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The Consolidated "Big Island Volcano/Lava Flows & Lava Viewing" thread [PRE-2023]

The Consolidated "Big Island Volcano/Lava Flows & Lava Viewing" thread [PRE-2023]

Old May 8, 2004, 8:14 am
  #46  
 
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Will be in Maui in 2 weeks for my honeymoon. With the flow the way it has been, is a day or night time plane viewing worth it? Which would be better?
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Old May 8, 2004, 10:48 am
  #47  
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Kilauea's lava making dramatic march to sea

By Kevin Dayton, Honolulu Advertiser

HILO, Hawai'i Kilauea Volcano is putting on a show again as the two-year anniversary of the "Mother's Day" lava flow approaches....

Parks officials said the number of visitors has picked up, to about 800 a day, but spokeswoman Mardie Lane cautioned that a hike to view the lava is "not a walk in the park."

"Basically you are into an hour and a half over a lava field that is deeply fractured, very uneven, slippery it's rough and rugged going," Lane said.



http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/ln01a.html
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Old May 8, 2004, 11:22 am
  #48  
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Originally Posted by bonoriffic
Will be in Maui in 2 weeks for my honeymoon. With the flow the way it has been, is a day or night time plane viewing worth it? Which would be better?
By the way, the lava is on the Big Island and not Maui, so you'd still have to fly to the Big Island via Aloha or Hawaiian Airlines to take a charter plane departing from Hilo or Kona.

FWIW and IMHO, viewing the lava at night is always the best.

aloha
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Old May 8, 2004, 7:19 pm
  #49  
 
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Originally Posted by slippahs
Knowing that you're a lava junkie, I do hope you get a chance to see the lava AGAIN, really really SOON.
Just booked award seats for next Thursday! Judging from today's USGS update, the new flow could reach the ocean soon. Maybe we'll get lucky a see it during our 5 day stay.
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Old May 11, 2004, 9:42 pm
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easy way to view lava?

We will be in Hawaii (Big Island) on 7 & 8 June. We will have a rental car but no hiking gear. How close can we get to view the lava? Even from a distance is better than nothing.
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Old May 12, 2004, 6:28 am
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It all depends on where the flow is during your visit. Sometimes you can walk right up to hot, glowing lava very near the end of the road. Other times you have to hike in over previous flows for a mile or two. From last fall through a few weeks ago, the flow was high up and you would have had to make a major all day hike or take a helicopter tour to see anything glowing. After my visit this weekend, I'll post an update about where the flow is, but that won't really tell you much about the situation you will find in June.
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Old May 12, 2004, 7:37 am
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when you get to the park, the first thing you see will be the ranger station/gift store. Check in there and they'll give you an update on where to see the lava. I was there in Feb. and they told us on that eveneing no lava was accessible, but sometimes you can drive fairly close to it at the end of Chain of Craters road.
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Old May 12, 2004, 7:46 am
  #53  
 
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Ok, here is a question for those who know the park well - according to the reports on the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website, they lava looks like it is headed for the Wilipe`a lava delta. From the map on this site it looks like this is not that far from the end of Chain of Craters road. Is this correct, or is the map deceiving? I am leaving for the Big Island Saturday and would REALLY like to see some live lava if possible, but I don't think my group is up for a 1+ hour hike each way to see lava, especially after dark...

Thanks!
Tania
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Old May 12, 2004, 12:38 pm
  #54  
 
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It could be a bit of a hike, but everything could change between now and Saturday. I'll be there when you are, by the way. You can ask at the visitors center before you take the long drive to the end, but take what they say with a grain of salt because conditions change quickly. Depending on your group, I recommend going to the end of the road in the mid afternoon. Then you can decide if you want to attempt whatever distance hike you have. Even if you don't do the hike, the current flow id likely to be glowing and visible as it gets dark. Bring all the water and flashlights and such suggested by the NPS just in case. Also, bring binoculars to get a better look at anything glowing on the mountainside.
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Old May 12, 2004, 6:51 pm
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Is Chain of Craters Road accessible by a normal economy (as opposed to 4WD) rental car? That's all we have booked and we are probably not allowed to take it off road. I hope it gets close enough to a driveable area-we are defintely not up for hiking so we will have to settle for as close as possible in the car. I will be interested to hear anyone's report of their trip to the lava!
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Old May 12, 2004, 7:41 pm
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It's paved, but its also long. If I remember correctly, it takes about a half hour or so to get to the end from the visitors center.
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Old May 13, 2004, 11:21 am
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the volcano does something screwy with batteries. be sure to bring plenty.

visitor center can give you a good estimate of the hiking. Its flat, although not necessarily smooth. My understanding is 2WD is ok.
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Old May 13, 2004, 11:28 am
  #58  
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2WD is okay for the Chain of Craters Road and all roads within the park. It's going up Mauna Kea with a 2 wheeler where your rental contract will most often prohibit.

aloha
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Old May 13, 2004, 10:26 pm
  #59  
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From today's Hilo newspaper:

http://www.hilohawaiitribune.com/arc...ws/204306.html
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Old May 14, 2004, 7:26 am
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Thanks for posting that link! I'll be on the island over Memorial Day weekend and can't wait to visit VNP. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to make the trip when there was a lava flow. I was expecting to have to take a much longer hike to see the lava.
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