is no cost for this viewing. 

We are staying at the Hilton-Waikoloa, so we didn't stay until dark; we did drive back on Saddle Road after 9pm, though.  The road is newly paved and lit with road reflectors until just outside Waikoloa Village(town).  It is very curvy, but not dangerous.  Any car can navigate this now, and driving it didn't violate our Thrify car rental agreement.  It saved us about 30min drive time over the north route to Hilo.

We leave for home tomorrow.   This has been such a nice vacation.


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## Palguy (Jun 14, 2009)

dmbrand said:


> We just went to the eruption yesterday.  As stated earlier, the Crater Rim Drive is closed after the Jaggar Museum.  If you can plan to go during the evening hours, the crater eruption is bright orange.
> 
> To see the point where the lava flows into the ocean, drive Hwy 130(off Hwy 11) all the way until the road ends.  The county has set up a viewing area, 1/2 mile away from the point of entry.  It is a 3/4 mile hike across an old lava field to get to the site.  We saw this during the day, but the night would be better.  Viewing is until 10pm; last car allowed in at 8pm.  Drive past all the "Do not enter" signs.(You're not breaking any laws).  Bring binoculars for the day, and flashlights for night(to illuminate your path).  You can see small fires buring up the hillside.  The county employees/volunteers even assist with parking.  There is no cost for this viewing.
> 
> ...



Would and evening viewing be better at the Jagger Museum to watch the Halema`uma`u vent or the ocean entry? We only have one evening to visit and must choose one or the other.


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## DeniseM (Jun 14, 2009)

Palguy said:


> Would and evening viewing be better at the Jagger Museum to watch the Halema`uma`u vent or the ocean entry? We only have one evening to visit and must choose one or the other.



Since you have your grandson with you, I wouldn't do the 3/4 mile hike in the dark.  YMMV


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## dmbrand (Jun 14, 2009)

I think viewing either one at night will be spectacular....after all, this is the only active volcano in the world right now.(Or so they rangers said)  

If I had this info before we came, I would have chosen the ocean entry point.  Even though we were 1/2 mile away, and the view is partially blocked by a cliff, when it is dark, they say that the glowing lava hitting the ocean surf looks awesome.  Also, you can look up the mountain to see the glow from the trail of the lava.  During the day, we saw the huge steam plume as the lava hit the ocean.  Keep in mind that this is the freebie way to do it.  A guided hike may take you closer, but I am not totally sure about that.

The crater in the National Park is exhaling large amounts of gas(blowing away from us, luckily), and sometimes a mini explosion(we weren't fortunate to see this though).  At night, though, this crater glows bright orange.

If you do choose the hike over the lava field, wear good shoes, and bring flash lights to illuminate the reflective posts and paint sprayed on the rocks.  They call it the "yellow brick road".  You should be able to walk on uneven ground, this is not paved at all.  I saw an older gentleman lose his footing and fall(he was trying to save his camera), and hit his knee hard enough that it bled.  They had a first aid kit at the volunteer station.   

 They seem to be very encouraging of everyone having a chance to see this.  I would have taken my son at 12yr, but we are a pretty athletic, adventurous family.  My concern would be having enough light for the walk back in the dark; there are no street lights of any kind out there.

To be honest, seeing both during the daylight was fun.  The National Park had other things to see, such as the steam vents, and Thurston tube, as well as the crater.

Well worth the drive!


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## dmbrand (Jun 19, 2009)

This is a photo of the entry point for the lava into the ocean.






June 2009


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jun 19, 2009)

dmbrand said:


> This is a photo of the entry point for the lava into the ocean.
> 
> June 2009



Unfortunately it wasn't doing anything like that when we were there in August 2008.


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## daventrina (Jun 20, 2009)

*Be lucky...*

Here's why doing it at night is a good idea: (if your lucky and Pele treats you to a great show like on July 14, 08 )





http://www.flickr.com/photos/dntanderson/2782627158/sizes/o/in/set-72157606187122921/
More:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dntanderson/sets/72157606187122921/
Check out this video:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dntanderson/2781763987/in/set-72157606187122921/

We were so lucky. In the wee hours of the morning that we were going to check things out, there was a quake. The flow shifted and a wonderful path to the sea begun. We planned to arrive an  hour or so before sunset, but there was an accident along a two lane section that caused an hour delay (take plenty of snacks and drinks).  Arrived just before sunset. We had two flashlights, two spares, spare batteries, and light sticks (just in case the other 4 failed). Didn't use any. The trail was well marked and we were fortunate enough to have a full moon that night. Flashlights were more of an annoyance than help as when you got your night vision back it was hard not to get blasted by someones flashlight (for some reason some people think that flashing them all over works better than shining them on the ground where you are walking). 

We stopped at the crater lookout in the park in the way back. It is only a few minutes out of the way. We were planning on doing that on the way in, but the accident nixed that plan. Worked out better anyway. We could see the lave well in addition to the steam cloud. And there was no one collection admission at 11:30. It was a nice stop to break up the long drive on the way back.

Lessons learned:
A tripod is probabluy worth the hassle.
A video camera would be good (if you forget it or didn't take one many cameras have video options that work not all that bad.
A billed hat would help keep other peoples flashlights out of your eyes
Don't even think about flip-flops (but they are nice for ont the way as it is a LONG drive)
Did I mention that it is a LONG DAY (and night). we got back about 2 something am.
When you think that you have enough snacks packed, grab a few extras.
Get gas before heading back towards Kalapana and the volcano. There station on the right just past the turn. (we filled up again on the way home just in case).
Keep an eye on the time so you don't get locked in unless you walked the extra way to park outside the gate.
If you plan on sneaking past the baracade (which a number of people did as they were easy to see because they were flashing their lights all over) take boots, long pants, gloves and a GPS. We we didn't bring any of those, we were tempted, but didn't.
Did anyone mention that there is lava induces lightning?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dntanderson/2782627252/sizes/o/in/set-72157606187122921/


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## daventrina (Jun 20, 2009)

dmbrand said:


> This is a photo of the entry point for the lava into the ocean.
> ...
> June 2009


The mound by the top right I believe is the one that we watched being created...


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## Timeshare Von (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks for sharing D&T . . . we are looking forward to our trip back to the Big Island in September!


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