emaij

Has anyone been there more recently? We are thinking of taking a trip next month are are into lava!

cactuspete

You can look for yourself on the site referenced above:

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/main.html

dhacker

If you are in Hawaii now or headed there soon, the lava is really flowing now, right at the end of the road.

Tenacious

dhacker, I just viewed you photos and video from the big island volcano. Fantastic! I'm going in May and this trip will be part of my plans.

anz5708

We were there the evening of Feb.8.
Started our 45 minute trek across the lava fields from the visitor hut shown under 13 Feb. 2003 in this link.
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/main.html#video
Scroll to near bottm to see video of eruptive activity.

Just a few days after our visit the flow had covered the road!

CountinPlaces

I was at the end of Chain of the Craters Road last May. How much of the road has been "lopped" off by the new flows? I am curious about how far they had to move the huts.

I am looking forward to a return later this year.

CountinPlaces

Bump

dhacker

I don't know exactly where the lava crossed the road in May. That was before the Mother's Day flow reached the road (and maybe before the Mother's Day flow started, depending on the exact date you were there). I believe that flow (which continues to this day) reached the road near the previous turn-around area on July 21st. A newer turn-around, including the moveable Park Service facilities, was set up maybe a half mile further West. This new turn-around was hit by the lava flow February.

Here's a link to the archive of eruption updates if you want to follow the history in pictures and maps:

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/archive/main.html

cblaisd

dhacker, what helicopter tour company did you use? Any others here have recommendations or cautions re helicopter tour companies for Big Island and volcano tours?

sunnydz

I am going to the Big Island for the first time in Aug. I know the volcano is amazing (shots are great) but how do you go see it? I can't do the helicopter ride...can I hike it or see it from the ground. Thanks for any tips.

Dudrop

We have used Blue Horizon Helicopter Company, Kona and Hilo. We were very pleased and will use them again in Oct.

Dudrop

I forgot to add that most helicopter co. on the Big Island give a discount if you book on line. Blue Horizon was $169/$142 discounted. There is no tax on helicopter flts.

dhacker

We use Tropical Helicopters. I went back last month and used them again. They have a $99 volcano tour out of Hilo. We like them because in their small helicopters, all passengers get a window seat (if you count center front as a window). The price is nice too. It's not a long tour and they don't have lots of fancy video cameras like Blue Hawaiian, but the price is right and they take you over whatever spots are active at the time. We actually chartered them on te April trip. It's a bit more exensive, but you get to decide where to linger and how long to stay. Also, charters are allowed to fly a bit lower than the regular tours. The price was $725/ hour. We used .7 hours for a total charge of $507. Four passengers would have been $400 (even though we only happened to have three).

I broke my ankle about 30 minutes before the helicopter tour (but postponed the ER visit until afterwards) and haven't had the time or energy to mess the the photos yet. I'll post the new pictures when I have a chance.

dhacker

Here are the photos from April:

http://www.pbase.com/davehacker/kilauea_april_2003

cactuspete

Drive to the end of the Chain of Craters road, park, and walk across the old flow to the current one. As of 2 weeks ago, the walk was a little over 2 miles each way: 1/4-1/2 mile on the end of the road (to the point where the 4/03 flow covered the road, then another 1 1/2+ miles across the old flow. Not an easy hike - - you really have to pay attention to what you are doing, especially at night. One guy went in and never came back out. Probably around 1 1/- 2 hours each way. Park service vendors sell flashlights, film, water, etc. out of a truck right at the road block.