Patti West at a steam vent at Kilauea Volcano on Big Island, spring 2025
Linda Harvey
“ALOHA” was the greeting with which Patti West began her presentation. Patti and her husband, Doug visited the largest of the Hawaiian islands, known as the Big Island or simply Hawaii, this past spring. They generously shared their experiences with the club at the July meeting.
As Patti explained, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (NP) was established in 1916 and protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. The park is nearly the size of Canyonland NP and goes from sea level to more than 13,000 feet in altitude, which includes six climate zones.
Mauna Loa covers half the island of Hawaii. It extends 74 miles from the southern tip of the island to the summit caldera and then E-NE to near Hilo. It is 13,679 feet high, but the actual size of the volcano when measured from its base that is depressed 26,000 and including its flanks another 16,400, makes the summit about 55,700 feet above its base.
Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on the planet. It has erupted 34 times since the first well-documented eruption in 1843. Lava flows have reached the ocean eight times since 1868. It last erupted in November 2022, when lava came to within 1.7 miles of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. It continues to pose a very high risk to communities on the southwest flank, which is steeper with rifts that could lead to very rapid lava flows.
Kilauea ranks among the world’s most active volcanoes as it had nearly continuous activity during the 19th century and early part of the 20th century. It has been erupting almost continuously since 1983. During an eruption in 2018, part of the caldera collapsed which triggered earthquakes and infrastructure damage in the park. Then an eruption beginning on Dec. 23, 2024 was characterized by episodes of lava streams and fountains about one per week, usually lasting a day or less, accompanied by seismic tremors. Fountains of lava reached as high as 1,250 feet. Hawaiian culture believes that a pit crater at the summit of Kilauea is the home of Pele, a volcanic deity goddess of fire.
Other activities to consider while on the Big Island are sightseeing historic sites such as the Royal grounds; rainforests and waterfalls; black and green sand beaches; star gazing; South Point—the most southern point in the U.S.; the largest macadamia nut orchard; farms tours of coffee, tea, chocolate,and vanilla; snorkeling with sea turtles and manta rays; whale watching; hiking, biking, and golf
For more information about volcanoes and the national parks, go to: USGS.gov and NPS.gov.
The SBR National Parks Club thanks Patti for sharing her time and giving an excellent presentation. For pictures of their trip, check out the SBR National Parks Club team reach app.
For more information about the club, send an email to linda_harvey@hotmail.com.