The Other Road to Hana. Maui East Coast. Beautiful coastline on the eastern slopes of Haleakala. Highway 31 Maui Hawai'i. Approaching Kaupo and Mile Marker 35. This one lane road (actually more like a 'path' consisting of a combination of rough poured asphalt and iron rich lava rocks, gravel and cinder pebbles. It is really only half a lane) is narrow and rough, with gaps, holes and washouts, often with sheer drops and cliffs both above and below alongside the road with nothing to keep you from driving off into the ocean, as well as the very intimidating and very real imminent high risk of flash floods, falling rocks and heavy boulders from overhead. There is one point where I reached a hair raising and terrifying blind spot on a curve around a sheer high cliff with zero visibility of whether or not there was any oncoming traffic. Gripping the wheel tightly, I spoke a silent prayer, again and again, and inched around the narrow bend along the cliff face hugging the wall, hoping no one was coming my way and praying to God a boulder does not fall from above onto the top of my car and crush me. Seriously! Once I reached the other side I breathed an enormous sigh of relief, peeled my fingers from the steering wheel and made a pact that making this drive once is enough! I'll never do it again! I believe traffic is restricted primarily to protect residents and visitors due to the extreme dangers. Rental vehicles are restricted and forbidden on this 'highway' by the terms of agreement with the rental car companies, and there are some areas which are truly treacherous! It is advisable to not attempt the drive at all. Once you reach the road blocks and barriers, do not drive around them or continue but turn around and go back the way you came. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have reached Kaupo and then Hamoa Village when I made this drive. It may well be the first and only time I will ever see this area unless I see it while paddling a canoe or from the air. The scenery on this side of the island is spectacular and very primitive. It is quite amazing to drive through one of the major rift zones and lava fields on Maui. The last eruption of Haleakala is believed to have been between 1786 and 1793, but according to anthropological evidence and radiocarbon dates it could have been in about 1750 AD or several centuries earlier. Although most people state that Haleakala is dormant, sleeping if you will, scientists of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the US Geological Survery, gathering baseline seismic and geodetic data, predict that Haleakala will erupt again. It is not expected to be a violent explosive eruption like Mount St. Helens, but rather more like an open vent with lava flow hazards. If you do drive any portion of this road, be certain to thoroughly check the weather forecast and if rain is even remotely in the forecast do not travel on this road as flash floods are an imminent danger and you could quite literally be swept out to sea!! Like Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands are a part of the great Ring of Fire, and experiences much seismic activity with thousands of earthquakes every year, most of which are so small that they may only be detected by instruments. However, some are strong enough to be felt, and a few cause minor-to-moderate-to-serious damage. Most earthquakes of Hawai`i are directly related to volcanic activity, caused by volcanic 'growth' and not actual 'eruptions', by magma moving beneath the earth's surface. Earthquakes may occur before or during an eruption, or they may result from the movement of magma beneath the ground surface, which comes close to the surface but does not erupt. A few of the island's earthquakes are less directly related to volcanism. These earthquakes originate in zones of structural weakness at the base of the volcanoes or deep within the earth beneath the ocean and/or the island. Most of this route is still blocked, restricted and closed due to serious landslides, earthquake weakened cliffs, damage to infrastructure and the destruction beyond repair of the Pai'i Bridge since the most recent 6.6 earthquake on the Big Island of 15 October 2006. This has isolated many people in the Hana and Kaupo areas and displaced families, forcing them to take the long route through Hana to reach other areas of the island as they may no longer drive to Kula from Kaupo. Many own their homes and have been forced to leave their homes, close and board them up, while still having the expenses and taxes of home ownership, yet incurring additional expenses to rent a home in another area so they may commute to work. It is a tragedy. The Kipahulu District is closed indefinitely. Research and Text by Sharon Anne Coultrap 26 May 2008